Narrative Therapy in response to trauma, difficulties and hardship in child and adult clients

People often have practices of Living that have been developed over time. Before we introduce interventions, we can hear stories about what they might ordinarily do in the face of difficulties.

Michael White spoke about recognising and hearing the story and history of a client’s trauma and their pain and suffering afterwards:

No-one is a passive recipient of hardship.

People are always responding,

whether they are children or adults.

They respond to try to minimize the effects of hardship, or

to try to make it stop, or

to try to protect others.



These responses can be overlooked, and the person may not even realise they have been practicing their own unique ways to respond to trauma. We can get really curious and ask about even small actions that someone makes:


‘I was quiet.’

‘I did nothing.’

‘I hid and did not face the situation.’

‘I was afraid and remained paralysed and unable to do anything other than crying.’

Or, ‘I did nothing, I was just thinking that I wanted it to stop happening.’


Sadly, many responses to trauma that people make are often confused or interpreted as symptoms of a psychiatric diagnosis.

These actions can be recognised as ways in which they protected themselves or their sense of self, and how they want to live their life and treat others, and so we get to hear more about what is important in their lives.


Warning:

BEWARE OF TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Techniques and tools might calm our own anxiety around are we good enough in our role?

Bringing any ‘intervention’ or tool may push the client out of the equation, into the margins whilst we, as expert, ‘do’ the clever technique. Of course, they often willingly comply.

We may lose sight of the person and believe that we are ‘addressing the problem’ or perhaps that this tool may even contribute to ‘fixing’ something unwanted in the person’s life.

Beware when using tools that we don’t lose our curiosity about how a person has created a response to their experience.



Example:

College student is stressed with assignments due very soon.

How they have always in the past got the work done on time, or suggesting an extension request, or practice some mindful breathing to calm the stress….

What 3 things do you do that seem to get you across the line?

1. Coffee (laughter)
2. Talk to myself, “I am 80% there, I can just finish it.”
3. Tell myself “You don’t have to make it perfect.”


I am available for counselling and supervision (I have PACFA clinical supervision registration) as well as counsellor training and parent presentations.

Enquiry via my website:
https://www.kimbillington.com.au


The more I meet with clients and supervisees, the more I experience that
the whole of life is a sacred exchange:
Like to relationship between bee and flower, the client and counsellor work for mutual humanity’s goals.

The Hero’s Journey can also be a helpful resource for those final sessions:

https://kimbillington.com.au/resources/

I deliver training in this approach:

https://www.artandplaytherapytraining...

The Tree of Life is also an excellent creative expressive arts tool to offer in the final sessions:

https://www.artandplaytherapytraining...


I am available for individual and group supervision, as a clinical supervisor with PACFA & ACA.

Enquiry via my website:
https://www.kimbillington.com.au

My first book, ‘A Counsellor’s Companion’ is for people who live with, teach or provide counselling for children and young people. It has many case studies and therapeutic folktales, and is illustrated with over 50 stunning black and white drawings by award winning artist, Tamar Dolev.
$19.95 + postage: https://tinyurl.com/acounsellorscompa...

Book review:
  / dr-leonie-white-9a915489_a-counsellors-com...  

Additional mini tutorials around last session considerations and ideas:

   • Preparing Your Client for the Last Session...  

   • How to close a counselling session after s...