Narrative and non-narrative ways of knowing
Introduction to post modernism and social constructionism
Structuralism, non structuralism and understanding identity
Meaning making through stories
Stories as constitutive of life
The partial nature of stories
Life as multi-storied and the role of alternative stories in re-shaping lives
The social construction of personal stories and role of history, culture and discourse
Thin description, thick/rich description and preferred identity accounts
The role of social context and interpersonal connectedness in maintaining preferred identity
Acknowledgement vs praise
Problems as external to people
Absent but implicit – the double sided nature of discernment
Modern power and the production of the sense of failure
Acknowledgement and engagement
Remaining decentred
Staying accepting and curious
Editorialising
Matching cultural and linguistic style
Using intentional state identity categories to move from action to preferred values and commitment
Externalisation – separating the person from the problem
Facilitating conversation by reducing shame
Enhancing the sense of agency and a sense of self-regulation
Motivating to change by increased sense of responsibility
Statement of position map, externalising conversations - building motivation and enhancing commitment
Identifying unique outcomes or exceptions
Building meaning and significance on unique outcomes
Using unique outcomes as points of entry to alternative stories of identity
Developing rich description
Re-authoring conversations
Outsider witness practice – acknowledgement and social connection round preferred identity
Scaffolding concept formation and the development of abstract thinking; better cognitive skills, a platform for problem solving
Remembering conversations