Narrative Therapy of Psychotherapy for Depression: A Case Study of Esther

This paper discusses the implementation of narrative therapy of psychotherapy for depression in a case study of Esther, an unemployed woman in her fifties. The paper presents the goals and principles of narrative therapy, the understanding of Esther, the work of the counsellor, examples of approach undertaken, and the advantages and disadvantages of narrative therapy of psychotherapy.

Running head: COUNSELLING
COUNSELLING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The theory of narrative therapy of psychotherapy refers to the issues that are related to
the assistance that psychotherapists tend to alleviate the mental conditions of the patient through
highlighting the identification of the knowledge and the values that they possess. The theory
disbelieves in the discovery of the experiences from the surroundings that are faced by a person
(McMahon, 2016). The following paper attempts to throw light on the counselling approaches
that should be implemented in order to help a patient who is depressed and negative about her
ownself. Esther, an unemployed woman who is in her fifties, is suffering from the condition
where she has been loathing herself due to her own physical conditions and her financial
conditions. The paper attempts to implement the narrative therapy of psychotherapy from the
narrative viewpoint. The paper presents a discussion on the ways a counsellor might help Esther
as well as discusses the advantages and the disadvantages of the approach as well.
Goals and principles of narrative therapy of psychotherapy
The theory of narrative therapy of psychotherapy refers to the improvement of the sense
of the reality that is individual to the concerned person. The theory tends to deal with the fact
that the meaning of the life of the individual is constructed from the experiences that he or she
gathers form his life activities rather than discovering them from the surroundings that they have
been facing (McMahon & Patton, 2016). The narrative approach towards the clinical psychology
refers to the active nature of the participation of the concerned patient in the matters that they
tend to seek help in (Arthur, 2016). The major goals of the narrative therapy of psychotherapy
refer to the factors that are related to the creation of the optimism within the concerned patient

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and thereby helping in the development of resolution of the issues that are presented by the given
patient (Brott, 2016). The approach towards the narrative therapy of psychotherapy deals with
the construction of the solution of the issues that are presented by the concerned victim from the
discussion on the past experiences of the concerned person. The narrative therapists tend to
implement the factors that are related to the hopes and the wishes of the person (McMahon,
2016). The major principle as discussed by the narrative therapists tend to implement the factors
that are related to the development of the psyche of the patient with the help of the discussion on
the positive aspects rather than the negative aspects that they have been facing within their
lifetimes. The narrative approaches towards the psychotherapy helps in the upbringing of the
psychological factors within the patient with the help of the discussion with the counsellor (Reid,
2016). The counsellor is observed to play the role of a confidante whom the concerned patient
would reveal the working of his or her psyche. Pryor and Bright (2016) state that the narrative
therapy of psychotherapy would assist the development of the psychological aspects of the
patient with a discussion on the issues that have been haunting the minds of the patient thereby
leading to the psychologically unbalanced situations for the person.
Understanding of Esther
The patient in discussion, Esther is suffering from the condition where she has been
loathing herself due to her own physical conditions and her financial conditions. She is a woman
who is in her fifties and has lost her job as well. The present jobless and unemployed condition
of the patient in discussion, Esther has led to the depressed condition of the person. The person
herself is able to identify the changes that she has undergone. She reveals that she used to be
happier in the past with her own achievements. She discusses that she had been proud of herself
and her achievements and had always been eager to take up work. She also reveals that during

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the initial days of her unemployment, she had been enjoying the greater amount of the leisure
time that was available to her. However, as the tenure of her unemployment increased, she began
to fall into the pit of depression. The feeling that she would never again be employed took over
her and she started disliking herself due to the unemployed condition of hers. She further stated
that she was quite apprehensive of securing herself a job in the future and had started to question
her own capabilities and dedication towards her work. The self-doubt that had started to develop
within her had led to the depression on the part of the concerned person, Esther. This in turn had
led to the growth of the anxiety within her and thereby resulted in the loss of her self-confidence.
The counsellor in this case should be advised to implement the narrative therapy of
psychotherapy in this case (Charmaz & Henwood, 2017). This would help Esther to look into the
positive aspects of her life and thus motivate her to invest more into the job searches as well as
have a better look inside her so that she might trust her own instincts over the situation that she
has been facing in her life.
Work of counsellor
The counsellor is advised to put forth a discussion on the past achievements of the
patient, Esther in this case. The major focus of the counsellor should be centered on the
achievements of Esther. The counsellor should be advised to discuss the conditions that help in
boosting the energy of the person as well as helps in the developing the psyche of Esther. The
implementation of the factors of narrative therapy that are related to the hopes and the wishes of
the person concerned, Esther (Vall Castelló, 2016). The counsellor should be taking major care
of the issues that have been affecting Esther like the depression that she has been facing due to
the loss of her jobs. This would assist in the development of the psyche of Esther with the help of
the discussion on the positive aspects rather than the negative aspects that they have been facing

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within her lifetimes (Cridland, Caputi, Walker, Jones & Magee, 2016). The narrative therapy of
psychotherapy helps in the upbringing of the psychological factors within the patient with the
help of the discussion with the counsellor. Esther is majorly depicted to be having a self-doubt
within her lifestyle. The self-doubt that had started to develop within her had led to the
depression on the part of the concerned person, Esther (Birman, 2016). This in turn had led to the
growth of the anxiety within her and thereby resulted in the loss of her self-confidence. The
counsellor in this case should be advised to implement the constructivist theory with the
narrative therapy perspective. Cook, Schwartz and Kaslow (2017) state that the counsellor is
advised to deal with the patient in a manner that helps in highlighting the issues that are faced by
the patient as well as help her look into the positive aspect of her life experiences and hold her
hopes high so that she might get rid of the depression that she has been drowning into due to her
prolonged unemployment.
Examples of approach undertaken
The counsellor should attempt to break into the psyche of Esther by prodding her into
discussing the positive events that have been taking place around her. In order to motivate her
into talking, the counsellor might put forth the activity wherein Esther might be asked to talk of
her experiences in the form of a story. This would help in two different ways. The counsellor
would gain more insight into the life of Esther as well as Esther would be reminiscing on the
older days that would help her to recognize the talent and the potential that she is capable of
having. The patient should be advised to reflect on the best and the positive factors and events
that she had experienced in her earlier days (Beaumont & Hollins Martin, 2015). The majority of
the issues that are presented within the psyche of the patient revolve round the lack of the
positivity that she had faced in the past. The discussion of the past events would help in

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motivating her to identify the factors that she had discussed and experienced in the past thereby
helping her to develop an insight into the present conditions that are being faced by her. The
counsellor might be advised to discuss the events of her past days with the help of a
questionnaire that might be presented as a form of discussion. A short list of the probable
prodding questions is presented below in the form of a probable introduction.
One fine morning, Esther arrives at the chamber of the counsellor.
Counsellor: Hello Esther. Good Morning
Esther: Good Morning Doctor.
Counsellor: How are you doing this morning?
Esther: I am fine despite having no luck in securing a job. Will I ever be able to
get an employment again like I did in the past?
*(sighs)*
Counsellor:
(with a positive
and welcoming
smile)
O sure dear you will land yourself a better job this time. Now do you
mind sharing some of your happy memories at your last workplace?
Esther
(with a mixed look
on her face):
Well the memories make me happy one instant but however in sometime
they do remind me of my current unemployment.
Counsellor: Well can I have a short glimpse of your past days as well? I am sure you
have some fun details to make me smile as well. Will you be sharing
them over a cup of coffee?
Esther: Well if you insist, I would like to. I feel that I could share some of my

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smiles with you as well.
Counsellor fetches two coffees and hands one over to Esther.
Counsellor:
(settling down
with her coffee
and sipping into it)
So, shall we begin?
Esther:
(sipping the coffee
as well)
Sure.
(A bright smile dancing on her face as if she has been transported to the
past days)
It was just around this time last year…
(She continues telling one of the incidents)
Advantages and disadvantages of narrative therapy of psychotherapy
The narrative approach towards the clinical psychology has a plethora of advantages. The
narrative approach towards the counselling of the patients seeking help from the concerned
clinical psychologists tend to help in the development of their thought processes. The approach
helps the patients to develop a better approach towards the development of the resolution of the
issues that they have been facing (Cesetti, Vescovelli & Ruini, 2017). The narrative approach
towards the counselling of a person helps in finding a probable solution of the issues faced by the
person from the discussion of the past memories and events that were faced by the concerned
person (Pugh, 2017). The narrative approach towards the clinical psychology helps the patient to
divulge the details to the concerned psychologists thereby leading to the eradication of the
depressive nature of the person as well.

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However, the therapy has a few disadvantages as well. The narrative therapy of
psychotherapy uses one of the most primitive thought processes and thus leads to the reaching
backwards to the primitive ages. The narrative therapy of psychotherapy as implemented by the
person is known to have led to the narcissistic thoughts as well leading to the perception of the
concerned person to rely on the perceived reality which they feel is based on their thoughts as
well (Hill, Knox & Pinto-Coelho, 2018). The therapy is known to be yielding lesser results while
dealing with the issues that have been faced by the patients and is known to be serving the
human vanity in all the measures.
Conclusion
In lieu of the above discussion it might be stated that the narrative therapy of
psychotherapy towards the patient in the case of Esther might help her to get rid of the
depression that she has been facing. The narrative approaches towards the narrative therapy helps
in the upbringing of the psychological factors within the patient with the help of the discussion
with the counsellor. Esther is majorly depicted to be having a self-doubt within her lifestyle. The
present jobless and unemployed condition of the patient in discussion, Esther has led to the
depressed condition of the person. The person herself is able to identify the changes that she has
undergone. The narrative approach towards the clinical psychology would help Esther to divulge
the details to the concerned counsellor thereby leading to the eradication of the depressive nature
within her with the help of her counsellor.

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