Narrative Family Therapy Case Study

A counselor that is using Narrative Family Therapy should make sure that the appropriate environment is set by creating a witnessing structure (Freedman, 2014). During the counseling session, the therapist should encourage a family member to tell his or her story concerning an event that took place (Freedman, 2014). The listening family members are instructed to listen closely and act as a witness to what their loved one has said (Freedman, 2014). The family members in attendance have to retell the story that the initial speaker (Freedman, 2014). The initial speaker has to act as if he or she is a witness (Freedman, 2014). Then the first person that told the story has to retell the story that he or she heard from the other family members (Freedman, 2014). The goal of this process is to help all individuals involved to understand every person’s account of the story (Freedman, 2014). During the therapy session, the counselor will speak to one of the family members and will only allude to the rest of the family members in third person (Freedman, 2014). The therapist should make sure that all family members are cooperating with the process (Freedman, 2014). If there is any resistance against the process, the therapist should …show more content…
Both of the models help the family to express emotions that would have normally remained unsaid. A counselor that uses either one of these models will help the family come to a solution. In contrast, Narrative Family Therapy uses storytelling and the other interventions to help each individual express themselves. Each family member may feel like a valued part of the family. When a counselor uses Structural Family Therapy, may seem as if he or she is taking sides with an individual (Vetere, 2001). A counselor that uses Narrative Family Therapy will help the family create a story that the family will agree with (Shaylee & Brownlee,