Posted: March 31st, 2023

Experiential and Narrative Family Therapy

Experiential and Narrative Family Therapy

Walden University
Course: NRNP-6650

Introduction
Therapists have various ways to address different problems. Experiential and narrative family therapy are effective for resolving various issues. Experiential therapy looks at current experiences, while narrative therapy involves telling stories to understand a client’s behavior (Denborough & Nylund, 2019). These approaches have similarities and differences that therapists should know when helping clients. This paper explores narrative and experiential family therapy concepts, their distinctions, strengths and weaknesses, and a family genogram.

Summaries
Narrative family therapy involves retelling someone’s story to understand why they behave the way they do. This therapy believes that telling a story can lead to change. A goal of this therapy is to separate a person from their problems. A concept called externalization helps trigger self-compassion (Suddeath et al., 2017). Self-compassion helps individuals want to change their situations. Some principles of this therapy suggest that narratives can help organize reality (Suddeath et al., 2017) and show how reality is shaped and shared through language.
Experiential family therapy examines current experiences. It involves role-playing activities, where clients act out their experiences (Jørring & Jensen, 2018). This reveals hidden information about relationships or clients’ attitudes. The aim is to bring about change and growth. Experiential family therapy aims to encourage personal independence and create a sense of connection among family members (Jørring & Jensen, 2018). It includes drama therapy, wilderness therapy, music therapy, and equine therapy (Jørring & Jensen, 2018). For instance, people use music therapy to motivate themselves towards different goals. Wilderness therapy involves outdoor activities like excursions and zip-lining.

Comparison
Experiential therapy and narrative family therapy have both similarities and differences. One difference is that narrative involves sharing experiences through talking, while experiential therapy involves role-playing. They use distinct methods to address clients’ needs (Kaynan & Wade, 2018). For instance, experiential therapy might include outdoor activities, while narrative therapy mainly focuses on talking. Experiential therapy is a broader category including various methods like wilderness and music therapy, whereas narrative therapy is a single technique (Kaynan & Wade, 2018). Narrative therapy concentrates on narrating past events, while experiential therapy focuses on the present.
These two therapies share significant similarities as they both address major family and individual problems like substance abuse, depression, and relationship issues (Kaynan & Wade, 2018). They also both use practical approaches to solving problems. Therapists must understand these similarities to choose the best approach for their clients.
Experiential family therapy has strengths, including its focus on the present. It doesn’t only link current behavior to current events. Clients can express their emotions and attitudes that influence their behavior (Russell & Gillis, 2017). This allows therapists to uncover crucial hidden information. However, this therapy also has weaknesses, like relying on clients’ experiences for meaning and pushing clients to confront issues without offering specific guidance.
Narrative family therapy might make some clients uncomfortable if they don’t want to be experts in their recovery. Research suggests some clients struggle to express themselves due to communication difficulties. Another weakness is its lack of a specific formula or scope (Russell & Gillis, 2017). This approach also doesn’t work well for clients with communication challenges, limiting its effectiveness.

Experiential Family Therapy
In a therapy session, a mother (49 years old), father (57 years old), and their 18-year-old daughter come in. The mother is concerned about the daughter’s eating problems, thinking she’s trying to lose weight for a school beauty pageant. However, the daughter reveals that her eating habits changed after her breakup. Experiential therapy could demonstrate that eating issues aren’t just about weight but relate to depression, loneliness, and insecurities (Kaynan & Wade, 2018).

Family Genogram
The genogram shows the family from the case study and extends to the third generation.

Conclusion
Experiential therapy uses activities and role-playing to understand clients, while narrative therapy involves discussing past experiences. This article covers these approaches’ concepts, similarities, differences, and a family genogram. It highlights therapists’ responsibility to choose the best approach for their clients and skills.

References
Denborough, D., & Nylund, D. (2019). Moments to treasure: Narrative family therapy with trans children and cisgender parents. International Journal of Narrative Therapy & Community Work, (2), 16.
Jørring, N. T., & Jensen, K. G. (2018). Treatment efficacy of narrative family therapy for children and adolescents with diverse psychiatric symptomatology. Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, 6(2), 107-114.
Kaynan, B., & Wade, C. (2018). Therapeutic theatre as family therapy: Integrating drama therapy and experiential family therapy. Drama Therapy Review, 4(1), 9-23.
Russell, K. C., & Gillis, H. L. (2017). Experiential therapy in the mental health treatment of adolescents. Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, 4(1), 1695.
Suddeath, E. G., Kerwin, A. K., & Dugger, S. M. (2017). Narrative family therapy: Practical techniques for more effective work with couples and families. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 39(2), 116-131.