The two therapies that I will be discussing here are narrative and solution-focused
therapy. Narrative therapy is based on the stories we tell about our worldview,
experiences, and ourselves (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2017). Solution-
focused therapy is based on change versus why the family developed the problems
(Goldenberg et al., 2017). The differences between the therapies are that narrative
therapy looks at the facts and recreates the story. Solution-focused therapy looks at
a solution for the problems and away from the facts or reasons for the issues
(Goldenberg et al., 2017). Clients in solution-focused therapy are aware of what
they need, and in narrative therapy, the assumption is that the problem is in the
relationships or context (Goldenberg et al., 2017). Narrative therapy was developed
in the1980’s by Michael White and David Epston fron New- Zeland (Goldenberg,
et al 2017). Narrative therapy uses three techniques "dominant story, externalizing
the problem story and re-authorizing". A dominant story is a story the client has
created for themselves. Externalizing is when the story allows the client to look at
the narrative from a different point of view (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg,
2017). Finally, re-authoring is when the client talks the story over and begins to
develop a new story. Each of these techniques in narrative therapy helps the client
to tell their story, edit and re-create their story to live better lives and have the
option to tell and re-tell the new story until it becomes one with them .Solution
focused therapy was developed in 1980 by a group of individuals named Steve
DeShazer, Insoo Kim Berg, Yvonne Dolan, and Eve Lipchick (Goldenberg,
Stanton, & Goldenberg,2017). Solution-focused therapy’s main focus is to find a
solution without visiting the reason for the problem (Goldenberg, Stanton, &
Goldenberg, 2017). The focus of this therapy is changing, not the why
(Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2017). In his therapy, clients are expected to
know what they already need to fix their problems, and the counselor listens to
them as they describe their problem (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2017).
These two therapies look at two different aspects of family therapy but still seem to
be a working solution in family therapy practice. Narrative therapy looks at the
story we tell about ourselves and the world around us, and solution-focused
therapy looks at solving the problem without actually knowing the problem
(Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2017). Narrative therapy wants to know
what the problems are and a way to fix the problem by rewriting the story.
Solution-focused therapy does not want to know the problem; it is just a way to
solve the problem within the family because the family already knows the problem
and what they need (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2017).
References
Goldenberg, H., Goldenberg, I., & Stanton, M. (2017). Family therapy: An overview.
Cengage learning.
