Narativ.cz | website for postmodern ways in therapy and consulting

 

Why having a web about postmodern approaches?

Maybe it’s a fake illusion, but it seems that in the last few decades psychotherapy has started to undergo some big changes. These changes are not to be so easily spotted, because they are happening in the highest floors of psychotherapy... or rather in the lowest, sub-basement... it depends on point of view. Simply I mean the changes in theoretical basis, paradigms, perspectives and contemplations heading towards the answer to question: what is psychotherapy and what/whom should it serve?  

Psychotherapy in modern shape originated from medicine and therefore it was the doctors who were looking for the answer to this question. More and more other disciplines started to influence the field; among others cybernetics, linguistics, sociology, philosophy and others, and that way gradual, unnoticeable, but in effect very dramatic changes arose.

After this “storm of paradigms” (Anderson, 2009) there was a noticeable change mainly in the view of a person in psychotherapy. He ceased to be viewed by means of net of neurons, set of instincts or cognitive structures. Person started to be perceived as an active communicating being, whose life is weaved from stories he or she tells to others and themselves. Čermák (2004) defines this new way of thinking as “narrative mode” and distinguishes it from previous logical-scientific mode.

Narrative metaphor began to have very favorable response in psychotherapy, consulting and work with people generally. Therapist – consultant – advisor all of a sudden become people, who together with their clients participate in telling and retelling their stories, help them to give their lives a sense and meaning and at the same time they increase the ratio of the clients’ authorship at further “writing” of their own life stories. This shift was reflected by some therapists – theoreticians who became the founding members of the approaches now known as narrative therapy, systemic therapy, solution oriented therapy, communicative therapy, collaborative therapy and others.

In the Czech environment we didn’t have a chance to fully notice these changes until 1990s.  They attracted many enthusiasts, new institutes were founded, however in such a short time it has not been possible to form a noticeable discussion with dominant stream, which still comes out of logical-scientific mode. After passing the attendants of systemic or narrative trainings and courses usually disperse to various corners of Czech Republic, where they often find themselves alone in team of cognitively, analytically or behaviorally oriented therapists or consultants.

By that I’m finally getting to the reasons for formation of this web. Behind it there’s a need, not only ours, but of our colleagues, friends, acquaintances from the training, various courses and accidental meetings, the need to sustain and refresh the way of thinking, which we consider not only interesting, but very rewarding for our clients too. Way of thinking, which naturally makes us try to understand their stories and together with them to create new possibilities of living their lives.

In tune with above mentioned bases it is not very effective to keep this perspective in isolation and separateness. Postmodern approaches in therapy may liven markedly and develop in Czech Republic only in mutual discussion, exchange of information and ideas at joint (not only virtual) meetings. We will try to present this web as one of the possibilities how to head towards this aim.

Founding members

Kateřina Novotná, Pavel Nepustil, Jakub Černý 

 

Team Narativ

Mgr. Bc. Kateřina Novotná tel.: 603 117 100 novotna(at)narativ.cz                          

Mgr. Pavel Nepustil, DiS. tel.: 604 536 033 nepustil(at)narativ.cz                              

Mgr. Jakub Černý tel.: 602 710 072 cerny(at)narativ.cz

Mgr. Jitka Balášová tel.: 774 844 685 balasova(at)narativ.cz

Currently

Workshop 2017 Werner Schütze (DE)

Dr. Werner Schütze:
OPEN DIALOG IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE

We wholeheartedly invite you to an experiential workshop, centered on the experience of being in dialogue. The workshop is suited for people who are interested in the field of mental health care, are currently working in the field, or wish doing so in future.

When: 24. - 25. 11. 2017
Where: Brno

more info..

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