20200718: Introduction to Narrative Therapy: Engaging Theory and Philosophy during COVID-19 [[narrative therapy]] Course Attended Conducted by AMKFSC. Mohamed Fareez & K Shantasaravanan Slides [https://amkfscl-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/fareez_amkfsc_org_sg/EclTW-3c-7RDuSaCcFnQLPoB8aG53LPmAsl8fvcYBOmmgQ?e=nnAOvr](https://amkfscl-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/fareez_amkfsc_org_sg/EclTW-3c-7RDuSaCcFnQLPoB8aG53LPmAsl8fvcYBOmmgQ?e=nnAOvr) - Both presenters are social worker by profession, who desire not to take a “one up” position when working with their clients. - There is no one truth, but multiple truth and reality - Michael White and David Epson started Narrative Therapy - Narrative means to therapeutic ends - Book - Discourses of power between helper and helpee  - ideas such as labelling, use of words.  - Social justice - reality is created, how do we look at deconstructing dominant construct - What is Narrative Therapy?  - More then telling story.  ![[Pasted image 20220206140851.png]] - What are the stories of our life, can we pick and choose the story? Our life is multiple story. interwoven.  - Who is telling the story? Are we the author of our life?  - The story of what is it to be a father, parent, what does it take to be a good mother?  - Alternative stories — like a spin off - Father one story, but a good father in other aspect.  - How are certain stories being privilege? ![[Pasted image 20220206140904.png]] - Presenter shared about his life, and there were dominate stories that “define” his life.  ![[Pasted image 20220206140912.png]] - The different Dots means different stories, events in life. Many small dots in life, but not all are not given meaningful.  - That form a THEME of life.  ![[Pasted image 20220206140933.png]] - The more we recount our stories as “sucky”, the stronger the narrative become in our life.  - Presenter shared about how he learnt from his grandmother, a picture of his father holding him. That opened up other stories in his life.  ![[Pasted image 20220206140945.png]] - There were other people in his life that love him.  - Alternate stories of e.g Poverty, solidify values in his life, what does “single parents mean” - what is the dominant discourses in society.  - In summary, there is a new alternative story. Doesn’t mean the original story is ignore.  - Thicken the YELLOW dots pathway, - Like a good book, there are different sub-stories and sub-plots  ![[Pasted image 20220206140954.png]] - Started they recognised that “healing” and “justice” cannot be separated. Seven articles in the  “Re-experiencing the ‘Rojak’”.  ![[Pasted image 20220206141001.png]] - Without using the diagnosis/label, helping child to use his own word to describe and in that way explain and create meaning. ![[Pasted image 20220206141010.png]] - Who is telling the story? ![[Pasted image 20220206141018.png]] - E.g about who is telling the story? Example in grief process.  - Life Certificate is an example to create “alternate stories" ([https://dulwichcentre.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/The-Life-Certificate-by-Mohamed-Fareez.pdf](https://dulwichcentre.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/The-Life-Certificate-by-Mohamed-Fareez.pdf))  - Client come to seek help usually is about “the pain of losing someone”.  - The alternate story is "what kind of person was your mother?”, by looking at the the positive-ness.  - We create tools, but how we must be careful if it connect with the person.  ![[Pasted image 20220206141027.png]] - Outsider witnessing process - To witness their stories of resilience, to overcome their hardship  - Mother resilience group.  ![[Pasted image 20220206141034.png]] - Michael White “The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem”  - The solution is not only personal.  - Can invite others to come solve the problem together.  - e.g if “Depression” is a problem, not the person. Then can invite more people to come in to solve the “depression problem" ![[Pasted image 20220206141041.png]] - Example of this concept,  - Externalise the problem out of the children.  ![[Pasted image 20220206141049.png]] - Helpers can facilitate this process of people responding and protest injustice.  - [www.tiny.cc/truckstory](http://www.tiny.cc/truckstory)  - Don’t have to present problem as sad and tragic , but also can be present in a hopeful manner - Dominate and Hidden narrative can happen together. Not totally throw away dominate stories.  ![[Pasted image 20220206141057.png]] ![[Pasted image 20220206141103.png]] - Usually when we create psychoeduction materials, it’s designed by staff. What if we ask people who have gone through that, to create materials for the others who are in similar situations. Sharing how they overcome their struggles. - Good idea! What if we invite our peers to do it? - Not “one up” perspective.  - Check out “collective documents”  ![[Pasted image 20220206141116.png]] - Presenter demo about creating narratives,  - from feeling loneliness,  how he value connection - and how he connect with intern, shows caring,  - where he get that  the value of care for others.  ![[Pasted image 20220206141122.png]] ![[Pasted image 20220206141127.png]] When people talk about expectations, It means there are discourses in play Join Facebook group. “Singapore Narrative Therapy and Community Work" ![[Pasted image 20220206141142.png]]