Case formulation is used in clinical training to weave together theoretical perspectives and support a shared plan of action. Although a cornerstone of clinical practice, critical social theorists have highlighted the risks of depoliticizing political struggles and of reifying and fixing subjects when using psychopathology and case formulation to address situations of injustice. In the field of violent radicalization, this risk is increased by the extreme affects evoked by terror in practitioners and in societies. This article explores the challenges of training clinicians in the field of violent radicalization. It does so by analyzing a Community of Practice (CoP) that was developed to support practitioners involved in this domain of practice in Quebec, Canada. Four focus groups with CoP participants and participant observation of nine CoP meetings were conducted. Thematic and narrative analyses were used to explore the training potential of the CoP and to identify the discursive processes and group dynamics associated with this modality. Results indicate that the diversity of professional perspectives and social positionalities in the group plays a central role in helping participants become aware of their biases and in developing more complex understandings of cases and of their social embedding. Results also suggest that the collective holding of risk is key to preserve practitioners’ investment in patients involved with violent radicalization. The sensitive issue of partnership between health and social services and security agencies is also addressed. Results suggest that CoPs with strong leadership allow for experiential training to enhance clinical and critical thinking.
The story of becoming a parent is often couched in the language of desire built on fantasies. And although such idyllic accounts tend to conceal much more difficult stories about becoming parents, nevertheless assisted reproductive technology has given new hope to many couples experiencing infertility. In the course of our work as professional psychologists, we recorded the reflections of young women between the ages of 15 and 25 who were conceived using assisted reproductive technology. To understand how the circumstances of their conception impacted their narrative identity, we adopted a clinical approach that involved having these young women share their life narratives, starting with their conception stories.
Based on our clinical observations, the article explores a five-stage method for facilitating narrativity, consisting of the interview process, projective mechanisms, the creation of an autobiographical timeline, and, finally, the act of writing a life story. This multifaceted approach makes it possible to address the impact of conception stories on narrative identity from both a diachronic and synchronic perspective. Finally, we conduct a theoretical and clinical assessment of this promising methodology, which primarily aims to give young people the tools and support they need to share their life narratives in the context of therapy sessions—a process likely to promote better mental health through more harmonious identity development.
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