Psychology – NARRATIVE THERAPY

Narrative Therapy Perspective

Student’s Name

Institution

                                                    NARRATIVE THERAPY PERSPECTIVE 
Couples live in cycles of happiness and sad situations. Chapter 8 of the clinical casebook
of couple therapy text revolves around a case study relating to Mari and Steven who are married
and have children. Mari laments to VCD, who is the counselor, that since they had their first kid,
Steven gets no time for her (Gurman, 1984). He speaks about the kids and balls all the day and
pays no attention to her. Steven had lost the sense of intimacy and did not notice her anymore.
Steven interrupts and justifies that he is not interested in getting time for her. He terms it as too
emotional and top demands. The couple has been suffering conflict from the outset of therapy.
In the case, there is the application of logic intervention that is consistent with the
narrative perspective. The counselor starts a conversation with what he calls a thumbnail sketch
of people’s lives, whereby he gives a brief information relating to the clients he is about to serve
to create formality so that he can engage them in seeking a solution. Such formalities are in line
with the narrative perspective since the narrative therapy upholds relations of power between the
therapists and the client (Agazarian, Gant, & Sandahl, 2011). The narrative therapists believe
that problems are identified through client’s positioning in wider discourses, or cultural stories.
Counselors play crucial roles in addressing emotional disorders. Mari and Steven's
marriage have been having issues since they got their first kid. Steven does not create time for
his wife but only gets time to play games with the kids. Psychological conflicts have been
affecting the marriage for years and, in this situation, the counselor has the responsibility to offer
a lasting solution.

 

References

Agazarian, Y., Gant, S. P., & Sandahl, C. (2011). Systems-Centered Therapy: Clinical Practice
with Individuals, Families and Groups. London: Karnac.
Gurman, A. (1984). Research & clinical exchange. The American Journal of Family
Therapy, 12(2), 70-73. doi:10.1080/01926188408250174