In both cases, counselor/coach/mentor first listen to the client’s story of problematic event(s), their interpretation(s) of these stories and tries to find information about the problem and re-interpreted it. Also, through personal stories, the client can understand their feelings, beliefs, and attitudes better, and engage in that problem through cooperative relationship with counsellor/coach/mentor. In both approaches the client is perceived as an ‘expert’ of their life and the one who can ‘re-write’ it (McLeod, 2013, p.253-266; Cox, Bachkirova, & Clutterbuck, 2014, p.117-130). However, in Narrative Approaches the focus is on externalising the problem by making the client aware that there is nothing problematic about them and the problem does not represent who they are, ‘the issue is the issue’, not the person themselves (Carey, & Russell, 2002, Retrieved from https://dulwichcentre.com.au/articles-about-narrative-therapy/externalising/). This can be done by externalising the problem, by the questions which change the client perception of ‘I am really an anxious person’ to ‘How long has that anxiety impact my life?’ or by personifying the issue: ‘In which situation does Mr. Angier appear the most?’ Questions like that help to put some distance between the individual and the issue, and therefore, let the person to re-think about a relationship with the issue and their sense of self (Cox, Bachkirova, & Clutterbuck, 2014, p.120-122; Carey, & Russell, 2002, Retrieved from https://dulwichcentre.com.au/articles-about-narrative-therapy/externalising/). Additionally, if the problem definition is closer to the client’s own experiences it is easier for them to come with any ideas of solving it. It is more likely to come with some coping strategies and methods for dealing with ‘the negative thoughts’ rather than finding some for depression per se, as it
In both cases, counselor/coach/mentor first listen to the client’s story of problematic event(s), their interpretation(s) of these stories and tries to find information about the problem and re-interpreted it. Also, through personal stories, the client can understand their feelings, beliefs, and attitudes better, and engage in that problem through cooperative relationship with counsellor/coach/mentor. In both approaches the client is perceived as an ‘expert’ of their life and the one who can ‘re-write’ it (McLeod, 2013, p.253-266; Cox, Bachkirova, & Clutterbuck, 2014, p.117-130). However, in Narrative Approaches the focus is on externalising the problem by making the client aware that there is nothing problematic about them and the problem does not represent who they are, ‘the issue is the issue’, not the person themselves (Carey, & Russell, 2002, Retrieved from https://dulwichcentre.com.au/articles-about-narrative-therapy/externalising/). This can be done by externalising the problem, by the questions which change the client perception of ‘I am really an anxious person’ to ‘How long has that anxiety impact my life?’ or by personifying the issue: ‘In which situation does Mr. Angier appear the most?’ Questions like that help to put some distance between the individual and the issue, and therefore, let the person to re-think about a relationship with the issue and their sense of self (Cox, Bachkirova, & Clutterbuck, 2014, p.120-122; Carey, & Russell, 2002, Retrieved from https://dulwichcentre.com.au/articles-about-narrative-therapy/externalising/). Additionally, if the problem definition is closer to the client’s own experiences it is easier for them to come with any ideas of solving it. It is more likely to come with some coping strategies and methods for dealing with ‘the negative thoughts’ rather than finding some for depression per se, as it