Postmodern Approach / Therapy
Source: Corey, G. Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 9th Ed
Basic Philosophy
Key Concepts
Goals of Therapy
Therapeutic Relationship
Techniques of Therapy
Application
Contribution
Limitation
Based on the premise that there are multiple realities and multiple truths, postmodern
therapies reject the idea that reality is external and can be grasped. People create meaning
in their lives through conversations with others. The postmodern approaches avoid
pathologizing clients, take a dim view of diagnosis, avoid searching for underlying causes of
problems, and place a high value on discovering clients strengths and resources. Rather
than talking about problems, the focus of therapy is on creating solutions in the present and
the future.
Therapy tends to be brief and addresses the present and the future. The person is not the
problem; the problem is the problem. The emphasis is on externalizing the problem and
looking for exceptions to the problem. Therapy consists of a collaborative dialogue in which
the therapist and the client co-create solutions. By identifying instances when the problem
did not exist, clients can create new meanings for themselves and fashion a new life story.
To change the way clients view problems and what they can do about these concerns. To
collaboratively establish specifi c, clear, concrete, realistic, and observable goals leading to
increased positive change. To help clients create a self-identity grounded on competence
and resourcefulness so they can resolve present and future concerns. To assist clients in
viewing their lives in positive ways, rather than being problem saturated.
Therapy is a collaborative partnership. Clients are viewed as the experts on their own life.
Therapists use questioning dialogue to help clients free themselves from their problem-
saturated stories and create new life-affi rming stories. Solution-focused therapists assume
an active role in guiding the client away from problem-talk and toward solution-talk. Clients
are encouraged to explore their strengths and to create solutions that will lead to a richer
future. Narrative therapists assist clients in externalizing problems and guide them in
examining self-limiting stories and creating new and more liberating stories.
In solution-focused therapy the main technique involves change-talk, with emphasis on
times in a clients life when the problem was not a problem. Other techniques include
creative use of questioning, the miracle question, and scaling questions, which assist clients
in developing alternative stories. In narrative therapy, specific techniques include listening to
a clients problem saturated story without getting stuck, externalizing and naming the
problem, externalizing conversations, and discovering clues to competence. Narrative
therapists often write letters to clients and assist them in finding an audience that will
support their changes and new stories.
Solution-focused therapy is well suited for people with adjustment disorders and for
problems of anxiety and depression. Narrative therapy is now being used for a broad range
of human difficulties including eating disorders, family distress, depression, and relationship
concerns. These approaches can be applied to working with children, adolescents, adults,
couples, families, and the community in a wide variety of settings. Both solution-focused and
narrative approaches lend themselves to group counseling and to school counseling.
The brevity of these approaches fit well with the limitations imposed by a managed care
structure. The emphasis on client strengths and competence appeals to clients who want to
create solutions and revise their life stories in a positive direction. Clients are not blamed for
their problems but are helped to understand how they might relate in more satisfying ways
to such problems. A strength of these approaches is the question format that invites clients
to view themselves in new and more effective ways.
There is little empirical validation of the effectiveness of therapy outcomes. Some critics
contend that these approaches endorse cheerleading and an overly positive perspective.
Some are critical of the stance taken by most postmodern therapists regarding assessment
and diagnosis, and also react negatively to the not-knowing stance of the therapist.
Because some of the solution-focused techniques are relatively easy to learn, practitioners
may use these interventions in a mechanical way or implement these techniques without a
sound rationale.