#Narrative Therapy

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

The show is about the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. With Stede’s love, Ed is able to rewrite the narrative of who is he is.

Man against Beast. Ed against the Kraken.

The Truth vs The Lie. Ed triumphs! Behold!

The unlovable monster imagery is now a small fish. Ed’s gonna eat it!

[sarnai4]

I think it would be fun to have psychological therapies addressed in more fictional stories. I don't even think giving actual diagnoses would be as important as delving into the treatments. Someone could relate to one of the characters, then see what therapies work best for them. Plus, it could get some more word out there for less common treatments like animal, music, and narrative therapy. I'm working on a story like that now. All of the main characters have at least one mental illness, but they support one another and use psychological treatments like those I've mentioned. Hopefully, someone will be able to apply at least one of the therapies, then not feel so alone or unseen.

[tosin-talks]

Tiny Tim is a fun picture book that teaches the importance of emotional regulation! As Tim learns how to control his storm of emotions and avoid problem behaviors, he also learns how to separate himself from harmful narratives. The original book provides 8 additional pages for parents and caregivers to learn how to help their children navigate intense emotions and develop a positive sense of self.

The junior edition was created for independent reading with age-appropriate language for young people. This version allows them to learn alongside Tim as he gains control of his emotions and behaviors.

Tiny Tim: Navigating Stormy Feelings and Behaviors is available for purchase on Barnes & Noble.com: $16.99 Hardcover or $13 Paperback and on Amazon: $13.00 Paperback. The junior edition is also available on Amazon: $9.13 Paperback

Tiny Tim: Navigating Stormy Feelings and Behaviors is written by Tosin Anjorin and illustrated by Peachmarch.

[turanga4]

Trick or Treat

👻

🎃

Oooh hellz yeah Spooky Attention let's gooooooooo

Trick Or Treat Ask Game Here.

So, I don't have many snippets of WIPs to share, but huzzah the rules say I can do stuff like rant about a published fic, so I shall do that. The topic of insomnia came up amongst some mutuals, and I mentioned that I have major issues with that also, so I decided that post-battle, Harry does as well. The line from a fic that I shared in that conversation was

Every night, sleep is a room he hangs out at the edge of, leaving too often and trying to return.

Which was totally my experience with this condition, when it was at its worst, about two years ago. Which was incidentally, though I didn't initially connect all the dots a) when I was experiencing a really extreme amount of trauma and post-traumatic stress and b) when I started writing HP fan fic, focusing on the post-war era and all of the work it takes to get towards "all was well."

And I realized all that shit was actually connected when...I actually shared the piece WITH my new therapist, about a year later, because the fic is my version of Harry-goes-to-therapy and in it, I expressed creatively a concern that I actually had once I recognized that, "oh fuck, this one actually has the skills to go there with me in a way that the others did not"--that engaging actively with past trauma can itself be re-traumatizing. I know we shouldn't fully see ourselves in our blorbos, but writing that piece was initially quite healing, and showing her that piece, understanding that Harry's "you'll have to start early, I reckon" was also about ME finally being ready to unpack a lot of past stuff that influenced why the more recent traumas were so difficult...yeah, that was actually rather excellent. Narrative therapy FTW, yo.

[solhwellness]

Different Types of Psychotherapies: Exploring Your Options | Solh Wellness

Several psychological therapies provide useful strategies for overcoming life's problems when it comes to improving your mental health. These treatments, often known as talk therapies or psychotherapies, offer a framework for comprehending and controlling your ideas, feelings, and behaviors.

Let's look at the various forms of psychological therapy available:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

A well-known treatment method called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to recognize and alter unfavorable thought patterns. By recognizing and addressing these ideas, people can manage disorders like anxiety, melancholy, and stress efficiently. Through CBT, you acquire practical abilities to change your negative thinking.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) 

DBT combines techniques that encourage mindfulness with cognitive behavioral treatment. Those who struggle with strong emotions, risky behavior, and interpersonal problems benefit the most from it. DBT teaches individuals how to control their feelings, strengthen interpersonal bonds, and encourage self-acceptance.

Psychodynamic Therapy 

This therapy focuses mostly on the unsolved problems and unconscious mechanisms that influence your ideas and behaviour. To uncover ingrained patterns and advance consciousness and personal development, psychodynamic therapy digs into past interactions and experiences.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)   

ACT places a strong focus on accepting one's ideas and feelings as opposed to trying to repress them. It helps people define their values and make a commitment to upholding them. This therapy effectively treats anxiety while enhancing general wellbeing.

Mindfulness-Based Therapies  

Self-awareness and present-moment awareness are encouraged in therapies that place a strong emphasis on mindfulness. These therapies include:

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR):Through the practice of moderate yoga and mindfulness meditation, MBSR aims to reduce stress and promote emotional control.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): Since the MBCT program combines cognitive therapy techniques with mindfulness training, it can benefit people who have recurrent depression.

Humanistic Therapies  

The goals of humanistic therapies are the pursuit of self-actualization, self-growth, and self-discovery. These consist of:

Person-Centred Therapy: In the encouraging, nonjudgmental environment of this treatment, people can examine their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Gestalt Therapy: The value of fully experiencing the present moment is emphasized by gestalt therapy. It promotes self-awareness and accountability.

Family Systems Therapy

Understanding how a person's ties with their family impact their mental health is the aim of family systems therapy. It tries to promote harmony within the family and communication.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)  

In IPT, emphasis is placed on interpersonal and communication skills. Both treating depression and resolving interpersonal conflicts can be done using it.

Narrative Therapy  

Examining the narratives we tell about our lives is an essential component of narrative therapy. Retelling and recreating these tales can offer people fresh perspective and a sense of empowerment.

Behavioural Therapy  

Behavioral therapy seeks to alter a behavior by identifying the reinforcers of that behavior. For phobias, OCD, and other conditions, there are two methods of treatment: behavior modification and exposure therapy.

Last but not least, each therapy has its unique technique and benefits. A licensed therapist can help you discuss your options and help you discover the option that best suits your needs. Remember that choosing the ideal approach could need some trial and error because therapy is a collaborative process. By incorporating psychological treatment into your regular routine for maintaining your mental health, you may offer yourself the resources you require to live a more balanced and fulfilling life.

At Solh Wellness, we take great care to fully understand the range of mental health issues and offer treatment that is uniquely tailored to each potential client. Our therapists are skilled at adapting the course of treatment to meet the demands of the patients. In order to assist you practice mindfulness and self-care, we also provide resources and techniques.

[lovingbeta]

Word can makes the world a different place!

[icarus-enthroned]

in a fucked up way

horror stories have offered me a framework for healing by allowing me to access feelings of hypervigilance in an environment i actually have control over

which explains why more than half my comfort shows are horror

[nicholasandriani]

open.spotify.com/episode/0JicMOqn4ZT5nrhuCesREv Letting go

[touchstoneaf]

I've slowly been made aware of a phenomenon I had not understood before now as regards fanfiction. Specifically, I've never understood how people could just write single, contained scenes, and little bits of fluff, and cool vignettes and such... and just leave it at that. No need to soapbox about mythos, or... ANYTHING. (I find it amazing and inexplicably cool, jsyk)

But.

Apparently there are people who just sit down and write because they... enjoy the characters, and want to spend time with them in little moments in their histories /verses? That that is exactly how they write with concise verbiage these stunning vignettes, & perfect little character studies, and fluffy gorgeous interactions... and just leave it at that? That people can inhabit a fictional universe happily, without any need to fix anything, and just... ENJOY it? It doesn't consume all thought, or if so, only in a *fun* way?

That baffles me. It never occurred to me until recently that there are people who actually interact with media merely as pure entertainment, and it doesn't take up residence in their souls, or wreck their emotions, or ruin whole days. That they don't write because their stories have been painfully ripped out of them through their guts on the impetus of a agonizing betrayal and regret and grief and sorrow that means they will never be the same or find peace again. That they aren't drawn to fix the wrongs and right the injustices of a fictional world. They just want to hang out there, or something?

I confess I find that shocking. Y'all really watch shows and just feel... content and happy? Fullty satisfied?

What's that LIKE?

[touchstoneaf]

Reading the comments and I'm sincerely amazed that some people don't do this. And I totally know it's a trauma response, but guess what; it's my favorite place to be, so whatever, LOL

It’s weird to think that some people aren’t daydreaming 24/7 and creating all kinds of stories and worlds in their heads. Do you mean that when you’re listening to music or walking somewhere your mind is just blank? Sounds weird.

[pinnaclepsych]

Narrative Therapy: Rewrite stories, challenge problems, co-create new narratives. Empower change collaboratively. Transform lives, rewrite futures.

[therambleandrumble]

“As she walked home from the restaurant, she thought of something her therapist had once said to her: You can't get enough of a thing you don't need. She had rolled it around her mind for years, tugging at the riddle of its meaning, testing it against every kind of unhappiness. She couldn't get enough movie popcorn because it was terrible for her. She couldn't get enough episodes of the BBC crime dramas because they were an escape. She couldn't get enough money by working overtime because she already had enough money. She couldn't get enough approval from a boss whom she despised because she did not respect him. She couldn't get thin and fit enough because she still aspired to an absurd patriarchal ideal of female beauty. She couldn't get enough attention from a woman she wasn't really that attracted to because why should she crave it? These desires were insatiable because no need could be met— like fire, they grew when fed.

Not for the first time, she felt disgusted by how oriented she was to the interests and esteem of others.”

— Melissa Febos, “The Cure”

[musingsofafictionallife]

Therapy. One of the rather effective methods in dealing with trauma so you can function in the real world without becoming an absolute shit show. Something that, more and more, has a social stigma sliding away and is worn like a badge of honor.

I recently started again. I found myself spiraling pretty bad all too often. Old habits I used to maintain my emotional state like sharp pointy things pressed against my flesh and dragged slowly so I could be grounded to the temporary pain rather than the emotional distress I was in the throes of at the time. I wish I could say what had been my tipping point but the reality of the situation is that I had been running on empty for too long.

In the past I had been mildly successful using cognitive behavioral therapy. However ever since the shift in medication I have found that my warning signs are no longer the same and my ability to intervene is way less. That's why I sought to put this shit to rest finally. My new therapist uses narrative therapy instead. Honestly if I knew this was a thing previously, I would have preferred this method.

Stories are in abundance in my life. I use them to showcase who I am, what I'm capable of, and to entertain. The stories I tell myself often dictate my emotional response. Logically, if I am able to control the stories I'm telling myself then I should be able to better ground my emotional reply. It sounds easy but in practice it's a miracle if I can do it. Yet... I'm closer to my goal than I have ever been, so I know it's working.

My first big exercise was around my identity. How I view myself and what I believe makes me who I am today. I take on the title of Father.... Partner.... Professional... and well you get the point. Those titles come with unspoken behaviors and expectations, yet these titles do not define who I am in whole. So, my task was to write up a recipe. The ingredients being pieces of my core personality (compassion, spite, love, wonder, sexuality, etc.) And the instructions being how these elements need to be combined to create the best version of myself. The second part of this task? To show it to a loved one and see if they agree.

That is fucking scary. This is asking me to hear someone say whether or not they agree that I am like the recipe I believe myself to be. I get caught up in the what ifs. My biggest one? What if I'm lying to myself about who I am, and in truth I'm some sort of hideous monster? How could I ever live with myself with that knowledge, let alone be able to look anyone in the eye. On the other end, what if the adjectives are softer than I perceive? Does that mean that I'm masking too much? That my loved one truly doesn't know who I am?

I know I'll do this assignment fully soon. I'll face that fear and accept whatever happens. For a first big step, this is a doozy. I wonder what is next? Whatever it may be, I can only hope I'm not too lost to be able to complete it.

[funkylily]

認識敘事治療及其在華人社會的應用 － 《重新詮釋人生風景》

在不同的心理治療學派中，敘事治療必定是近年其中一個最熱門的介入手法。幾年前拿起一本敘事治療的書籍嘗試了解這個為人稱道的學派，卻因看得一頭霧水而放棄深入了解。最近重拾興趣，在前上司推薦下認識了這本書，作為了解敘事治療的入門。

「文化對不同世代、地區、社會位置的人們，有著不同意義。它不是故定的實體，而是複雜且動態的建構過程。如果文化塑造故事，故事也同樣影響文化」

此書的第一章提到敘事治療創立人 Michael White 早期為不少國家裡的移民群體和原住民服務，他們的共通之處是文化背景和主流社會不同，而且在該地方處於弱勢一群。隨著年月過去，Michael White 建立起敘事治療理論，作為一種去標籤，並且能夠根據每個人獨特的文化背景介入的治療手法。

「人們都活在他們述說的故事裡 (Persons live their lives by stories) 」

書上其中一章提到一個學說，認為人類有兩類認知功能用作整理經驗和建構現實。第一類為邏輯科學模式，讓人能夠解釋、分析、辯理、建立理論去區分和連繫不同事物，以追求普世真理，。另一類是敘事模式，以想像和多重角度敘說世界的故事，而不講求真偽。而敘事治療更著重以後者敘事認知功能了解一個人的主觀經驗。

在敘事治療的概念中，人們是透過將自己的一段一段的生活經驗組織成「故事」，並以自己的故事去理解外界的事物，以及與人連繫。當我們了解一個人時候（包括自己），可以從一個人如何述說自己的生命而認識其人生。而在敘事實踐中，故事敘事能分為兩大部份：行動景觀和意識景觀。

行動景觀是指串連一個個不同但相關的「事件」成為一個「脈絡」，編成一個故事。常見的方法就是以六何法表達和串連；意識景觀是指來訪者對「事件」賦予的意義﹑推斷和反思。實踐者可留意其背後的特質﹑意圖和信念。

「敘事治療是重敘和重活故事（Narrative therapy is about retelling and reliving of stories)」

當一個人的生命面對困難時，治療人員便會嘗試為來訪者作出改變，敘事對話探索「現在的歷史 」 (history of the present)，引導來訪者重看、重新經驗及串連過去/歴史，想像未來可以怎樣，把現在、過去、與未來都貫通起來，並對自己生命的描述變得更「豐厚」，從而為自己的未來找到更多可能性，重新經驗不一樣的自己，與自己的過去調解。

「個人不是問題，問題才是問題」

��事治療另一個重要而且是最著名的元素就是「外化問題」。書中作者表示敘事治療引用不少後結構理論的概念。而後結構主義拒絕將問題視作個人或家庭的內部缺陷，而是來自社會文化的建構與主流敘事的捆綁。所謂的「問題」實在是一個人受到社會的影響。

因此，敘事治療傾向將「問題」與人分隔開。在實際工作中，把問題從來訪者外化後的優勢，在於來訪者能夠獲得更多心理空間去面對所謂的「問題」，思考自己「正在/希望成為誰」，讓自己的生命故事變得更豐厚，從而能夠獲得更多選擇的可能性，以發展自己偏好的生命故事。

很記得多年前曾有人提過敘事治療一大危險之處，在於過份外化一個人的問題後會令人不懂為自己給別人負起應���的責任。剛好這本書則有提到這個常見疑問。作者認為「外化」的作用是是讓來訪者重獲行動力去面對問題，即是作出「負責任」的行動，讓來訪者選擇繼續被問題影響或拒絕被問題壓制。

另外，書中提到一個有趣的概念叫作「診斷備註」。外國的醫療專業開始興起在病歷中加上「診斷備註」的字眼，讓來訪者知道診斷並不能定義一個人，只是對一系列的行為和症狀的指引，方便臨床醫護人員之間快速有效的溝通，但這不能斷定一個人的價值。

此書聚集了香港和大陸的敘事治療實踐者書寫敘事治療入門書。這本書的結構以及部分章節的文筆讀起來感覺有點凌亂，對新手來講不易掌握重點，但書中特別之處在於加入不少華人案例，也值得讀者參考如何將敘事治療在地化。

[blursy]

Understanding Trauma: Types, Symptoms, and Effective Methods for Healing

Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope. Trauma can be experienced in various ways, and the effects can last for an extended period. The types of trauma are numerous, and they differ in their origins and severity. In this article, we will discuss some of the different types of trauma and provide examples of each from real-life…