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                                                        Postmodern Therapy 



  Definition: Postmodern therapy is a psychological approach to deconstructing the beliefs previously established by empirical assumptions in the field of psychology. Contrary to traditional psychotherapy where the psychologist is taking an authoritative position with the patient, postmodern therapy relies on working collaboratively to achieve reciprocal dialogue (CRC Health, 2015). 



 Major Postmodern Therapy Practices:

Narrative Therapy: A self-assessment based on personal social-cultural experience. This form of postmodern therapy relies on the patient’s ability to assess their behavioral and internal expectations according to their community and social environment. This type of therapy approach relies on the patient’s ability to scrutinize their behavior through various perspectives. Two people who are considered the co-founders are Michael White and David Epston.

Concepts of Narrative Therapy: Maintaining open-mindedness when patients are talking and encourage patients to talk about their experiences. The therapist’s ability to listen to an experience that is filled with issues without getting stumped. Therapists show that they are interested in what patients have to say in a respectful way. The patient is not the issue, but the issues itself is the issue and that is what needs to be treated.

What to look for in Narrative Therapy: Check if there is a certain sequence of events that have happened in the patient’s life. The significance of what different cultural symbols represent to the patient. How the patient view him or herself. The effects associated with social context alterations.

Solution-Focused Therapy: Method of problem solving which focuses on finding solutions and practical steps to solve problems. This form of therapy does not rely on hindsight, the focus is exclusively future oriented and is not concerned with the origins of problems. The co-founders are Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer.

Some Concepts of Solution-Focused Therapy: The past is not discussed or focused on, what matters is the current time and future. This approach focuses on what is actually showing results for the patient. 

Avoiding Long, Complicated Therapy Sessions.

Assumptions of solution-focused therapy: The patient’s capability to find his or her personal resolutions. The patient is the one who knows more about his or her personal life. The ultimate type of therapy is the therapy where both the therapist and the patient work together to reach solutions.

Types of relationships in solution-focused therapy:

Customer-Type Relationship: Relationship where the patient and the therapist communicate to know what the issue exactly is and what resolution to be perused. Complainant Relationship: Relationship where the patient is identifies an issue, but does not work on finding a resolution to his or her issue.

Visitors: People who undergo therapy but not because they have a problem for certain, it is because another person told them they do.

Collaborative Language Systems: Method which the psychologist and patient communicate in order to reach solutions. The psychologist creates a comfortable environment where the patient feels able to open up and freely share experiences. This collaborative open discussion creates a pedagogic discourse where the psychologist is talking with instead of down to the patient. (CRC Health, 2015)

Deconstruction and Creating Alternative Stories: Before building any new experiences, the experiences that are filled with problems need to disappear. Presuming that everyone is able to write his or her own life. Questions that are meant to explore possibilities help patients concentrate on future.

Social constructionism: In this approach, the roles are opposite. Instead of the doctor being the specialist, the patient takes that role. The conversation between the therapist and the patient serves the purpose of evoking the patient’s opinion and any distinct incidents. The questions asked when using this approach are meant to encourage the patient to speak freely in a comfortable environment along with optimistic statements from the therapist.

Goals of Social Constructionism:

  • Redefine the patient’s outlook on his or her life.
  • Therapist works with the patient to create unique resolutions to each problem.
  • Increase the level of awareness of how the predominant culture affects each person.
  • Assist people in creating different ways of existing and behaving.

Concepts of Social Constructionism: Therapists in postmodern therapy presume there is more than one truth. Reality caters to one’s interpretation and it stems from language. Therapists attempt to communicate with the patient in order to reach a conclusion. The idea of postmodernism has an effect on how other hypothesis are found.

Constructivist Narrative Perspective: Method of postmodern therapy that puts emphasis on what the patient has to tell about themselves and others regarding important incidents with the assumption that realities are not set in stone. Rather, it was established by society. In this method, the therapist needs to avoid personal opinions on what the true definition of reality is. The therapist’s job is to assist the patients and build their personal reality and teach them how to write, theoretically, the stories they desire and want to see in their lives.

What psych problems uses this therapy: Postmodern therapy has proven effective in treating a variety of disorders and psychological afflictions. Some of these include eating disorders, depression, addiction, ADHD, and schizophrenia. (CRC Health, 2015)


Case Study Effectiveness/ Future Possibilities: Eating disorder: Addiction: Schizophrenia: Depression: Family/Marriage Counseling:


Citaions:

CRC Health. “What is Postmodern Therapy?” 2015. Accessed http://www.crchealth.com/types-of-therapy/postmodern-therapy/