Narrative Therapy Role-Play - Externalizing the Problem - Excessive Worry

This video features a counseling role-play in which the “externalizing the problem” technique from narrative therapy is used to help a client (played by an actress) cope with excessive worry.

[heidischlenz]

I'm in grad school right now for counseling, this is helpful thank you

[laurynmoffa]

I actually really like this type of therapy and the technique of externalizing. I personally work in addictions counseling and to use externalizing on an addiction would really help the individuals feel rid of the stigmas that are associated with addiction and the label of "addict." It was helpful in this role play that the therapist helped the client recognize that her worry is more or less an outside entity and not who she is.

[elyshamason]

I really appreciate the demonstration of narrative therapy in action. I did some research on this form of therapy but actually seeing the therapist remove the worry from client instead of making or allowing the client to feel like it is apart of them was very useful.

[wandamixon]

Though Narrative Therapy may use awkward techniques, it offers simplicity in finding a means with which to relate. Most people understand the elements of a story: Protagonist, plot, theme, etc. After assessing duration and severity of the anxiety, the counselor suggests that the client view the problem (worry) as an external factor, which seems unusual at first. However, the alternative narrative brings new meaning. The personal constructs become the client as a competent person and worry as the manipulator trying to sabotage her. The power of words such as describing worry as a "disruptor" and "manipulator, " sets the stage so to speak. The act of challenging the manipulator is clear. This reframe not only makes sense for the client, but also is positive. The client's personal construct changes from a worrier to a competent individual able to challenge worry so that she can function as desired.

[vishakha]

I literally loved the way you demonstrated narrative Your videos always helpful Dr. and it makes learning easy

[marisamaguire]

I appreciate how Dr. Grande presented the idea of viewing “worry” as a separate entity. It allows the client to disconnect from the concept, therefore preventing herself from identifying as a worrier, but rather seeing how “worry” can affect her thoughts and view of self. By using such a technique the client is able to have awareness of when “worry” is approaching, and work to challenge the effects that “worry” brings. In this respect, the client may alter the effects to become positive, therefore allowing the client to have confidence in her abilities and prevent “worry” from taking form and manipulating her mindset.

[kikixiong]

This video is a very brief yet clear display of how Narrative Therapy would help a client. By introducing the process of externalizing the problem, which is the "worry", the counselor helped the client see the problem as it was from the outside of the client herself. That way, it made more sense and gave the client more motivation/reason to challenge or fight with the external strength. Great illustration!

[ninastreet]

I really like how this approach externalized the worry that the client felt. Once she took a step back and looked at the problem from the outside she was able to see what it was doing to her. She than could realize the good that she had done for the company and ease the worry she had.

[veronicabetz]

I participated in a Narrative therapy role-play for test anxiety and with reinforcement this technique can work. Separating one's self from the issue and then re-framing the negative thoughts with positive thoughts can be beneficial in many ways.

[oliviahylton]

Dr. Grande was effective in externalizing the excessive worry described by the client by saying "the worry" instead of "your worry". I liked how they collaboratively examined what impact the worry was having on her day to day functioning. I think narrative therapy would be a great to use in the first several sessions in order to understand the client's presenting concern and the history of it. As therapy continues, the client and counselor can continue to tell the story, but instead find new ways to address the issues and build resilience based on the client's own experiences. This is a theory that resonates with me and I can see myself implementing many of these concepts in my work with clients.

[kennedinaomi]

I have found a lot of interest in narrative therapy and seeing Dr Grande utilize the technique of externalizing the worry from the client was very helpful in my understanding of the therapy type. Dr Grande used simple language where the client could understand what was going on but told the client what was happening so she could still tell her story and find clarity

[tamarabakergibbons]

Thanks Dr.Grande for this demonstration. Nice to see how reframing the Worry can put the client back into power. Its no longer controlling me, I can chose how to feel. That's great. Also mentioning the client's past performances and how she shouldn't disregard them seemed influential.

[angelinastanton]

This was a great role-play because I was easily able to recognize the techniques used. In helping the client to construct her narrative, the counselor asked questions about the client's past worrying and job performance to see how the problem influences the client. The counselor also attempted to help the client reframe her narrative by externalizing her worry as being separate from the client. The counselor and client gave the worry a separate identity with separate personality traits as being manipulative, doubtful, and having low confidence. They set a goal to have the client attempt to communicate to her worry in the future as a separate identity, and hopefully the client will begin to reconstruct a new narrative and form a new identity.

[kassietrala]

This role play of narrative therapy was very useful to me because I have no idea what this type of therapy should look like in a session. The way narrative therapy seems is that the client makes up a story and tells it, but in reality they just tell their story and the counselor helps to reframe it to develop alternative ways of being or acting. I wasn't expecting him to be so direct as the counselor but it was helpful in allowing the client to recreat her story and work to defeat the problem.

[janicedixon]

I enjoyed watching this role play. I didnt realize when Dr. Grande said externalize the worry that they literally were going to talk about worry as if it were a person and was no longer a part of the client. Also I think giving a homework assignment was a great way to close the session.

[teresadalessio]

This was a really great video! I think I may try to think this way myself! I've never heard of this or thought this way before! Thanks Dr. Grande!

[johnchristinadarwin]

Dr. Gande did a great job helping the client separate herself from her worry and externalize the problem. The client was able to realize that being worrisome is not "who she is." Like she had said prior to the technique being used.

[remygooch]

I like how Dr. Grande took the client's narrative of excessive worry and helped the client challenge those thoughts. He took the client's perception of her worries with hiring qualified candidates at her workplace and reinterpreted them into an easily understandable way for the client. She was challenged to be in control of the worry rather than allowing the worry to control her since she was using false evidence of why she may do poorly. Dr. Grande ended on a positive note of reflecting the strengths of the client in her previous performances which I found beneficial to the client.

[sarahjones]

I liked how Dr. Grande led the client to see that the worry is a separate piece of her and not who she is as a person. Through narrative therapy he was able to help the client rewrite the story by focusing on her actual experiences.

[virginiamurrey]

This approach from narrative therapy allowed the client to explain her conflicts/ problems. The counselor sat and listened mostly in the beginning, and then started asking questions to get a further detailed description of the issue at hand. This was a great example of reframing within narrative therapy to show how the technique is utilized.