Narrative Therapies with Children and Adolescents [Hardcover]

David Nylund (Editor), Craig Smith (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1572302534 | ISBN-13: 978-1572302532 | Publication Date: September 12, 1997 | Edition: 1

Bringing together an array of renowned, highly creative contributors, this indispensable book demonstrates how narrative and collaborative work with young people can bridge the gap between the seemingly disparate worlds of adults and children - and can foster unique and imaginative solutions to even the most challenging clinical problems. Through transcripts and compelling case examples, contributors illuminate how drama, art, play and humour can effectively be used to engage children of different ages and to honour their idiosyncratic language, knowledge, and perspectives. Chapters conclude with engaging question-and-answer sessions between the editors and the contributors that further draw out the principles and techniques of each approach.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This wide-ranging book features postmodern ideas and innovative interviewing methods....The working contexts range from schools, playrooms, offices, and clinics to family homes and group homes. The book is simply full of creative variations in narrative practice! But other methods like the use of drama, art, home support, and the collaborative language systems approach are also included. A gratifying theme throughout is the consistent commitment to honoring and respecting the actual experiences of the young people with whom we work." --Karl Tomm, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Calgary

"In this book readers will find many wonderfully creative expressions of collaborative/narrative approaches to problems experienced in childhood and adolescence. The chapters are framed by a thoughtful and informative introduction that addresses many of the questions that are often asked about the tradition of thought and practice that informs these collaborative/narrative approaches. There is something for everyone in this book." --Michael White, BASW, Dulwich Centre, Adelaide, South Australia

"Smith and Nylund have compiled a collection of hopeful, exciting approaches to working with children that is as diverse as the problems that children and their families bring to therapy. Each chapter is unique, but the approaches are joined together by the spirit of possibility, respect, and collaboration that suffuses them all." --Bill O'Hanlon, MS

About the Author

Craig Smith, PhD, is a Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor in private practice at the Solana Beach Counseling Center in San Diego, California. He also teaches at San Diego State University and supervises at various local agencies, in addition to co-leading trainings in dialogic narrative therapy.

David Nylund, MSW, is a clinical social worker at Kaiser Permanente in Stockton, California. He is also a consultant to Midtown Family Therapy, where he offers training in narrative therapy, and a lecturer at the Professional School of Psychology in Sacramento.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 469 pages
• Publisher: Guilford Press; 1 edition (September 12, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572302534
• ISBN-13: 978-1572302532
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,100,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars innovative approach to child-therapy, January 20, 2009

By 

Javier Armenta Mejia (Tijuana, Baja California Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Narrative Therapies with Children and Adolescents (Paperback)

This book is innovative in the approach it presents.
Grounding its base in narrative practice, it presents the work of some distinguished narrative therapists in child and adolescent therapy.
It contains plenty of case studies and styles of working from this perspective.
The book is very accesible and well documented.
I recomend it very much

Javier Armenta

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Failure, March 29, 2008

By 

me - See all my reviews

This review is from: Narrative Therapies with Children and Adolescents (Paperback)

This book begins with a mis-guided description of narrative therapy, and then follows it up with chapter after chapter of transcripts of narrative therapists talking with clients. While the transcripts are at times interesting, you won't learn much from them. Reading this book is a waste of your time, especially chapter 6. I know 18 people who read this and we all hated it, especially chaper 6 which ends with a narrative therapist deciding to give money to a drug-addicted mother to go on "vacation".