From a fact to a structure

To promote change in counseling process by scaffolding a transformative structure, we need to work on three components and two different levels. They are the fact, the (narrative) content and the (narrative) structure. Here we will discuss how we can migrate from a fact to (narrative) content and from (narrative) content to (narrative) structure.

From a fact to a structure

A fact is a fact but it is the result of structuration. In addition, the reaction and the narration of a fact are socially scripted and individually conditioned. We take a fact as a structure in this sense and on this level. A reaction and narration of a fact is a result of one’s beliefs, cognitive schema-s, emotions/feelings, behaviors, social background and environment. When a fact is articulated, a narrative structure comes into being.¹ A person narrates the so-called fact in a particular way according to his personal experience – the organization of the above mentioned factors/elements.

Therefore, when we talking about a fact², we can at least identify three core components, they are the incident (the materialistic dimension of a fact)³ , structure narrative and personal narrative (the last two are the representation of a fact).

Fig. 1 three core components of a fact

By the same vein, we can understand any given incident or idea through such a structural perspective. Here we explained how we can translate a fact into a structure.

From a structure to a transformative structure

Now we would further our discussion about how to develop a structure into a transformative structure by thematization, de-construction and scaffolding. These three need to work hand-in-hand to develop new set of behaviors or identities. For example, the use of de-construction is to unpack a thin and dominating conclusion (in the language of Narrative Therapy), while thematization can help to develop a structure which we can make sense to those presented unstructured, scattered or even over-looked pieces of information. Scaffolding, on the other hand, is to integrate thematization and de-construction as a complete process to promote change.

Fig. 2 Brief illustration of intervention flow

Sometimes the so-called given structure, in fact, is not given. Therapist needs to ‘dig’ it out by thematizing to scaffold a comprehensive structure as a stepping stone for change. After having the structure, we need to understand its characteristics and the role played in the life the client. In case 1, we use de-construction to work with those structures which are rigid, problematic, dominating and even contradictory. In case 2, we use thematization to work with those structures which are unstructured, implicit but influential, unstable and confused.

By this understanding, we can study those micro-practices of de-construction thematization, and scaffolding one by one.

De-construction

As mentioned before, we use de-construction to work with those structures which are rigid, problematic, dominating and even contradictory. Taking ‘lost of freedom’⁴ as an example, we can have our de-construction in the following three directions:

1. De-construction through exploring – to explore similar or different incidents which can promote client’s self-understandings, i.e. such as his/her mode of behavior/thinking. The question may be: ‘Is there any similar experience which also give you a sense of ‘losing freedom’? How is your reaction and what you have done?
2. De-construction through un-packing – dig into the beliefs, cognitive schemas, behaviors, attitudes and emotions (landscape of action and identity) of an identified structure. Questions may be: ‘Could you tell me more about your experience when you are at the state of ‘losing freedom’? How do you think and how do you feel? Is there anyone witness your struggle?
3. De-construction through re-structuring – by substitution of words, replacing character, modulation, changing casual relationship and etc. Questions may be: ‘I found that you like playing computer is not because you like to play but is because of your friends. You find it is the only way you can relate with your friends…..’

It should be noted that a complete de-construction is recommended to come with a new and related thematization or at least, a summary of what has talked. Otherwise, we will only confuse the client.⁵

Thematization

Thematization is a practice to scaffold a comprehensible structure or transformative structure which will be use for triggering change. Thematisation can also be used to stabilise a structure and make it more visible to the person. This can be achieved by:

1. Thematization of single event – we can offer a theme to a particular narrative. For example, client may share with you about how he can successfully keep himself shutting down the computer before 10pm for more than a week. We can assist the student to identify a theme to represent his achievement, let say which can be themed as ‘an act of independence’. We then can scaffold a more substantial and preferable structure to enhance this positive change.
2. Thematization of multiples events – we can link up different events by creating a common theme. For example, client may share different episodes about her engagement of hobbies from childhood to adolescence under peer influence. One of the themes may be ‘lack of self-determination’ because she used to be a follower. Different episodes reflected this common theme. Therapist can draw it out so as to scaffold a new structure for change.

Scaffolding

The practice of scaffolding, for most of the time, is working together with thematization and de-construction. We use the ‘product’ of thematization and de-construction as the ‘materials’ for scaffolding a new transformative structure or new behavior patterns or preferable identities. Moreover, one of the important tasks of scaffolding is to consolidate the new and preferable structures. The practice of Narrative Therapy offer us a lot of working approached we can take reference to. For example, notes, declaration, certificate, letter, re-membering, witness group and so forth. Naming the new change is the first step for consolidation.

Micro-analysis of narrative structure

As you may know our interventions, up to the pervious discussion, are mainly focused on contents and the representation of the content. Change is brought by content-based intervention through the practice of introducing and re-organizing contents, changing perceptions, and enhancing emotional and behavioral functions.

However, if we can go beyond the content and assess the structure of narration, we may also have more and more resources to scaffold transformative structures. Therefore, the discussion of some common narrative structures will also deepen intervention. When we listen to someone’s sharing, we can pay attention to its characters(人物), temporality and sequence(時序), physical and psychological space(空間), categories of content (範疇), motif(主題), casual relationship (結連), tone(語調及聲線), voice(主動/被動), pronoun(人稱) and nature of word (詞性). Once we train ourselves to be sensitive to these linguistic elements, it will be easier for us to scaffold new transformative structures for making change. Psalms⁶ can be used as a good example to discuss about.

23:1 〔大衛的詩。〕耶和華是我的牧者，我必不至缺乏。

23:2 他使我躺臥在青草地上、領我在可安歇的水邊。

23:3 他使我的靈魂甦醒、為自己的名引導我走義路。

23:4 我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷、也不怕遭害，因為你與我同在。你的杖、你的竿、都安慰我。

23:5 在我敵人面前、你為我擺設筵席。你用油膏了我的頭、使我的福杯滿溢。

23:6 我一生一世必有恩惠慈愛隨著我。我且要住在耶和華的殿中、直到永遠。

From this paragraph, we can identify most of the above mentioned linguistic elements such as characters (me and 耶和華), psychological space (青草地and水邊 – a space of comfort; 敵人面前 – a space full of fear and hardship), casual relationship (不怕遭害因上帝同在), the shift of voice (from passive to active) and so forth. Take the shift of voice as an example, the poetry vividly illustrate how the poet active response to the love of God as his faith developed from God’s accompany in every moment( from rest and care to defeat enemies). We can guide the client to explore these shifts so as to develop those necessary themes for identity building.

Notes:

1. The relationship between reality and language is another debatable but interesting issue, i.e. whether language only reflects (反映) the reality or it constitutes (形構) the reality.
2. Some philosophical traditions totally deny the existence of the materialistic dimension of a fact, which only accept that all existence is representation only.
3. Although we stress on working with narratives, however, we also value the materialistic dimension very much. Taking unemployment as an example, in Chinese, we cannot「畫餅充飢」.
4. An example mentioned in the reflection of The Hybrid Approach in Working with Net-addicts.
5. We de-construct is because we want to re-build.
6. Psalms is a collection of poetry. There exists many metaphors, similes and symbolic expressions. Therefore, we should not understand the text literally. For example, don’t take青草地上and水邊as a definite place/space. This bring up a very important issue which we should identify the subject matter (題材) of a given narrative or text first.

Extended reading:

1. The Hybrid approach (MINT) in working with Net-addict

Exercise one:

天淨沙‧秋思 作者：馬致遠

枯藤老樹昏鴉，

小橋流水人家，

古道西風瘦馬。

夕陽西下，斷腸人在天涯！

Exercise two:

… 然後星期一在學校發生一件事，馬修過得很不好。馬修現在上幼稚園，我陪他參加校外教學，回來後我就留在教室，我們一度離開教室，而我又走回去一分鐘，幫另一個小孩穿外套，馬修就尖聲大叫，我離開一分鐘，他就大叫了一分鐘。然後……他很疲倦、很煩惱，可能有點感覺到我和理察在車子裡的爭吵，雖然吵得最兇時，他已經上床睡覺，而我們又在廚房，離他的臥室很遠。可是他在我離開的一分鐘一直大叫，老師問：「他是怎麼回事？」你知道，老師很煩惱，而馬修已經三天沒有睡午覺，我想到這件事對馬修有很不好的影響，所以我打電話給理察說：「你今晚可以回家，我會學著控制自己。你知道重要的是馬修的幸福，我們停戰吧。」所以我告訴他星期一晚上可以回家，我的意思是在晚餐時間回家，而不是在外頭待到我睡著為止。雖然聽起來很瘋狂，可是我了解百分之九十五的時間，他都做得很好。他是很棒的父親。只有這件事讓我氣得跳腳。(《敘事治療》，頁227-228頁)