ESSAY: Applying Narrative and Solution-Focused Therapy

Based on the theory demonstrated in the narrative video:

https://waldenu.kanopy.com/video/narrative-therapy-children

Define the problem.
Formulate a theory-based treatment plan including short- and long-term goals for the couple’s or family’s issues.
Describe two theory-based interventions you would use and justify your selection.
Based on the theory demonstrated in the solution-focused video:
https://waldenu.kanopy.com/video/irreconcilable-differences-solution-focused-approach-marital-therapy

Define the problem.
Formulate a theory-based treatment plan including short- and long-term goals for the couple’s or family’s issues.
Describe two theory-based interventions you would use and justify your selection.
Explain one anticipated outcome of each.

ANSWER

Problem

The ten-year-old boy feels overwhelmed by having to deal with the competitive taunting from his siblings, therefore, making it difficult for him to associate with the family lovingly, especially because he feels like an outsider in the family. While the other kids may view the taunting as a fun pass time, the child in the video is beginning to get psychologically affected by the constant string of mean words coming from his family.

Treatment Plan

The theory-based treatment plan id for the boy to attend one narrative therapy session a week, accompanied by his mother. The short-term goals associated with this plan is for the child to develop a better relationship with the rest of the family, especially the other children. The long-term goal is for the child to develop a positive self-image, as well as helping him build self-confidence, despite the negative things he may have registered in his subconscious during all the taunting (Beaudoin et al., 2016). The therapy aims to separate the child from the problem, by making sure that he externalizes the issue instead of internalizing the mean and hurtful things said to him.

Interventions

One intervention applicable in this case is an exercise that encourages the child to tell their personal story. They can start by simply coming up with a title for their story and then create seven chapters they think should be featured in the book. This exercise serves as a way to separate the child from past experiences while giving them a broader perspective on life (Ackerman, 2019). The second intervention is the use of expressive arts such as journaling, drawing, and visualization. This technique encourages the child to think of life beyond the problem, it also encourages them to think of ways they could be part of the solution.

Part 2

Problem

The couple featured are Leslie and Bill who have two young children. Leslie feels that Bill is not taking his home duties as seriously as he takes his job. He spends so much time away from the family that is building some mistrust between him and his wife, who does not believe that all the women he meets are his clients. Bill, on the other hand, feels that Leslie does not understand just how much he needs to work to accomplish his goal of being a partner in the law firm.

Treatment Plan

The couple would need to meet with the therapist once or twice a week for about a year so that they can talk through their issues. The short term goal would be to build better communication between the two individuals. Also, the sessions should help them begin to think of themselves as being part of a team in which both of them need to actively participate to make sure that their family works (O’Connell, 2016). The long term goal is to create a strong and loving relationship between them, one in which they both feel supported by the other and can trust each other.

Interventions

One crucial component of solution-based therapy is the use of questions as an intervention technique. The questions provoke the couple to think up solutions to the problems they are facing since in this scenario they are the experts to both the problems and the solutions. The second strategy is to do one thing differently (Ackerman, 2019). This approach allows each individual to acknowledge that there is something they can do to make the relationship better. This encourages them to break the problem patterns and adopt the solutions into their everyday life.

Outcome

The anticipated outcome for the questions intervention is for the clients to recognize their resilience and ability in solving and handling their problems effectively (Ackerman, 2019). The anticipated outcome of doing one thing differently is to equip the client with the means to better oneself and the situation as well….