Narrative Therapy: A Case Study

Both the Cognitive Behavioral therapy and Narrative Therapy model are used to help persons with a wide variety of problems (addictions being one) learn how to view their world a bit differently. Cognitive therapy helps people to look at and to change disruptive beliefs which have a detrimental impact on our behaviors, emotions and overall quality of life. Narrative therapy helps people to put more attention on the positive storylines that make up their reality rather than just the negative. Both hold that positive thoughts and positive self-narratives tend to have a positive or advantageous impact on a person’s behaviors and emotions.

This paper will look at the logic of narrative therapy by focusing on 5 major points. This paper will begin by discussing how the narrative approach defines and perceives problems. It will address how narrative therapy views the nature of the relationship between the client and the professional. This paper will look at how problems are solved using the narrative approach. It will also focus on three main techniques used in narrative therapy, which will include externalization, deconstruction and re-authoring. This paper will also include a short narrative critique of the medical model.

The client met with his counselor on 05/06/2017 for his one on one session to discuss his treatment plan goals. the client has been on track with his goals and is working on his second step. the client discuss one of the things that his currently working on and that is acceptance. the client explained that he is having a hard time acceptance certain situations and things that happen in his life, and most of the time it result in him resulting to using drugs. the client as well talked about being disappointed in himself for relapsing after two years of being sober. the client reported that he didn't use the tools that were given to him from his last his was in the program, getting a sponsor and learning coping skills. the client reported that

I talked to the man, who asked to go by “Richard”, after the meeting concluded. We sat outside the conference room and drank coffee while he told me about his lifelong battle with alcohol and drugs. I think what struck out the most to me was just how sad and regretful his tone of voice was as he told his story to me. He recalled how he first shot up with heroin at the age of fourteen, and how his life was a vicious cycle of drugs and depression afterwards. “Richard” told me that he was in and out of juvenile halls throughout his teenage years and how, when he was supposed to be in school, would skip classes to drink on the curb or inject himself with heroin in some dirty gas station bathroom. “I was in and out of prisons too, once I got old enough.” I remember him telling me. After two three year stints in prison on drug and alcohol related charges, the correctional

Substance abuse is a tragedy that touches many lives. Abuse begins with a single use event that, with continued use and overindulgence, transforms into a battle. The abuser most always loses that battle. Personal relationships, social ties, and employment suffers. Irresponsible and erratic behavior becomes the norm, and though the abuser is aware on some level of the reckless and thoughtless acts that they commit, they continue to use and abuse their drug of choice. What starts as experimentation often ends in addiction. The best hope for a person in the grips of substance abuse is immediate,

Getting help for drug addiction is often such an intimidating idea that many addicts continue to use rather than expose themselves to the embarrassment or pain that they have associated with reaching out to someone for help. This is in large part due to the fact that television, books and movies have portrayed drug rehab centers in such a negative light that the reality is actually quite incomprehensibly different than these depictions. Millions of people have gotten help for addiction and gone on to lead productive and fulfilling lives free from the bonds of substance abuse. However, there are plenty still who delayed treatment for one reason or another and suffered severe consequences by doing so. Because addiction is a progressive and

Mr. Charles’ ability to maintain sobriety and learn a healthy lifestyle of recovery, taking into account that his drug dependence will only continue and possibly increase if untreated. Mr. Charles would benefit from an outpatient treatment program in order to become educated regarding the dangers of substance use/abuse. Mr. Charles will also be able to process his patterns of drug use and learn to recognize triggers that lead to his substance abuse. Mr. Charles will also be able to learn the effects and consequences of substance abuse and how to remain abstinent from drugs. While in group therapy, Mr. Charles will learn appropriate techniques to resist peer pressure to drug use as well as assist him in developing a supportive network to encourage him to maintain abstinence. The intervention would assist to minimize the possibility of Mr. Charles’ drug use from progressing into the late stages of chemical dependency.

So how does an addicted individual escape addiction? Miller (1998) argues that there can be a sudden shift in how the person perceives the pros and cons of their behavior. This is often seen over time as the suffering directly attached to the addiction increases and the ratio of pros and cons shifts. Through motivational interviewing, Miller suggests that therapists and other helping professionals can lend clients another perspective, a mirror image of themselves, so as to increase the client's conception of the consequences and saliency of their

Addiction to drugs and alcohol has changed the lives of millions of Americans. According to Alcoholics Anonymous: Addiction will play tricks on the mind, forcing it to get stuck in an emotional and intellectual limbo. This limbo paralyzes rational associations by replacing a traditional outlook on life to one of an addict. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. In order to grow emotionally its important to analyze our own actions and behaviors according to the Alcoholics Anonymous book. The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous; the stories of experience, strength and hope come together to form a compilation of success stories(Alcoholics Anonymous, 2001, p. 562-566). This books treatment for the disease of addiction is a series of reconditioning interpretations and a understanding of behaviors. The treatment for psychological issues that have been coped with by means of addiction is enough for a free life time membership to A.A. The A.A. way of life is relatively simple but many still relapse again and again. Those that work the program recondition their mind and eventually find serenity. Often, more times than

The client stated that due to his addiction, he would place himself in dangerous situations. The client has been able to identify previously unknown triggers that lead to relapse. For example, the client stated that he would drink large amounts of alcohol because it "wasn’t my drug of choice". The client soon relapsed on his drug of choice. The client stated, "I never thought about why I relapsed before". The client expressed the importance of aftercare to maintain long-term sobriety. The client attends weekly AA/NA and Big Book meetings in the PWC ADC. The client will continue to work on identifying and developing healthy coping skills, learning and building an awareness of triggers, understanding the importance of aftercare, and working on a relapse prevention

The counselor met Johnathan for his scheduled individual session. Johnathan denies any substance use over the holiday weekend. Johnathan states he attend an AA meeting over the holiday as well. Johnathan father share he drink alcohol on the 1st of August when home along. Johnathan acknowledge that it did happen however states he has not drank since that date. Johnathan reports has been jobs seeking. Johnathan and I discuss Building Up to Drink and Drug (BUDD). Johnathan and I discuss way to cope with craving. Johnathan denies any HI/SI at the time of session. Johnathan appears to be is pre-contemplation stage of change as evidence by his willing to practice new skills to address his craving. The counselor next scheduled individual session

How Addiction Happens, How Change Happens, and What Social Workers Need to Know to Be Effective Facilitators of Change is an article written by Jill Littrell. Littrell addresses the complexity of underlying physiological demands made on patients throughout the addiction and treatment process. Even if a patient has whole heartedly committed themselves to their sobriety , physiological components of the brain can unknowingly trigger the need to use. Therefore, the trans-theoretical theory with the motivational interviewing approach are believed to help clients experience less resistance and be more open to change by learning why they want or need to make changes. Hence, using more direct or confrontational methods in addiction treatment could

I want to share with you, a letter Dan wrote about his addiction. His letter is sincere, powerful, and has great depth. This is the Dan, my family knew before drugs took him away from us. After reading his letter, I realize more clearly the struggle that Dan is goes through every day with his addiction. I am humbled by his letter, I am sure that I couldn’t have written this eloquent letter.

The Transtheoretical or Stages of Change Model The realization of an addiction can be a tremendously unnerving obstacle for an individual to face beyond the stage of denial. However, being in this type of position is not a circumstance by which an individual must remain a victim of. In this paper, I will attempt to present a brief explanation of the possibilities offered to recovering addicts through effective counseling by identifying the stages of change; precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and relapse. Although long term success with the transtheoretical or stages of change model is possible, I will also address the challenge and interventional process surrounding the harm reduction psychotherapeutic approach

The road to recovery is one that many who have substance abuse problems might not like to consider at first. However, clinicians should be aware of what stage of change their client is in. Thus, the clinicians should listen attentively to what the client is saying because of the cues that will help determine the stage of change and how the clinician should approach the client. This being said, this essay will present Melissa’s case, discuss strategies to motivate change, adversity that she will encounter, and provide examples of how through motivational interviewing the ambivalence can be counteracted. To start with, the case will be focused on Melissa a thirty-two year old Caucasian female who by her own admission stated she uses marijuana on occasions.