Creating Equality Through Dialogue in a Narrative‐Based Helping Relationship¹

Abstract

This study aims to examine dialogical techniques used to establish a relationship of equality between therapist and client in narrative‐based therapy. This paper first introduces a “mutual first‐personalization process” found in dialogue established through the Person‐Centered Approach and “early dialogues,” which is a framework that forms the foundation of Open Dialogue, to illuminate the relationship of equality created in these exchanges. The concept of the “middle voice” is then introduced to show that dialogical therapy generates a relationship that does not clearly distinguish between therapist and client, or “to help” and “to be helped,” and that equality is a key aspect of narrative‐based therapy.