Lecture room: Árnagarður -311. Click for a map.
Working institution
Clinical psychologist, DISPUK, adjunct professor, CBS, Denmark
Abstract
Some family-therapists call themselves systemic-narrative. This might be based on a misunderstanding of the theoretical foundation of both theory and practice related to the two very different approaches.
Systemic (and social constructionist) theory has neither a concept of power, of subjectivity nor of intentionality. Narrative therapy is constantly aware of the norms of culture present in any situation and event. As a therapist you are constantly in a power position.
Michel Foucault writes: “There exists only mutual relations and the perpetual gaps between intentions in relation to each other.” Narrative therapy is focusing on the cultural norms and practices in any family, institution or situation to open up possibilities and create more freedom by inviting stories to be told about values and intentions. The Norwegian criminologist Nils Christie wrote in his wonderful book “små ord om store spørgsmål” that perhaps the most important thing is to upgrade people’s experiences. And to help people to investigate their experiences to make their voice stronger so that they can participate in the big conversation. The goal of narrative therapy is therefore to bring forth the values and the stories about the experiences with these values. Narrative therapy is not looking for solutions. Solutions is a metaphor from mathematics. And life is too complicated to be treated with a mathematical metaphor. There is only a problem because something is important and of value. The double focus of narrative therapy is therefore to give space to both stories about problems and stories about what is important. The more different stories you can tell about the events in your life without shame or guilt the richer a life you can have.