Narrative Family Therapy and Group Work for Families Living with Acquired Brain Injury

Abstract

Acquired brain injury profoundly challenges the identity of the affected person and family relationships. Narrative practices offer valuable therapeutic tools to assist families to face the enormous task of adjusting to an acquired disability. The integration of family therapy and group work provides multiple avenues for families to have their experiences validated and to support reconnection with strengths, values and goals. It is from this more empowered position that families can find ways to live their lives to the fullest, in spite of the difficulties.

Could the Tree of Life Model Be a Useful Approach for UK Mental Health Contexts?

“…This theme was also replicated in descriptive papers with groups run to support mental health reflecting the strongest representation of hope where participants reported having renewed hope or faith that could help them to survive the storms they were facing and "look forward to living each day" (Butera-Prinzi et al, 2014;Hughes, 2014;Jacobs, 2018;Ncube, 2006).…”

“…Alternative Stories of Self. A dominant theme across six research and five descriptive papers was the idea that the ToL group creates an alternative narrative for individuals away from problem-saturated descriptions of their lives (Butera-Prinzi et al, 2014;Casdagli et al, 2017;Fraser et al, 2018;German, 2013;Hughes, 2014;Ibrahim & Tchanturia, 2017;Jacobs, 2018;Ncube, 2006;Randle-Phillips et al, 2016;Schweitzer et al, 2014;Wellman et al, 2016).…”

“…A key theme reported in seven research papers was the idea of being able to connect with others or find social support and emotional containment from others (Casdagli et al, 2017;German, 2013;Ibrahim & Allen, 2018;Ibrahim & Tchanturia, 2017;Randle-Phillips et al, 2016;Schweitzer et al, 2014;Wellman et al, 2016): "I like the way it brought everyone together to actually work with each other … I learned a lot" (German, 2013, p. 86). This theme was also present across five descriptive papers and connecting with others in the group enabled members to have their experiences heard and put into context of others' experiences (Butera-Prinzi et al, 2014;Hughes, 2014;Jacobs, 2018;McFarlane & Howes, 2012;Ncube, 2006): "I know I'm not alone" (Hughes, 2014, p. 149).…”

“…Three papers reported that this feeling of connecting with others, or community, transferred to the context outside of the group (Butera-Prinzi et al, 2014;Fraser et al, 2018;German, 2013;Wellman et al, 2016). For example, in the paper that explored staff perceptions of the ToL group in an inpatient psychiatric ward, connecting with others in the group was said to have helped to improve the ward environment as staff begun to see service users in terms of their identity and not just as patients: "It gives me a good starting point for me to build rapport with them to find out about their life" (Fraser et al, 2018, p. 10).…”

“…The ToL was also combined with other models of therapy to provide a "holistic" intervention (Butera-Prinzi et al, 2014;Ibrahim & Allen, 2018;McFarlane & Howes, 2012;Méndez & Cole, 2014). For example, in the context of a parenting intervention, the ToL was combined with traditional behavioural parenting interventions to "maintain parents' interest" and to "give an alternative voice to those who have been oppressed by dominant narratives" and create "an atmosphere of reflectiveness missing in traditional behavioural approaches" (McFarlane & Howes, 2012, pp.…”