COUC601_DBForum4(Module8)
Topic: Differences in Theories
From the New Directions in Family Therapy section of the Reading & Study material from the previous
module/week, select 2 of the following models addressed: Solution-Focused Therapy, Collaborative
Therapy, or Narrative Therapy. Discuss at least 2 differences between the two therapies with some detail.
Note that postmodernism is a way of thinking about therapies and systems, not a formal therapy.
Similarly, many feel that the collaborative approach and team approach used by social constructionists
are techniques used in family therapy.
When you develop your reply, select the model that was not discussed in your fellow group member’s
thread and bring this approach into play. How does it differ and how it is similar to the therapies
discussed? You may want to use outside sources for this reply post.
Your thread must be at least 500 words. In addition to the thread, you will prepare a reply of at least 400
words to 1 classmate’s thread.
Your thread is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of Module/Week 8, and your reply is due by 11:59
p.m. (ET) on Friday of the same module/week.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Solution-focused therapy is a social constructivist therapy that is focused on change, rather than
the question of “why” the family developed the problem (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2017,
p.351). Solution-focused therapy focuses on finding a solution rather than dissecting reasons of “why”
thinking alone. Miracle questions, exception-finding, and scaling questions are techniques that aid the
clinician and client to explore possibilities. Knekt et al. (2008) note that solution-focused therapy is a
brief resource-oriented and goal-focused therapeutic approach that helps clients change by constructing
solutions.
Narrative therapy emerges from poststructuralism and deconstruction. Narrative therapists help
clients gain freedom and access to preferred stories about their lives and identities, rather than self-
defeating, negative storylines (Goldenberg et al., 2017, p.388). Deconstruction helps the client identify
and reduce the power of oppressive problem saturated stories and replaces them with more positively
constructed stories. Through attending to the narratives, we tell ourselves, clients can become more aware
and thus potentially gain more freedom and healing.
Similarities between solution-focused and narrative therapy include a focus on change for the
client. Differences between the two therapies can be seen too, such as how that change is achieved. These
differences include a foundational emphasis on creating solutions and processing narratives. Differences
COUC601_DBForum4(Module8)
between these two include a focus on the present/future for solution-focused therapy while narrative
therapy focuses on what happened in the past and looks toward processing in the present for a better
future. Narratives are explored in narrative therapy while solution-focused therapy is concerned with the
process of constructing solutions through co-constructing a problem, identifying exceptions, assigning
tasks, evaluating effectiveness, and reevaluating problems and goals (Goldenberg et al., 2017).
In both therapies, the client is the expert, rather than the therapist. Narrative therapy involves a
degree of collaboration through construction. Co-construction occurs where disassembling and
deconstructing before constructing the new is implemented collaboratively. Solution-focused therapy
focuses on new possibilities looking at what would work, what would be ideal, and believing that a
situation is changeable from the client’s point of view. Language is used in both therapies as a vehicle in
forming new constructions. Narrative therapy utilizes looking at key factors such as settings, discourses,
characterizations, plots, and themes. The shift from problematic stories to more adaptive ones leads to
greater empowerment and enables clients to manage their lives more successfully (Seligman, 2006).
Solution-focused therapy focuses on what change is possible and developing multiple solutions. Another
difference is that solution-focused therapy is concerned with what the client is facing, and narrative
therapy is focused on what the client has experienced.
In conclusion, differences between the two therapies include that each utilize different techniques;
each focus on various time frames such as past, present, and future; utilizing collaboration vs. the client as
an expert; and a more narrowed focus on the client’s goals within solution-focused therapy. Narrative
therapy includes a focus on the awareness of cultural considerations within the client’s story also.
Narrative therapy develops new meaning for problematic thoughts, feelings, and emotions, as well. While
the two therapies do focus primarily on instituting a change or different way of looking and doing, each is
focused on helping the client ultimately.
Word Count: 523
References
COUC601_DBForum4(Module8)
Goldenberg, I., Stanton, M., & Goldenberg, H. (2017). Family therapy: an overview (9th ed.).
Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
Knekt, P., Lindfors, O., Härkänen, T., Välikoski, M., Virtala, E., Laaksonen, M. A., . . . Renlund, C.
(2008). Randomized trial on the effectiveness of long-and short-term psychodynamic
psychotherapy and solution-focused therapy on psychiatric symptoms during a 3-year follow-
up. Psychological Medicine, 38(5), 689-703.
http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1017/S003329170700164X
Seligman, L. (2006). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: Systems, strategies, and skills (2nd ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
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Hi Stephanie, thank you for your post. I too decided to discuss the differences between
solution-focused therapy and narrative therapy. I really like how solution-focused therapy cuts to
the matter of creating new solutions with clients experiencing issues. This direct, brief, and
creative oftentimes, approach seems to be a popular therapy, like you noted in Goldenberg,
Stanton, and Goldenberg (2017), that many find appealing and effective. Goldenberg et al.
(2017) states that consideration of a brighter future in which all members change increases its
likelihood to occur, and the solution calls for a consideration of how to reach the states goal
offered by the family themselves (p.355). This position of the family being the experts is
encouraging.
Trepper & Franklin (2012) find that solution-focused brief therapy is an effective
approach to the treatment of psychological problems, with effect sizes like other evidenced-based
approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy. These effects are
seen additionally within fewer averages of sessions needed and in using an approach style that
minimizes harm. SFBT does not involve confrontation or interpretation, nor does it even require
the acceptance of the underlying tenets, as do most other models of psychotherapy. Regarding
COUC601_DBForum4(Module8)
narrative therapy, it seems that solution-focused therapies focus on a different time frame.
Solution-focused therapy focuses more on what will work going forward in the future and
narrative therapy examines the past, present, and looks toward the future. Given SFBT’s
effectiveness, shorter duration, and more benign approach, SFBT is a good evidenced-based
first-choice therapeutic approach for most psychological, behavioral, and relational problems.
Khodayarifard and Sohrabpour (2018) examines narrative therapy in families where
women had addicted husbands within a group setting. Based on these findings, it seems that
narrative therapy is an effective approach in the promotion of psychological well-being of
women with addicted husbands, while also could be effective in reducing their psychological
distress (Khodayarifard & Sohrabpour, 2018). I really like how you noted that narrative therapy
empowers the client. I feel the same way. Narrative therapy helps the client become more in
control of their stories, rather than just allowing others to dictate their narratives. I would think
that this could help someone who has experienced trauma, for example, to lessen anxiety by
gaining more control over their stories. Through utilizing deconstruction, in narrative therapy, the
client is able to rewrite their stories.
While each of these therapies have similarities and differences, it seems that both are
effective and hold evidenced-based research that advocates for their usage in therapeutic
sessions. Like you mention, how the client and clinician get to the results is evident in the
different approaches. However, positive results none the less can become evident. Currently,
within my internship site we utilize a therapy that has a narrative component (TF-CBT) and I
find that just talking about what happened before, the incident(s), and ascribing how the future
will be different after is helpful. Clients through the art of writing, become transformed. Thanks
again for sharing your thoughts.
COUC601_DBForum4(Module8)
Word Count: 497
References
Goldenberg, I., Stanton, M., & Goldenberg, H. (2017). Family therapy: an overview (9th ed.).
Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
Khodayarifard, M., & Sohrabpour, G. (2018). Effectiveness of Narrative Therapy in Groups on
Psychological Well-being and Distress of Iranian Women with Addicted
Husbands. Addiction & Health, 10(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.22122/ahj.v10i1.550
Trepper, T. S., & Franklin, C. (2012). The future of research in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.
In Cynthia Franklin, Terry S. Trepper, Wallace J. Gingerich, & Eric E. McCollum (Eds),
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A handbook of evidence-based practice. New York:
Oxford University Press, p. 405-412.
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