Integrating Existential and Narrative Therapy: A Theoretical Base for Eclectic Practice

14. The Existential/Narrative Approach: Review and Reflections

342 14 The Existential/Narrative Approach Review and Reflections A SUMMARY USING MAHRER’S CRITERIA FOR A THEORY OF CHANGE Mahrer (1989) argues that every theory of therapeutic change has its roots in what he terms a parent theory of personality. He contends that in order to understand the theory of change, it is necessary to appreciate the assumptions regarding what it is to be human made in that parent theory of personality. Parent Theory of Personality The integrative approach to psychotherapy presented in the preceding pages does not rest on a single, traditional theory of personality , but rather draws on assumptions from existential and narrative theories. The fundamental assumptions about human functioning in the existential/narrative approach represent a blending of the ideas from these two perspectives. Most basic are the assumptions that (1) people are unitary, integrated wholes, not assemblages of component parts or processes; (2) people are truly free; and (3) people actively create themselves and the worlds they inhabit by making meaning. Meaning is not “out there” to be discovered. People make meaning through their actions, through thinking and talking as well as literal physical activity. Because meaning comes from action, meaning is not merely a mental content but exists first as directly lived. Nevertheless, the process of symbolization and the organization of symbolized meanings also The Existential/Narrative Approach 343 changes the meanings and the person’s lived experience. Thus, the existential/narrative perspective assumes that there is a constant, reciprocal interaction between directly lived experience and the processes of symbolization that result in meaning and the carrying forward of experience. People do not exist in isolation, and, therefore, both processes unique to the individual and social processes contribute to the creation of meaning. Meaning is understood to be organized primarily in narrative fashion, chronologically, as the succession of challenges that people encounter as they attempt to fulfill their intentions. Clearly in such a framework, human intentions (formal and final causes) are more important for human functioning than are material and efficient causes, though they play a role. Life is understood to present each person with a continuing series of challenges, some of which are unique to the individual and some of which are foundational and, therefore, common to all persons. These common challenges center upon the four existential givens: freedom, meaninglessness, isolation, and finitude (Bugental and Sterling 1995; Yalom 1980). The constant series of challenges promotes a continuing yet gradual change in each person’s understanding of self and world over time. These assumptions form the framework upon which the existential/narrative understanding of change rests. Criteria of a Theory of Change Mahrer (1989) offers a set of seven criteria for a theory of change, as distinct from a parent theory of personality. Each criterion defines an area or issue that the theory must address in order to provide guidance to the practitioner. The following is a summary of the position of an integrative, existential/narrative approach to psychotherapy on each of Mahrer’s criteria. What to Elicit Mahrer (1989) argues that every theory of therapy must inform the therapist about what kinds of material to request from the client. Should the client be telling the therapist about early memories, childhood experiences, dreams, environmental situations in which certain 344 Integrating Existential and Narrative Therapy behaviors occur, private thoughts, or feelings and fantasies? What is it useful for the client to share with the therapist so that they have what is needed to work together toward the therapeutic goals? In the integrative approach presented here, what needs to be shared between client and therapist is always the clients’ problem-saturated story. In other words, therapists invite clients to share their own descriptions of the particular challenge and their efforts to deal with it—in whatever words (or other ways) the clients choose. As this is what most people want to share when they come to therapy, it is typically not hard to encourage clients to share these stories. Therapists need to be aware that the stories are typically much more rich and complex than what the client verbalizes and that important aspects may be told only in interactions with the therapist (and others). Therefore, it is helpful for therapists to attend to the paralinguistic and nonverbal cues that inevitably accompany a client’s verbalized telling of the story as well as to the interpersonal “pull” (Kiesler 1996) that invites therapists to participate in...