POST MODERN APPROACH

NARRATIVE THERAPY SCRIPT

Questions and More Questions…
Counselor (Dar): Hi, Ms. Kathleen. How are you doing today?
Counselee (Kat): I guess I’m okay. A little bit anxious lately. I’ve got a lot
of pressure coming up at school, and school has kind of became a
struggle for me because of all the pressure I’m under.
Counselor (Dar): mmmm hmm… so you feel a bit anxious—
Counselee (Kat): yeah
Counselor (Dar): and it’s school related, so what’s going on
there?
Counselee (Kat): Well I’m a part of a school organization and I’m like
the main officer for the member recruitment for the org and next week
we have an event where we will be recruiting new members for the org
this year since our seniors already graduated you know, and I’m just
really worried about recruiting and accepting the right students for the
org and making these tough decisions about the future of our
organization.
Counselor (Dar): Alright, so you’re worried that you’ll recruit
the students that aren’t ideal for your school org?
Counselee (Kat): right, like that happened before where someone’s
done that and recruited some wrong students and some things
happened within the org like it became a mess and that student got in
trouble for it so I just wanna make sure that I’ve chosen students who
are gonna be good for our school organization and there’s a lot that
rests on my judgment.
Counselor (Dar): and the “worry” kinda like gets in the way of
that judgment?
Counselee (Kat): yeah, because I kinda of second-guess my instincts on
you know, people, if they will be good on their job as a member of the
org.
Mapping the Influence of the Problem
Counselor (Dar): How long has the worrying been part of your
life?
Counselee (Kat): First of all, I can remember I’ve always been a worrier.
I worry a lot. I worry basically about everything.
Counselor (Dar): everything? So not just recruiting the right
members for your school org, but other areas as well?
Counselee (Kat): yeah, definitely.
Counselor (Dar): but this worry on recruiting students for the
org, this worry is more intense right now, this is what you’re
thinking about now?
Counselee (Kat): right. Like I don’t wanna disappoint the org heads or
be blamed or I don’t want my org to become a mess or fail like in the
past because I recruited the wrong students, like it’s a lot of pressure
for me, so I’m really nervous.
Counselor (Dar): all right, so it sounds like you’re really
struggling with this, you’re worried about your school
organization you’re a part of, and your judgment in
recruiting…
Counselee (Kat): yeah, I feel like I worry about everything.
Counselor (Dar): It’s kind of like how you view yourself…
Counselee (Kat): definitely.
Externalizing the Problem
Counselor (Dar): So what if we reframe this, another way
around and think about the worry as a separate entity. I see
you’re kind of identifying as a “worrier” now it’s like a part of
you.
Counselee (Kat): right, like it’s who I am.
Naming the Problem
Counselor (Dar): like it’s who you are. So what we will do is
make the “worry” external to a degree. Think of a name that
we can call for this “worry”. It can be a name of a person so
that we can personify it.
Counselee (Kat): Hmmm… I’d like to call it Wanda.
Counselor (Dar): Okay then, Wanda it is.
Personifying the Problem
Counselor (Dar): Next, think of Wanda as a separate person
aside from yourself. So let’s have you placed here (gestures
hands on the left side) and let’s move Wanda over here a bit
(gestures hand towards the right side) and again, think of the
worry, or Wanda as like a separate entity.
Counselee (Kat): okay…
Counselor (Dar): so what’s Wanda, a.k.a. the worry, trying to
do to you?
Counselee (Kat): Well, Wanda seems like she’s trying to make me doubt
myself? And, you know, question my own judgment and not have faith
that I’ll make the right choice.
Counselor (Dar): Right, so it’s generally disrupting you from
here?
Counselee (Kat): Yeah, I don’t have as much confidence because of
Wanda.
Counselor (Dar): Okay, so Wanda is here (gestures to right
side where Wanda is) makes an attempt to lower your
confidence and makes you question how good you are at your
job.
Counselee (Kat): right. (nods in affirmation)
Counselor (Dar): Hmmm… in a way, it’s trying to manipulate
you into believing those things
Counselee (Kat): right. (nods in agreement)
Counselor (Dar): What does evidence suggests in terms of
your history in this particular function or job of recruiting
students, how well did you performed in the past…
Counselee (Kat): I mean, I think I’ve done it okay so far, like I’ve been
doing this particular task for a while now, and I’m one of the officers in
the org that they rely on to do it the most, like to recruit the most
students, so I mean I would say I’m doing a pretty good job (?)
Counselee (Kat): but uhmmm… but right know it’s kind of like you
know, seeing what happened to somebody else, Wanda just seems to
come back and remind me about that.
Counselor (Dar): So the evidence approach is that you’re doing
okay at your job as a recruiting officer of your organization but
Wanda manipulates you to worry by making you see other
people who haven’t done well in this kind of job.
Counselee (Kat): right (nods in agreement)
Counselor (Dar): In other words, despite the evidence that
you’re doing well, Wanda still comes back and tries to
convince you that you’re not gonna do well
Counselee (Kat): mmm hmm… that’s right (nods)
Counselor (Dar): Hmmm... Okay… so what do you wanna say
to Wanda the next time she comes in, like, what can you say
or communicate to Wanda?
Counselee (Kat): I mean, I guess I can say that so far, I’ve recruited
some students who have been very helpful to and worthwhile for the
org, and you know, they trust me to do this task, my org advisers and
the other officers trust me to do this task well. So you know, chances
are, I’ll make an informed decision based on my experience.
Counselor (Dar): Alright, so that’s the challenge that you can
put up against Wanda, when she comes to manipulate you…
Counselee (Kat): yeah, right. (nods in agreement)
Counselor (Dar): Is that something you feel you can do the
next time Wanda comes in to bother you?
Counselee (Kat): It’s hard sometimes; coz I feel like Wanda is really loud
in my head sometimes.
Counselor (Dar): a strong voice inside your head mmm
hmmm…
Counselee (Kat): yeah…
Counselor (Dar): Then, try to think of it as something external,
not internal in your thoughts. But more like worries outside
trying to come in..
Counselee (Kat): like trying to influence or manipulate me?
Counselor (Dar): mmm hmmm, yes, exactly.
Counselee (Kat): okay…
Counselor (Dar): Try to reframe it that way, rather than
identifying as a “worrier”, I know that is real for you and
that’s how you identify, but let’s try this experiment where
we treat this worry, a.k.a. Wanda as some kind of an outsider
that’s coming in on your territory and disrupting your job a
bit. And then your task then would be, to challenge the
thoughts that Wanda tries to introduce in to you.
Counselee (Kat): okay…
Counselor (Dar): does that make sense?
Counselee (Kat): mmm… hmmm…
Counselor (Dar): So when is the event where you will be
recruiting new members for your school organization?
Counselee (Kat): Next Wednesday.
Counselor (Dar): Okay, so do you feel like next Wednesday,
you can apply that kind of reframe?
Counselee (Kat): yeah, I think so.
Counselor (Dar): Alright, give that a try and I’ll see you in a
week and hopefully we’ll see some unique outcomes from
there.
Counselee (Kat): Okayyy, thank you!
Counselor (Dar): Thanks Ms. Kathleen!