Nurturing a Narrative Milieu by Beck Paterson
This presentation describes Beck’s work as a counselor in an in-patient mental health crisis treatment program in Calgary, Canada. The goal of this project was to support nurturance and growth of narrative ideas and work in a setting that can often be hostile to such practices. Beck also hopes this project will offer solidarity and understanding of the difficulties for practitioners new to narrative ideas in navigating the shift from dominant practices to more narrative-aligned practices. Guided by the metaphor of seed-planting, growth, and nature, the initiatives described were both intentional and organic in origin, and demonstrate how bringing narrative ideas to the forefront of Beck’s practice changed not only their own work, but the larger program as well.
Author biography
Beck Paterson (they/them) is a non-binary social worker who was born and raised in Treaty 7 territory (Calgary, Canada). They are currently working as an outreach worker with young people who have been given neurodiverse diagnoses and their families. Outside of work, Beck is a budding triathlete, avid reader, and enjoys a good cup of coffee.
Published on February 22, 2023
