Voices of Experience: Inviting Former Clients to Rejoin the Therapy Process as Consultants

E-ISSN： 1930-6318|16|4|367-375

ISSN： 1195-4396

Source： Journal of Systemic Therapies, Vol.16, Iss.4, 1997-12, pp. : 367-375

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Abstract

This paper discusses the practice of interviewing individuals who have overcome certain problems in the presence of clients currently struggling with the same problems. The approach offers clients the opportunity to hear shared experiences of the problem as well as anti-problem tactics that come from direct knowledge instead of “expert” knowledge. It is suggested that inviting consultants into the room in this way reduces the isolation experienced by clients, as well as reducing the isolation and over-responsibility experienced by therapists working alone. This “live” interview is a variation of current practices in narrative therapy where the experiences of former clients may be circulated to present clients in the form of written or videotaped materials. The paper presents a case example using this “live” method and discusses its advantages and disadvantages.