Narrative Solutions: Using Preferred View of Self to Motivate Individual and Family Change

Abstract

This article describes refinements of the Narrative Solutions approach to individual and family therapy we first presented in Family Process 22 years ago. The centerpiece of this integrative (narrative-strategic) model is "preferred view of self," or the constellation of qualities people would like to see in themselves and have others see in them. We assume that problems generally involve one or more people mismanaging discrepancies or "gaps" between preferred views of self and either their actual behavior or how they see others seeing them and their behavior. Because clients are motivated to resolve such discrepancies, we use specifiable conversational strategies to help people (a) be clear about their preferred view of self, (b) notice gaps or discrepancies, and (c) summon resources to manage these gaps more effectively. Positive clinical effects of these strategic conversations can be rapid and dramatic. Case examples highlight applications to child and family problems, and we discuss some challenges and future directions for the Narrative Solutions approach.

Editorial: The Systemic in Couple and Family Research and Couple and Family Therapy

“…This then was followed by the blooming of postmodern therapies in couple and family therapy. The proponents of these therapies envisioned the optimal "systemic" intervention in a much less directive way than earlier therapists (Anderson, 2016;Lund, Eron, & Dagirmanjian, 2016). Further, they rejected the notions of therapeutic manuals and positivist measurement of outcomes that are foundational to research (D'Arrigo-Patrick, Hoff, Knudson-Martin, & Tuttle, 2017;Heatherington & Johnson, 2019).…”

Comparing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Systemic Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial (SOPHO‐CBT/ST)

“…FAMILY PROCESS narrative, externalization of symptoms based on the narrative-solutions approach (de Shazer et al, 1986;Lund, Eron, & Dagirmanjian, 2016), genogram interviewing (Petry & McGoldrick, 2013) and symbolic action methods like sculpting (Duhl, Kantor, & Duhl, 1973) a variation of systems constellations which have been found to be effect in another RCT (Hunger, Weinhold, et al, 2015;Hunger, Bornh€ auser, Link, Schweitzer, et al, 2014;Weinhold et al, 2013). Theoretically, it is grounded in communication (Watzlawick, Weakland, & Fisch, 1969) and social systems (Luhmann, 2017) theory, with strong ties to the autopoiesis concept (Maturana & Varela, 1987).…”

“…Our ST is mostly based and inspired by the work of Helm Stierlin and colleagues during the early 1980s, which has since continued to be refined and is comprehensively described in von Schlippe and Schweitzer (2012) and Hunger, Hilzinger and Schweitzer (2016). It integrates concepts and practices from post‐Milan circular interviewing and questioning to fluidize the presented symptoms (Boscolo, Cecchin, Hoffmann, & Penn, 1987; Penn, 1982), solution‐focused language and restoration of a dominant problem‐saturated narrative, externalization of symptoms based on the narrative‐solutions approach (de Shazer et al., 1986; Lund, Eron, & Dagirmanjian, 2016), genogram interviewing (Petry & McGoldrick, 2013) and symbolic action methods like sculpting (Duhl, Kantor, & Duhl, 1973) a variation of systems constellations which have been found to be effect in another RCT (Hunger, Weinhold, et al, 2015; Hunger, Bornhäuser, Link, Schweitzer, et al, 2014; Weinhold et al, 2013). Theoretically, it is grounded in communication (Watzlawick, Weakland, & Fisch, 1969) and social systems (Luhmann, 2017) theory, with strong ties to the autopoiesis concept (Maturana & Varela, 1987).…”