Collaborative Language-Based Model

Collaborative Language-Based Collaborative Language-Based models of couples and family counseling focuses on and places importance on the language, stories, and even specific word choice, with the assumption that issues can be solved through therapeutically-engaged dialogue (Wetchler and Hecker, 2015). Rooted in the belief that clients are the experts on their own lives, this approach seeks to utilize their enriched understanding to uncover new ideas or strategies through a focus on storytelling or focusing on client’s strengths and positive attributes to resolve presenting issues (Chromy, 2007; Wetchler & Hecker, 2015). In my opinion, the strength of this approach is the collaborative approach by the counselor with the couple or family unit. Building and working on a strong rapport, with respect to client autonomy, further benefits the therapeutic relationship when confrontations are presented to one’s use of language. A clear limitation to this model that I see is the importance placed on the precise nature of

While I do not know if I feel comfortable with using Narrative Therapy as the lone theoretical approach to counseling, there are aspects of it I find intriguing, relatable, and beneficial. As an individual in recovery, and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, I witness at every meeting the not only the power of simply sharing one’s story, but also the learning that can come from it. Suddeath, Kerwin, and Dugger (2017) discussed the importance helping families understand that problems don’t define their story, and that hope exists to create a new narrative. Additionally, the use of narrative to separate the problem from the family itself can have a powerful impact on how the family views itself and encourage participation in the change