Narrative Therapy

á 'This volume is especially useful in demonstrating the effects of placing social discourses at the center of therapy. It gores many sacred cows of the larger modernist therapeutic community, but in doing so it offers new ideas for mental health professionals attempting to help their clients with common and serious life problems.'áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááùPSYCCRITIQUES'This compilation is an insightful read for practitioners who have not taken the opportunity to use narrative therapy in practice...Experienced practitioners will certainly appreciate the theoretical analysis offered by the writers as well as the opportunity for reflective practice. Narrative Therapy is a meaningful contribution to a Canadian book market lacking in clinical literature for social workers'áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááùCANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERSNarrative Therapy:áMaking Meaning, Making Livesáoffers a comprehensive introduction to and critique of narrative therapy and its theories. This edited volume introduces students to the history and theory of narrative therapy. Authors Catrina Brown and Tod Augusta-Scott situate this approach to theory and practice within the context of various feminist, post-modern and critical theories. Through the presentation of case studies, Narrative Therapy: Making Meaning, Making Livesáshows how this narrative-oriented theory can be applied in the client-therapist experience. Many important therapeutic situations (abuse, addictions, eating disorders, and more) are addressed from the narrative perspective.áá Rooted in social constructionism, and emerging initially from family therapy, narrative therapy emphasizes the idea that we live storied lives. Within this approach, the editors and contributors seek to show how we make sense of our lives and experiences by ascribing meaning through stories which themselves arise within social conversations and culturally available discourses. Our stories donÆt simply represent us or mirror lived events; they actually constitute usùshaping our lives as well as our relationships.áááNarrative Therapyáwill be a valuable supplemental textbookáfor theory and practice courses in departments of Counseling and Psychotherapy and of Social Work as well as for courses in Gender and Women Studies.á

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Postmodernism, Reflexivity, and Narrative Therapy - Catrina Brown, Tod Augusta-ScottPART I: WRITING IN THE SOCIALCh 1. Situating Knowledge and Power in the Therapeutic Alliance - Catrina BrownCh 2. Re-storying Women¿s Depression: A Material-Discursive Approach - Michelle N. Lafrance, Janet M. StoppardCh 3. The Blinding Power of Genetics: Manufacturing and Privatizing Stories of Eating Disorders - Karin JasperCh 4. Poetics of Resistance: Compassionate Practice in Substance Misuse Therapy - Colin James SandersCh 5. Practicing Psychiatry Through a Narrative Lens: Working With Children, Youth, and Families - Normand CarreyPART II: SELF-SURVEILLANCE: NORMALIZING PRACTICES OF SELFCh 6. Discipline and Desire: Regulating the Body/Self - Catrina BrownCh 7. Watching the Other Watch: A Social Location of Problems - Stephen MadiganCh 8. Internalized Homophobia: Lessons From the Mobius Strip - Glenda M. RussellPART III: CHALLENGING ESSENTIALISMCh 9. Dethroning the Suppressed Voice: Unpacking Experience as Story - Catrina BrownCh 10.Conversations With Men About Women¿s Violence: Ending Men¿s Violence by Challenging Gender Essentialism - Tod Augusta-ScottCh 11. Challenging Essentialist Anti-Oppressive Discourse: Uniting Against Racism and Sexism - Tod Augusta-ScottPART IV: RE-AUTHORING PREFERRED IDENTITIESCh 12. Movement of Identities: A Map for Therapeutic Conversations About Trauma - Jim Duvall, Laura BeresCh 13. Letters From Prison: Re-authoring Identity With Men Who Have Perpetrated Sexual Violence - Tod Augusta-ScottCh 14: Talking Body Talk: Blending Narrative and Feminist Approaches to Therapy - Catrina BrownAbout the EditorsAbout the Contributors