What are some basic key points of constructivist approaches
Counselors have some expertise on knowledge but they maintain the view that the client is the expert on their own experiences
The therapeutic process is about co-creating meaning
The therapist looks for strengths and resources within the clients
Therapy focuses on a better future for the client
What is at the core of narrative therapy
Narrative therapy teaches the client to externalize their problems
Narrative therapy stages
Externalizing conversations Mapping the influence Unique outcome questions Unique possibilities Restorying
Externalizing conversations
The goal is to extract the problem as a separate entity and to come together to solve it.
Mapping the influence
Exploring how individuals perceive the effects of the problem. Keeping in mind that it is not one person’s but everyone’s
Unique outcome questions
Focusing on the times that the client was able to ignore or defeat the problem
Unique possibilities
Asking the client to think what life would look like without the problem. This helps focus on the future and gives the client to suggest possible solutions
Restorying
The client is encouraged to use their own language to describe their new experience apart from the problem with the use of questions
common beliefs of feminist therapy
- understanding the problem by analyzing the political and contextual roots
- women attach different meaning to issues such as power, freedom, independence, and choice
- some pathological traits such as dependency, passivity, and compliancy are usually associated with women
- litening and nurturing have been traditionally undervalued
what are some of the issues that people of color encounter in most societies
- intimate partner violence
- sexual exploitation
- well-being of sexual and gender identity minorities
- health issues among women and marginalized groups
- psychological perspectives on older women who have been traditionally ignored
- disordered eating as it relates to specific ethnicities
- methodological and statistical issues as it relates to samples
- mental health of low income women, women with disabilities, immigrant women, migrant workers
feminist therapy commonalities
- evaluate cultural context in which the client is present
- oppression is harmful
- collaborative relationship rather than power differential
- strengths are highlighted and problems reframed. staying away from diagnostic labels
- diverse perspectives honored
- social action as ultimate aim; though not imposed on client
power analysis
analysis of how power differential experiences have negatively impacted the client
gender role analysis
exploring the impact that gender role stereotypes have on the clinet’s life
reframing
alternative way to explain issue by highlighitng client’s strengths and evaluating it under a positive light
therapist self-disclosure
if beneficial, sharing personal experince to normalize the client’s feelings
social action
taking action to make one’s life or others’ better is empowering
what is the goal of relational cultural therapy (RCT)
to reduce individual isolation and to increase connections by fostering growth-fostering relationships and mutual empathy
what are five positive outcomes from growth fostering relationships
1- a desire to move into more relationships because the first are satisfying
2- a sense of zest and energy
3- increased knowledge of self and others in the relationships
4- a desire to take action within and without the growth fostering relationship
5- increase in self-worth
central relational paradox (CRP)
we have a natural drive toward relationships and we long for acceptance. However, we believe we have qualities we see as unacceptable and we hide them, making our relationships unfulfilling
premises of solution-focused theory
a-if something is not broken do not fix it
b-if it works, do more of it
c-if it does not work, do something else
implicit theoretical assumptions of solution-focused therapy
- human beings are able to resolve their own difficulties
- focusing on what Is working and is rigth
- only focused on the present
- clients receive reality as constructed
- continues to address limited and concrete goals
- change is inevitable and continuous, therefore the focus is small incremental steps
- small changes in behavior impact the whole system
