Narrative Therapy: a Study and Practice Group

A Short Course from October 6, 2010 to December 1, 2010 meeting 2 hours, once a week, for 8 weeks, Wednesdays from 9-11 am with 16 CEU’s

Instructor(s): Corky Becker, Ph.D.

Date(s): 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 12/1, possible snow date 12/8 

Cost: Groups of two or more $400; regular rate $450 (see below for details)

Location: 51 Kondazian Street, Watertown, MA 02472

Narrative therapy is not just about stories, but about stories that make a difference in what is possible for peoples’ lives. The basic premises are:

• What we believe influences what we feel, think and do.
• How we act toward others leads to repeating sequences that may be problematic.
• Problems are maintained by repeating interactions and the beliefs that support them.
• Developing alternative ideas, beliefs and stories about what is happening can affect the problem or problem interaction.

 

Perhaps the most interesting and unique thing about Narrative therapy is the way it focuses on identity stories. Who we are is not just a reflection of what we feel and do, but also is reflected by our intentions, values and commitments to what, how and who we hope to be. This is basis for the pivotal shift in narrative therapy. Narrative therapy is co authored by the therapist and the client with a goal of finding a story that is grounded in real life experience and supports the life that the client prefers. 

Throughout the course we will read and discuss Narrative therapy articles and chapters, focusing on particular practices of Narrative therapy.  Concepts and methods will be demonstrated by the instructor.  Participants will practice in class and in their work as a way of incorporating aspects of Narrative therapy that fit with the context of their work, their style and current practice.

Ideas and practices will include: externalizing the problem, naming, recognizing unique outcomes and sparkling moments, co-authoring  a rich preferred story, remembering, outsider witnessing, the absent but implicit. 

Corky Becker is a clinical psychologist, family and couple therapist, family therapy supervisor, teacher/trainer and consultant.  She is a board member of the American Family Therapy Academy and is Program Chair for the 2010 AFTA Meeting. She was on the faculty of the Family Institute of Cambridge for 25 years, where she co-directed the Intensive Program in Family Systems Therapy, and taught courses in Narrative and Couple Therapy. She has also taught at the Narrative Conferences in Australia, Chicago and Atlanta. She is a Founding Associate of the Public Conversations Project which is committed to helping people enter into dialogue about polarizing issues related to values, identity and world views; she is a trainer and dialogue facilitator, a consultant to the Project on Negotiation at the Harvard Law School, was a member of the Kosova Family Professional Education Collaborative, which developed a family systems, resource based, wrap around approach to mental health in post war Kosova, and engaged with a project focused on community resilience oriented responses to mental health post disaster.  Her private practice focus is couple and family therapy.  Corky is a well respected teacher whose style is to be warm and engaging, while demonstrating high quality clinical work.   

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Register for this Workshop:

For early or group registration please mail in the registration form or contact us to be invoiced and pay with your credit cards.

1. Register and pay by mail: download form »
2. OR register and pay online
   

Registration Information and Course Policies:

• Fees:  Regular Registration rate is $450 for the course.     
• Group Registration rates: We encourage you attend with your friends/colleagues! Groups of two or more will be charged $400 per person for the course.  Please mail together or indicate the person/people with whom you are attending when you register.
• Group registration can be mailed with downloadable form (above) and paid by check or contact us to be invoiced.
• Mail checks made out to Liz Brenner and send with completed registration form to: 
  51 Kondazian Street, Watertown, MA 02472
• Participants MUST attend 100% of the program to earn the 16 CEUs requested for MSW's, MHC's and MFT's. CEU certificates will be given at the end of the last class after you are fully paid and have completed the workshop evaluation form.
• Enrollment will be limited to 18 participants. Please call or email if you are registering within the last two weeks to make sure there is still room to attend.
• No refunds are available unless a written request is received 21 days before the program. A $50 administrative fee will be deducted from all refunds. No cancellations, including no shows, will be honored beyond this time frame.
• Only email acknowledgments will be sent to confirm receipt of your registration.
• If you require special accommodations, please submit a written statement at least 30 days prior to the program to see if we can meet your needs.
• Courses may be cancelled if minimum enrollment requirements are not met. In this case, full fees will be refunded or applied to future programs, your choice. 
• Weather cancellations are consistent with the decision of the Watertown, MA school system.  If Watertown is cancelled or delayed, the class will be cancelled for the day. Missed days due to weather will be rescheduled.
• Grievance policy is to submit a written complaint.  If the complaint cannot be resolved by Liz Brenner, she will consult with another faculty member for a second opinion to resolve the problem.