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Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSWO 642 – Narrative Therapy (Summer 2021)

Credits - 3

Description

This advanced practice course provides students with the opportunity to learn the theory and practice of Narrative Therapy. The UNE School of Social Work Mission and Values state; “the School embraces a comprehensive definition of health as a state of complete physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being… teaching empowering theories for practice and developing collaborative relationships based on mutuality and respect”. Narrative Therapy is one such empowering theory. Students will have the opportunity to explore the historical development of this contemporary theory and to observe and practice Narrative Therapy through interactive role-plays and video-taped sessions with classmates and the instructor.

Materials

Textbooks:

Denborough, D. (2014). Retelling the stories of our lives; Everyday narrative therapy to draw inspiration and transform experience. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Burack-Weiss, A., Lawrence, L.S., and Mijangos, L.B. (2017). Narrative in social work practice; The power and possibility of story. New York: Columbia University Press.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

School of Social Work Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:

  1. Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
  2. Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
  3. Engage in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice.
  4. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
  5. Engage in policy practice.
  6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  9. Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Course Objectives

Through the completion of their assignments, students will demonstrate their ability to:

  1. Apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels (EPAS 2a) (Measured in summative essay)

  2. Present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences (EPAS 2b) (Measured in reflective journals)

  3. Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies (EPAS 6b) (Measured in discussions/videos)

  4. Critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies (EPAS 8a) (Measured in summative essay)

Assignments

A variety of learning activities are designed to support the course objectives, facilitate different learning styles, and build a community of learners. Learning activities for each module include the following:

Readings and Multimedia:

Description: This course will use an array of readings and multimedia to present the important concepts in the various modules. The readings and media resources provide the foundation and background for student discussion threads, the portfolio assignment, and written assignments.

Weekly Discussions:

Discussions are an important part of the learning process in this course. Students are expected to post an initial response to the weekly discussion questions by Saturday, adhering to the requirements outlined in the Discussion Rubric, and to return on at least one additional day of the class week to respond to a minimum of 3 classmates in meaningful and substantive ways. This equates to a minimum of 4 total posts spread over at least two different days. Students are welcome and encouraged to begin posting earlier than Saturday, but Saturday is the latest acceptable day for initial posts

Writing Assignments, Projects, and Assessments:

Reflective Book Journals: You will have a reflective book journal due in weeks 2, 3, 5, and 6. Please refer to these specific learning modules for more information on the reflective journal entries.

Video Role-Plays: Students will participate in two role-plays, one in week 4 and one in week 7. Students will be placed in pairs by their instructor. In the first role-play one student in each pair will play the role of the therapist and the other student will play the role of the client. In the second role-play students will reverse roles providing an opportunity for students to experience the perspective of both client and therapist. Students will share a video of their role-play in a small group.

Summative Essay: The summative written assignment provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding and mastery of narrative therapy strategies by writing a self-reflective essay that applies a narrative therapy perspective to their own lives. Please see the learning modules for more information on this assignment.

Grading and Feedback Method: Grading and feedback methods are provided for each assignment. Please refer to the Learning Modules for more information.

Due Dates: Due dates for all learning activities are provided in the Course Schedule.

Grading Policy

The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

AssignmentsPointsPercent of Grade
Discussions: Weeks 1-840 points X 8 weeks=320 points32%
Video Practice Sessions: Weeks 4 and 7100 Points X 2=200 points20%
Reflective Reading Journals: Weeks 2, 3, 5, and 660 points X 4=240 points24%
Summative Essay: Week 8240 points24%
TOTAL1,000 points100%

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Course Dates: Wednesday, June 23 – Sunday, August 15

All assignments are to be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the dates listed below.

Unless otherwise specified below, all module discussions and assignments are due the last day of the module or unit week. Initial discussion posts are due by 11:59 PM Saturday ET, and responses to classmates are due by the end of the week, except for the early discussion due dates noted in Week 8.

Week 1 | A Life of Stories| Dates: Wednesday, June 23 – Tuesday, June 29

Readings and Video:

  • Week 1 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapter 1
  • Burack-Weiss, Introduction and Chapter 1
  • Collective Paper. (2018). Commonly-asked questions about narrative approaches to therapy, community work, and psychosocial support. 
  • Ibrahim, J., & Tchanturia, K. (2018) Patients’ experience of a narrative group therapy approach informed by the “tree of life” model for individuals with anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 68(1), 80-91. 
  • Excerpt from Morgan, A. (2000, Dec. 1). What is narrative therapy? 
  • Swan, J. (2016). Creating Preferred Family Trees: Adjusting the Recipe of Collective Narrative Practices. 

Discussions:

  • Video Introductions (Ungraded)
  • Alternate Storylines and Tree of Life

Week 2 | We Are Not Our Problems – Externalization | Dates: Wednesday, June 30 – Tuesday, July 6

Readings and Video:

  • Week 2 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapter 2
  • Burack-Weiss, Chapter 2
  • Case Study – Kris Canton
  • Carey, M., & Russell, S. (2018). Externalising – commonly-asked questions. 
  • Morgan, A.  (2002). Beginning to Use a Narrative Approach in Therapy. 
  • Carpenter, R. (2017). How Talking about What “Matters” Rather Than “What is the Matter” Can Reposition a Person and Take an Advantage Over Problems. 
  • Ostrander, C. (2017). Running with Narrative Ideas. 

Discussion:

  • Kris Canton Case Study

Assignment: 

  • Reflective Reading Journal, Burack-Weiss, Chapters 1 & 2

Week 3 | Finding Our Audience and “Re-membering” Who Is Important to Us | Dates: Wednesday, July 7 – Tuesday, July 13

Readings and Video:

  • Week 3 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapters 3 and 4
  • Burack-Weiss, Chapters 3 and 10
  • Man-kwong, H. (2004). Overcoming craving: The use of narrative practices in breaking drug habits.
  • Dowse, K. (2017). Thwarting Shame: Feminist engagement in Narrative Group-Work with Men Recruited to Patriarchal Dominance in Relationship. 
  • Winslade, J., & Monk, G. (2008). Narrative Therapy: A Process for the Postmodern World.

Discussion:

  • Canton Case and Dowse Video

Assignment:

  • Reflective Reading Journal: Burack-Weiss, Chapters 3 and 10

Week 4 | Life As a Journey: Migrations of Identity | Dates: Wednesday, July 14 – Tuesday, July 20

Readings and Video

  • Week 4 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapter 5
  • Burack-Weiss, Chapters 7 and 11
  • Case Study – Eve
  • Suddeath, E. G., Kerwin, A. K., & Dugger, S. M. (2017). Narrative family therapy: Practical techniques for more effective work with couples and families. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 39(2), 116-131. 
  • McPhie, L., & Chaffey, Chris. The journey of a lifetime: Group work with young women who have experienced sexual assault’.
  • Smee, N. Out of the Shadows of Domestic Violence. 

 Discussion:

  • Migration of Identity

Assignment:

  • Video Practice Assignment 1

Week 5 | Questioning Normality and Escaping from Failure | Dates: Wednesday, July 21 – Tuesday, July 27

Readings and Video

  • Week 5 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapter 6
  • Burack-Weiss, Chapters 4 and 6
  • Lainson, K. (2016). From disorder to political action: Conversations that invite collective consideration to individual experiences of women who express concerns about eating and their bodies. 
  • Wong, R. (2016). The alliance against “Anxiety” – Acknowledging skills and knowledge for those who are suffering from anxiety using art in narrative practice. 
  • Worall, A. (2013). Inviting paranoia to the table: A narrative perspective.

Discussion

  • Responding to Critics

Assignment

  • Reflective Reading Journal: Burack-Weiss, Chapters 4, 6, 7, and 11

Week 6 | Reclaiming Our Lives from Trauma | Dates: Wednesday, July 28 – Tuesday, August 3

Readings and Video

  • Week 6 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapter 7
  • Burack-Weiss, Chapter 9
  • Countryman-Roswurm, K. & DiLollo, A. (2017). Survivor A Narrative Therapy Approach for Use with Sex Trafficked Women and Girls.. 40(1-2), 55-72.  
  • Lee, J. (2017). Responding to children in situations of family violence. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (1), 57-69
  • Portnoy, S. (2017). Beads of life — A narrative therapy group for children who have been diagnosed with a medical condition.
  • Barclay, N. Letters to friends: Co-researching preferred stories of identity, from individual therapy to collective therapy. 

Discussion:

  • Informed Choices

Assignment:

  • Reflective Reading Journal: Burack-Weiss, Chapter 9

Week 7 | Saying Hello Again When We Have Lost Someone We Love | Dates: Wednesday, August 4 – Tuesday, August 10

Reading and Videos:

  • Week 7 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapter 8
  • Burack-Weiss, Chapter 5
  • Hedtke, L. (2000). Dancing with death. Gecko: A Journal of Deconstruction and Narrative Ideas in Therapeutic Practice. (2).
  • Fareez, M. (2016). The Life Certificate: A Narrative Framework in Working with Grief and Loss. [Digital File]. 
  • Freedman, J. (2013). Working with Loss: Beyond Re-membering. [Digital File].

Discussion: 

  • Hello Again!

Assignment

  • Video Practice Assignment

Week 8 | Legacy and Memory: When We Are Facing Our Final Chapter | Dates: Wednesday, August 11 – Sunday, August 15

Reading and Video:

  • Week 8 Course Lecture
  • Denborough, Chapter 9
  • Burack-Weiss, Chapter 8 and 12
  • Goodcase, E.T. & Love, H.A. (Dec. 2017). From despair to integrity: Using narrative therapy for older individuals in Erikson’s last stage of identity development. Clinical Social Work Journal, 45(4), 354–363.
  • Turnbull, N. (2017). How narrative therapy changed us. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 23(4), 41-47. 
  • Jackson, V. (2013). In Our Own Voice, African American Psychiatric History.
  • Recommended: Winslade, J. & Hedtke, L. (2011). A Totalizing Description of Race.

Discussion:

  • Applications and Wrap-Up (Initial Post Due Friday; Discussion Closes on Sunday)

Assignment

  • Summative Essay – Due Sunday

Student Resources

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

Attendance Policy

8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Online Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.