Most therapy tries to understand what’s “wrong” with someone. But what if the person isn’t the problem at all? In this episode of Psychology, Actually, Dr Marianne Trent is joined by clinical psychologists Rosslyn Offord, Elizabeth Field and Polly Kaiser to explore narrative therapy a therapeutic approach that helps people separate themselves from problems, reconnect with identity, and rewrite the stories they hold about themselves.
We discuss trauma, grief, dementia, migration, stigma, ageing, burnout, community work, and how narrative therapy can support people across cultures and across the lifespan. The conversation also explores externalising problems, Tree of Life work, systemic therapy ideas, narrative approaches to dementia care, and how stories can shape both distress and recovery. This episode will be especially valuable for psychologists, therapists, counselling trainees, mental health professionals, systemic practitioners, and anyone curious about identity, therapy, and human stories.
Check out the book, Narrative Therapy and Older People: Challenging Stigma, Supporting Connection and Building Hope https://amzn.to/3PFW8qN
Timestamps
00:00 You are not the problem
01:00 What is narrative therapy?
04:28 How Rosslyn discovered narrative therapy
06:18 Narrative therapy in CAMHS and “Sneaky Poo”
08:29 Working with dementia and cognitive difficulties
11:38 Grief, remembering and storytelling
15:29 Why language matters in therapy
16:02 Narrative therapy, migration and trauma
18:01 Using a person’s own language in therapy
19:11 Tree of Life and cross-cultural work
20:32 Is narrative therapy evidence-based?
24:20 Life story work and dementia care
26:35 Is it ever too late to learn narrative therapy?
28:39 Dementia stigma and community connection
31:29 Who might benefit from narrative therapy?
34:27 The new narrative therapy book
38:41 Final reflections and resources
#PsychologyActually #NarrativeTherapy #ClinicalPsychology
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