Collaboration & Accountability

Narrative practices respect people as the experts of their own lives. As such, our expertise is not in how we deliver ‘interventions’, but in how we provide a context, through a scaffolding of questions, that makes it possible for people to become more aware of their own skills and knowledges and how to use these to address difficulties they may be facing. We have included here a diverse collection of resources about the sorts of collaborations that are a key aspect of narrative practice.  
 

Amanda Worrall is a mental health nurse in the Northern Territory (Australia). This presentation tells the story of how June and Amanda found ways to use externalising conversations to name and speak about social paranoia (SP). It also describes the ways in which these conversations enabled June to reclaim her life from the effects of paranoia. This presentation was filmed at Dulwich Centre at the International Spring Festival of Narrative Practice that took place from September 21-23, 2011.

 

Narrative therapy and community work practices engage what has come to be called a ‘Decentred and Influential’ position from which we can work with people. In this extract, Michael White describes this therapeutic posture.

Michael White Workshop Notes

The Four Quadrants
De-Centered Centered
Influential De-centered and influential (potentially invigorating of a therapist) Centered and influential (potentially burdening of therapist)
Non-influential De-centered and non-influential (potentially invalidating of therapist) Centered and non-influential (potentially exhausting of therapist)
It is the intention of the therapist to take up a “decentred and influential” posture in conversations had with the people who consult them – to develop therapeutic practices that make it possible for him/her to occupy the top-left quadrant. The notion “decentred” does not refer to the intensity of the therapist’s engagement (emotional or otherwise) with people seeking consultation, but to the therapist’s achievement in according priority to the personal stories and to the knowledges and skills of these people. In regard to the personal stories of people’s lives, in the context of this achievement, these people have a “primary authorship” status, and the knowledges and skills that have been generated in the history of their lives are the principal considerations. The therapist is influential not in the sense of imposing an agenda or in the sense of delivering interventions, but in the sense of building a scaffold, through questions and reflections, that makes it possible for people to: a) more richly describe the alternative stories of their lives, b) step into and to explore some of the neglected territories of their lives, and to c) become more significantly acquainted with the knowledges and skills of their lives that are relevant to addressing the concerns, predicaments and problems that are at hand.  
 

In this paper by Sue Mann we examine ways of documenting that draw on collaborative practices, with particular reference to writing medical records.

‘Collaborative representation: Narrative ideas in practice’ | Sue Mann

 

The Just Therapy Team, from The Family Centre, Wellington, New Zealand, consists of Warihi Campbell, Kiwi Tamasese, Flora Tuhaka and Charles Waldegrave. Their highly respected work, which involves a strong commitment to addressing issues of culture, gender and socio-economic disadvantage, has come to be known as Just Therapy. These practitioners and their work significantly influenced narrative therapy and community work responses to accountability.

Extract from ‘Just Therapy’


This presentation by Tileah Drahm-Butler aims to bring forth conversation on the ways that narrative therapy can be used as a decolonising practice, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and skill in resistance is honoured and talked about in a therapy setting.Tileah is a Social Worker in a hospital setting, currently working in Emergency Department and Intensive Care Units. She completed the Masters in Narrative Therapy and Community Work in 2014 and is passionate about finding ways to describe Narrative Therapy practices in ways that are culturally resonant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  Furthermore, in the work that Tileah does, she continues to learn alongside the people who she meets to create and re-create narrative practices that are culturally resonate, and that are shaped by cultural and spiritual practices.

To view video, please click link below Decolonising Identity Stories | Tileah Drahm-Butler Tileah-Drahm-Butler  
 
  For Reflection
  In what ways have you entered into collaborations before? What made these collaborations possible?   What might make it hard to enter into these practices?   If these ways of working fit for you, what next steps could you take to build partnerships/collaborations in your work?
 
 

Please now join with others in reflecting on these questions and other wonderings below! Please include where you are writing from (City and Country). Thanks!

This Post Has 243 Comments

  1. Kim Leebody

    Kim Belfast Northern Ireland.
    In reflecting on the questions, I am proud to say that my background in community development practice and MSC in the same has enabled me to understand how social constructs have significant influences on the families I’m involved with in my current role. I have always worked in partnership with people and have been very clear that this to me means being fully collaborative, recognising that I join with another and co-construct conversation.
    Having developed my knowledge and skills in systemic practice this has further influenced my practice. In completing this module I’m reminded again of the non expert position, taking time to ensure that your practice is authentic and collaborative. In my work I feel that I can continue to learn from people, share my learning and introduce some of the ideas with my team.
    I recognise that change needs to brought forward slowly so modelling this way of working will be what I will aim to do whenever the opportunity arises

  2. Olsa Shanaj

    I am working an AP in Learning Disabilities and I was struck by Sue Mann’s article. I always try to work collaboratively with my clients and involve them as much as possible as well as their carers in everything, however, it never occurred to me: “what would X make of this progress note/documentation?”, “how could I bring X’s voice more in to this note?”. We are often being asked to make changes on an existing template of note taking, for which our clients had no saying at all… Thank you Sue Mann for sharing this. I’ll be discussing it in supervision and it will definitely have me thinking how I write my notes from now on…
    Olsa from London, U.K.

  3. Kristen

    Hi all, I am writing from Ontario, Canada.

    I think that the concept of collaboration and accountability is well embedded into our work as social workers, but putting it in practice requires real consciousness and thoughtfulness. Currently working in a healthcare setting, I find it is more of a struggle being de-centered but influential as there is an expectation from other professionals that we are “experts”. Therefore, I find myself being really intentional about utilizing client insider knowledge and using curiosity to explore their insights.

  4. Sandra Owen

    In what ways have you entered into collaborations before? What made these collaborations possible? My understanding of this is that collaboration with a client only occurs when there is trust and safety. Collaboration implies a desire by both parties to work towards a goal selected by the narrator the client. I have seen this before when we consider the onset of women’s liberation we consider collaborative conversations towards a goal. There is also the CWA, the red cross, and the salvation army are all platforms of having tea or coffee and collaboration. The dreaming and many other platforms underpin a narrative process of collaboration. Therefore every time we meet with people and talk about a goal we are collaborating the narration. I use this process as a counselor and always feel empowered by the idea that the client is the central point and I collaborate towards their goal. I love the concept of the power of collaboration towards another person’s goal and love the stories within this chapter. Jane, the story of Jane is inspiring as is the stories depicted through Tileah Drahm-Butler are empowering from a cultural perspective and the understanding of decolonization of which to my understanding is the process of self-empowerment for a subducted people that did nothing to deserve that outcome. through Amanda Worrall, Janes story made me consider the power of listening and I was gladdened by the Journey Jane showed us and the power of understanding from another angle. What could impede this process of collaboration is where power is displaced towards the professional rather than the client, where this occurs through language we would lose the collaboration. also if Amand was not really listening and missed a cue that was important to the process for Jane this could also cause a disconnect.

  5. Grace

    Grace, Ohio, USA

    This chapter made me think of my training as an End-of-Life Doula, where the idea is to enter into a liminal space with a dying person, to meet them where they are, and to show up with genuine care and curiosity, with a beginner’s mind. In this work, we acknowledge that “if you’ve seen one death, you’ve seen one death” and that there is no universal correct story of a good death. We have to come in, be humble, and be passengers, not drivers. These collaborations are possible when the other person feels safe. They are possible when you ARE genuinely curious about them. It is hard to enter the practice if you are feeling rushed, if you are trying to get somewhere specific – essentially your beliefs about the problem are where you are “driving” the conversation. For collaborations that work, genuine open-mindedness and de-centering is fundamental. Next steps, in this role, include working toward skilled questioning.

  6. Polly

    Hi, I’m Polly from the UK. I found this chapter exciting and moving. I very much enjoyed Sue Mann’s reflections on the impact that her medical notes may have had on the man whose name she did not know. I was particularly interested by the idea of making visible the context of a person’s life as a defence against the totalising judgement of professional diagnosis. That sense also chimed with the Just Therapy paper, and questions about how as practitioners we guard against adjusting people to socially unjust situations. The decision the Just Therapy team took to get involved in Social Policy research takes seriously the idea that solutions to problems may be found in reimagining the delicate balance between individual and collective action.

  7. scott

    in my community work I have engaged in partnerships with young people from sporting organisations and also young people through my work as an AOD Counsellor. The idea of collaboration appeals strongly to me. Utilising the knowledge, story and skills of the young person in front of me to find a way of moving forward. It means that the only thing i need to to know is how to elicit this information from the young people I work with. I am an expert and not being an expert!

  8. Alex

    In what ways have you entered into collaborations before? What made these collaborations possible?
    I’m attracted to the mindset and practice of collaboration, and recognise that my most useful work as a coach and facilitator has been when the relationship has truly been a collaboration. Even if my intention is always that the other person or people are at the centre, that they are the ‘expert’, and that our conversation is one with a purpose, collaborating in their exploration and experimentation, this chapter has also brought back for me the times when I’ve slid towards being an advice giver, and when I’ve been in the role of ‘expert’. Sometimes that’s been too easy, triggered by what seems to be their invitation into that role. But this chapter has re-focused my attention on that, leaving me wanting to be alert to those subtle moments in the conversation which might otherwise draw it away from being truly a collaboration.

    What might make it hard to enter into these practices?
    Some of it is what I’ve mentioned above, which in essence seems to be about awareness and skill in the moment, especially when the other person in the conversation isn’t expecting this kind of collaboration.

    If these ways of working fit for you, what next steps could you take to build partnerships/collaborations in your work?
    I see them very much fitting for me in my work, and I’m already reflecting on current coaching clients, thinking about ways to help our conversations be more explicitly collaborative. One thing which will stick with me was the reminder that ‘the problem is the problem; the person is not the problem’. Sometimes, I begin working with an individual because their employer has requested or even required it, already labelling the other person as ‘the problem’, and by extension framing my work as to ‘fix the problem’. So, as much as I take good care of boundaries at the point of contracting with the organisation and the individual I’ll be working with, I’m now thinking there’s perhaps even more I could usefully do, to shape expectations around this.

  9. korelai@yahoo.com.hk

    Kay, Hong Kong.

    It has been a long time since I have found a way to help people in such a helpful and concrete way, though it will take more time than just a few sessions of therapy. I was looking out to search for effective tools/ways to help children with certain special needs in their study and lives. But now, I’m so glad that I’ve come across with this course two months ago. After reading Amanda Worrall’s sharing on June’s case, I grasp a better idea of the whole process of how to develop questions to help elicit people’s agenda. Her awareness on June’s case has reminded me of being cautious and careful of people who seem to regain their status, yet she hasn’t. Thank you very much for the sharers of this chapter.

  10. wchiu

    Adelaide, Australia

    In practice I had co-facilitated therapy sessions with my colleagues and found that to be a very helpful experience. I think collaboration is made possible when there is time before and after sessions to reflect together to ensure that you are both heading the same direction or if there are differing working hypothesis about the family’s problem that this is also shared with one another. Collaboration works when people take the attitude that having more brains think about a problem is better than just having one!

    I love collaboration work as I think everyone’s experience, skills and knowledge is so different and adds so much value in providing an alternative perspective to the problem that is presented.

  11. d.wilson@baptcare.org.au

    Listening to the impact of considering decentred therapeutic posture on how validated June seemed to feel in the video, was heartening. I enjoyed considering some of the questions and ways of eliciting people’s know how, experiences, skills, strengths and ways of responding. The practice example about June, really highlighted honouring the person and their exploration of stories, and the proof in June seeming to feel validated, more curious and more understood seemed to indicate that June was not having expert positioning ‘put on her’.

  12. flora.sugarman@gmail.com

    I found this chapter particularly enlightening and helpful. The idea that “nobody is a passive recipient of trauma” is one I find extremely pertinent in today’s society. The stories and examples told in these pieces also really highlighted the importance of externalizing the problem in one’s practice. I have entered into many different types of collaborations in the past, especially in situations where different cultures and ways of understanding were coming together in one space. I think these collaborations were made possible by non-hierarchical structures, genuine listening, group norms that were established by everyone at the beginning of the sessions, and respect and love for each other. What often makes these practices of collaboration more difficult are the systems around us that place more value on one way of knowing over another in addition to the power and funding that can be hoarded into one way of knowing over another. Therefore, I think one of the first steps in increasing these practices of collaboration is actively challenging these inequities and injustices in order to shift the balance in this sphere. That is one of the reasons I really admire the Family Centre’s practice discussed in the “Just Therapy” piece. The fact that they are engaging in healing work while also engaging in community development and social policy research is really exciting in my opinion.

  13. Kate C

    I found Sue Mann’s article really helpful, the process of separating people from ownership of their story in health records and assessments is so common and everyday practice. It’s important to think too, of who you are writing about and how you would feel about them reading it. Would they recognise themselves? Would they see themselves as being reduced just to a collection of symptoms that are negative and don’t account for all of the work and hope they may have put into managing?
    The Family Centre asks the same questions in a larger sense about recognising the problems families brought to therapy were tied to societal dysfunction, not inherent in the family. This has been a really thought provoking section. I would love to work collaboratively with clients to achieve this.

  14. sjwalker

    I really enjoyed listening about June. The idea of collaboration and really allowing the voice of the client/patient to be heard is so valuable. Not only as the person placed to offer help, but to the client/patient. It offers a clear invitation to them with respect, no judgement and a recognition of vulnerability and trust being present. I loved the question ‘is it ok that SP impacts you being social/your relationships’ and the time for June to ponder to have that honest moment with herself and say ‘No!’. I feel like in that moment she was able to decide to take control back of her life. It is those moments that are so heart warming and fill you with pride – when the person chooses to fight for themselves and to want to be accountable and responsible for the life they life/want to live.

  15. Rebecca

    Working with teenagers in Brisbane, Australia I find it so empowering and much more successful when collaborating with students. Often ‘expert’ adults and parents make decisions for their teenage child and outcomes fail. Inspired by Sue Mann’s article, I can continue to include my teenage clients in important case meetings and in setting goals for their education.

  16. Hannah R

    Hi all. I’m Hannah, a junior doctor from Bristol (UK). I have found working collaboratively effective both when working on the wards and in the community. I think perhaps that time has often contributed to the efficacy of these endeavours – I find that when I am rushed, with a long list of jobs to complete, that I find myself slipping back into a less collaborative approach. I was particularly moved by Sue Mann’s article, with regards to her collaboration with the women she was working with in writing in their medical notes. How and what we write in the medical notes has been something that has challenged me for some time. How can I ensure that I do not perpetuate thin narratives or epistemic injustices? The idea of inviting the people am I working with to help write my notes is compelling.

  17. Jason

    Jason from Toronto, Canada. I find so many themes here very compelling. I am a therapist in training in my first community counseling placement, where I have been working on basics like chart writing. I have found it surprisingly hard to know what to include and how to understand the significance of the narrative I create in these notes. The idea of including client voices collaboratively is really interesting, but also challenging. I think some of the barriers are inertia and stress. When we have so many obligations and time pressures, we often do only what is required. While I love the idea of making charting a part of the therapy, not least since client’s are legally allowed to access their therapist’s notes, it would involve more time and complexity. And doing it in a group practice means challenging, potentially, some of the norms of the practice, especially when these norms are highly regulated. But this way of thinking is amazing and worth exploring.

  18. hjgolden

    I really enjoyed this section, it helped me think through some of the thorny issues I’ve been wrestling with for a while, in terms of how I can address my own privilege honestly and relate to people in ways that dignify their own experiences. The UK is becoming more fragmented and unequal; it’s hard to know how best to foster an alliance with someone who already feels patronised and misunderstood. One of the problems with working in peer mental health is how much work done in an oppressive system is actually collaborating with and perpetuating injustices. I don’t see a way yet to work totally outside these systems so I need go find a position that allows me to be effective without harming others. My commitment to this way to working is firm and had been refined by the recent Covid19 outbreak, now I do not have the luxury of choosing not to work in contexts where there is systemic inequality, instead I need to get in there and work in a narrative practice, critically engaged way.

  19. Michele McCrea

    Michele from Adelaide, Australia
    For the past 6 months I have been working with migrant women’s groups in school-based community hubs to build community capacity for strong relationships and community safety and to address problems that impede access to domestic violence services. I approached this task with an attitude of wanting to learn about what works for the communities by asking questions and trying out different ideas, and this has started to bear fruit. Narrative ideas and approaches have been especially helpful to me in developing methods and ways of working that are collaborative and culturally sensitive and meet the needs of the women and communities.

  20. emmygrace16@hotmail.com

    Emily Williams, Newcastle NSW, Australia. I really enjoyed Sue Mann’s article, I think it gives us all hope that even within structures like hospitals we can çhoose to work in our preferred way. I think what has held me back before is just ‘going with the flow’ with other workers and, not thinking about the wider impact. I think back to my social work placement and I saw other allied health professionals just working in the systems. It gives me hope to create a new way of working. I have been working in collaboration. I am working with a family at the moment and I provide them a copy of my notes after our session to review, make changes, I find it powerful as this family has experienced the child protection system so this way of working is creating a foundation for a trust relationship.

  21. Rhianne

    Rhianne (Brisbane, Australia)
    Such a powerful concept. Sue Mann’s story was particularly powerful. I have to write case notes in my job and while I take great pride in being as accurate and neutral as possible, I hadn’t thought about the opportunity of case notes for people to tell their own stories.
    I also think in some ways knowing that our expertise as practitioners is in the scaffolding, not in holding the answers is a relief. I don’t need to know everything. I can support the real experts in telling their stories.

  22. Bill

    Bill, USA. As a gay man I have been thinking about the “colonizing” that was imposed by the dominant heterosexual society. This observation provides an interesting bridge for me to explore the “damage” story within my community as well as to be alert for similar stories from other communities.

  23. Jasmine

    I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The privilege in expertise, advice can be detrimental to clients, instead a de centered approach allows the client to feel agency, autonomy and feel like an expert. People will protect what they feel value to, even in the face of trauma. Evaluation through pausing and reflecting, a client can ask for consent for the influence of what has been externalized, for example paranoia, and as a result uncovers and clarifies values. Re-membering allows someone to find their own antidote to their externalized problem, in ways that enables reclamation. I can see the value of these skills and strategies while collaborating with a school that is located in an indigenous community. I mainly work in schools and acknowledge my privilege as the history of colonization shows up in my privilege.
    The concept of the de-centered therapist to me, is a way of professional life that maybe at first is intentional in execution but becomes integrated into whom the therapist is with the client. When a therapist is influential, it means that they hold the session, not the client, and allow the richness of the session content to flourish, such as scaffolding, and exploring. Collaboration with the client is made possible, these concepts can be used when I collaborate with teachers at schools as well, especially during consultations with them.

  24. Amanda Clifford

    Amanda in Limerick, Ireland
    Each country has its own way of communicating a narrative & through that, expressing family experiences in emotional stories. I am learning to use the Narrative Approach while collaborating with my clients & our communities to help them with the trauma of past, that has been the storyline through generations. Thank you for sharing this important approach to help tell stories that haven’t been spoken.

  25. Shannon

    Shannon from Sydney, Australia

    For the past 10 years, I have been working with minority groups who are labelled my media and general social stereotypes as “damaged” and less likely to aspire than others. These “damaged stories that are the most easily accessible, as expressed by Tileah, has underscored to me the need to incorporate the personal narrative with the larger social stereotypes and challenges that people face, as they can directly impact that same personal narrative. Tracing elements of survivace is something I will take forward into my work with these groups, as well as the assumptions and beliefs they have about the dominant culture, and how alternative ways of knowing and being can be celebrated and forged.

  26. EdaUtku

    Eda from Sydney here.

    Somehow the discussions here connected me to one of my favourite films of all time, The Breakfast Club about five seemingly very different juvenile delinquents who end up in high school detention. By the end of the day, they see more similarities than differences.

    Through collaboration with the people we’re “yarning with for a purpose” we cultivate sensitivity, greater humanity, perhaps the gold that would enable us to write a story as poignant as The Breakfast Club, but we can call it the Christmas Club as have we really thought about whether the idea of Australian Christmas even honours the wealth of cultures that make up this land, for example?

    Accountability or reciprocity is what builds trust within a society and the more ways we can introduce scenarios where we are accountable to each other (not just formal jobs that most people tend to find pointless and hate) the better. Narrative therapy approach resonates with me as it is a conversation and not one person is more knowledgeable or authoritative than the other.

  27. kfmutter@gmail.com

    This “chapter” drew me into both encouraging (i.e., retrospective) and inviting (i.e., future-oriented) reflection. I was mindful that, based on external appearance, it is easy for those I work with to perceive me as a representative of those who have colonized and oppressed. This awareness has made me aware of the limitations that are imposed with ‘names’ such as client, patient, parollee, student, intern, and even counsellee. This awareness draws me to acknowledge the dangers of being seen to collaborate with the oppressors and to adopt a position of humility in which I learn from the other and move toward what Augsburger refers to as “interpathy” which can only develop as I am able to see the world through the lens of the other person.

    As Sue Mann and the other contributors to this chapter identified, some individuals live with dominant which they experience as limiting. In my experiuence this happens when the person’s identity and personal story is hidden behind either a coporate dentity such as “spouse/child abuser,” “abuse/accident victim,” “immigrant,” “accident victim,” etc. In recent my experience, a significant colonizing influence is the insurance system which can limit an individual and their identity to a diagnosis which empasizes limitations and de-emphasizes competencies.

    At this point, I suspect the most relevant next step involves working with individuals in ways that invite them to take an active role in developing their own treatment goals and to collaborate with them about the treatment plan.

  28. jwestbrook2008@hotmail.com

    Jillian. Australia. I always type up draft feedback forms with brief notes on each session as required by my organisation to ensure continued funding. I then routinely email these to collaborate with my clients until we agree on what they feel comfortable revealing outside of the counselling session. I believe this has the added benefit of refreshing for the clients what we discussed without any depth, and it gives them a sense of ownership over what is being said about them. In particular they find it useful if I include brief dot points on what we plan on doing in our next session e.g. goal setting, and homework e.g. client intends on following up on meal planning with NDIS.

  29. ManmeetKaur

    This is Manmeet from India. Sue Mann’s idea of collaboration is a powerful tool but due to the principle of confidentiality I don’t know how to use it in my work.The therapist is influential but not imposing is the essence of the counselling process. As a Japanese saying goes, do not catch a fish for a hungry person but teach him how to fish so that he can always catch a fish for himself. So when we make our clients realize their own strengths and skills, they can make right choices for themselves .

  30. Sophie Moroney

    Hi Sophie from Melbourne, Australia here! I enjoyed reading Sue Mann’s article. In my personal experience of going to see doctors and therapists and my professional experience I have never thought a lot about medical notes and who sees them and how personal these notes are. This article made me think about how I could use collaboration in my work and how powerful this could be in giving people ownership over the direction of their therapy and what other professionals know about them.

  31. Chrissy Gillmore

    Kia ora, Chrissy from New Zealand. I only live a few minutes drive from the Just Therapy Team, yet have not yet visited them! I think I must remember to continue to listen to the ‘story behind the story’. I do like this and it also reminds me of person centred therapy where we’re working on the edge of awareness. I really appreciated the last video. I do like the concept of decentering and influential because it privileges the client’s expert knowledge of themselves and what they want. They have an entire history of themselves. I love the concept of listening for the story behind the story, the alternative stories, where clients have worked in the acts of resistance to broader issues. I also like the concept of the presence of shame and how this can be rooted in colonisation. This was a really great chapter, thank you.

  32. alexandra.m.cameron@gmail.com

    Personally, I really enjoy collaborating with others on all sorts of projects! I’ve worked on research projects, clinical consultations/conceptualizations…all of these with collaborators. It helps get a better picture of what you’re trying to accomplish. Everyone you’re working with has something to bring to the table, and when everyone respects each other there is so much that can be accomplished! Some collaborations are mandated by management or some other ‘higher up’, which can create an initial tension in collaboration. However, I’ve found that once you go into that initial meeting with others on a positive note and voice your willingness to work together, it seems to work out alright.
    For me, the steps to build collaborations comes from having an open-door policy! Make your interests known to others, and when they are discussing something you’re interested in, join the conversation! Don’t be afraid to mention that you would be interested in collaborating…that’s how it all gets started!

  33. Rebecca

    Rebecca from Singapore. I think collaborations are possible when the worker and client have a mutual agreement and understanding of the process. What I’m curious about is how does legal issues come into recording, especially in Sue Mann’s article about medical records? The confidentiality of those records and if there is danger apparent. I think sometimes it might be difficult to draw a clear line and collaboration also does not mean allowing the client to do as they wish. I really like the terms ‘sense of belonging’, ‘spirituality’, ‘hope and inspiration and reconciliation and freedom’ as key pointers towards in collaboration.

  34. Jennifer Guest

    Jennifer writing from Canada. I am particularly intrigued by Sue Mann’s collaborative process in the hospital records of patients. I think it is very powerful and could be a total game changer for people but am very curious to how that could be done in my province under the college’s rules around record-keeping. I think that questions like, “how is this conversation going for you?” or “should we keep talking about this or would you be more interested in…?” are absolutely crucial in the therapy process. It gives the client the license to be in control of their own story, skills and knowledges.

  35. Pierre Matthee

    Pierre Matthee, Johannesburg, South Africa. I really liked the article by Sue Mann. As a social worker in a medical field, documenting in files are often difficult. By collaborating with the client/patient is such an amazing and wonderful idea. Thank you!

  36. rebel.diamond01@gmail.com

    Bianca, South Australia. I like to use collaborations in my every day life but also in the work as a disability support worker. It is not about having my won agenda but working with all parties involved and holding space for each perspective. It is hard to enter into these practices at times when not all parties involved are willing to be open-minded. open-hearted and willing to share a held space together.

  37. Carol Tsang

    Hi. Greetings from Hong Kong. I have entered into Collaborations Practice during daily communication with my family, friends and others. It could prevent a barrier communication. When I listen to other’s story carefully and curiously, it seems like to have more compassion with others. I became less self-center. I do not intent to correct people but create a room to share stories.

    If I have strong sense of judgement to other’s view, it would be hard to do collaboration. For next step, I keep being curious then listen to people’s story and try asking the questions which I am interested on that topic.

    I agree the point of views from Tileah Drahm-Butler, we can find another story behind the existing story. People are the expert in their own lives. We can use the knowledge and skill of Narrative Therapy to find out the true meaning of the Story. Hardship is an opportunity to create the one’s skill. Therefore, I think Narrative Therapy practice brings unlimited creativity and opportunity for one’s life.

  38. Danielle Terbenche

    Danielle — Toronto, Canada

    In therapy sessions (as a student trainee) I was able to use narrative approaches with a couple of my clients. Collaboration largely took the form of creating descriptive names for the problem/stances experienced by the client, discussing note contents, and (in one case) the meaning of drawings done by the client for the purposes of therapy. One barriers that came to mind as I read/watched the materials here were institutional requirements for notes and how they may limit our freedom in their creation. Also, it is challenging to collaborate with clients who have little trust in themselves and look to the therapist (and others in their lives) to define who they are, the nature of the problem, and their dreams for the future.

  39. princessburt@yahoo.com

    Jennifer, Ontario, Canada
    Wow…I am so humbled by Sue Manns article. I truly appreciated her insights, honesty and reflections. As a current social worker in a hospital on a medical ward, it is so easy as she described to fall into the trap of identifying patients by their presentation rather that allowing the narrative to describe what is going on for them. I took Sues article to heart and wonder even today how I can begin to incorporate narrative approaches in my clinical work with patients and in my documentation of that work.

  40. imalaviya@gmail.com

    I really appreciate the fact that therapy or counseling is seen as a process in which the therapist is honest and active in finding out about the knowledge and skills of the people who come to them for consultations – instead of imposing our own ‘scientific interventions’ and ‘classifications’. Collaboration does not only mean that we keep an open line of communication with the people we work with, but also help build their understanding of the neglected alternate stories of their lives and be surprised by that as well!

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