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Narrative Therapy With Incarcerated Teenagers and Their Families

NCJ Number
155601
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: May 1995 Pages: 28-30
Author(s)
M. Lysack
Date Published
May 1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the basic components of narrative therapy and examines its usefulness in working with a family to treat a juvenile family member.
Abstract
A narrative therapist's task is to help juvenile inmates re- author their lives according to more prosocial behaviors and beliefs. Narrative therapy encourages juveniles to invite any person who is important to them to an early therapy session. These individual then witness, or even become part of, the performance of new prosocial behaviors. Participants are first encouraged to name the problems that dominate their minds and behaviors. Next, the juvenile and family or friends map out the problem's influence in his/her life. Like a novel, this "landscape of action" consists of a sequence of events connected by an overall plot. The therapist uses language that encourages offenders to externalize or even personify the problem outside themselves or their family. This begins the dismantling of the problem narrative that has defined their lives. Finally, juveniles and their families are encouraged to re-author their lives by constructing and living out prosocial narratives. As the alternative narrative slowly emerges, the juvenile and family are encouraged to name it. This allows them to sort events and developments during therapy into either the problem narrative or the alternative narrative. Participants are also urged to take action that undermines the old narrative and strengthens the new one. 17 footnotes