NARRATIVE THERAPY

Narrative Therapy

Narrative Therapy

Introduction

Narrative Project Inspiration

The inspiration for this narrative grew from working with individuals who have experienced Child Sex Abuse (CSA) as well as the personal experience of CSA of this writer. A narrative tells a story about a significant event that has occurred in an individual's life that relates their life story from their foundation. This writer felt that writing about this subject is not enough. Writing in detail of personal experience as well as what information the research provides is important to engage readers in this writer's personal experience and how it relates to the findings of the research conducted on CSA. While working with the mental health population, this writer noticed that many of the clients that she came across had a history of CSA (Zimmerman, 2001). Working with these clients gave the writer a better understanding on why it is important to address CSA and why it is important for most women to accept this horrific event in their lives and begin the healing process. This writer discussed the triumphs as well as the struggles that were overcome to help readers understand the detail of recovery from this writer's personal experience. Recovery is possible and a victim of CSA may overcome the abuse as a part of who they are, but will and does not define the person they are. Narrative Project Process

The writer reviewed research on CSA and felt as though the exploration of her personal experience with CSA through a narrative could be an effective way to contribute to the body of social work knowledge. Narrative inquirers that plan to improve individual and social conditions can take personal experiences as stepping stones for macro and ideological explanations of oppression. By informing social workers that recovery is possible and encouraging social workers to work with these victims on a variety of levels will give these victims an opportunity to live what is seen as a "normal" life. The writer went into detail about the treatment methods that she found useful for her and explained how she felt when engaging in each of the treatment models. Although engaging in treatment and experiencing healing is ideal, this writer discussed what occurred to her when she did not receive support from family. The writer explored her perspective of not having support from loved ones and her experiences motivated her to seek professional support. Feelings about the abuse and feelings about entering recovery are explored in this narrative. This writer provided personal feelings and experiences to provide context within the narrative. This writer understood that writing this narrative thesis would involve processing the past feelings of guilt, loneliness, and decreased self-esteem that the abuse has given her (Woodwiss, 2007).

Narrative Relevance

Sharing one's story of trauma and recovery provides an opportunity to support each person's unique attempt to explore, sequence, and advance an individual's life story with the sub-plot of CSA as a theme to be contained, integrated, retired, or ...