Postmodern Society and Social Networks: Open and Anticipation Dialogues in Network Meetings

Abstract

Network therapy flourished in the U.S. during the 1970s, but has since dwindled there and begun to find new applications in Europe, especially in the Nordic countries. State social and healthcare systems, in developing deep vertical expertise, seems to build up a need for complementary horizontal expertise. The latest theories of sociology are used to analyze the need for networking, with the focus on language and dialogue as specific form. Two approaches developed in crisis service for psychotic patients (Open Dialogue) and in consultation for stuck cases in social care (Anticipation Dialogues), are dealt with. What becomes essential seems no longer to be the therapeutic method itself but the ability to see the polyphonic nature of clients' reality. In this respect, language--and dialogue as a specific form of being in language--as the focus of treatment, makes the practical forms of different approaches secondary.

The Development of a Systemic School‐Based Intervention: Marte Meo and Coordination Meetings

“…The goal is to facilitate the creation of a ''multiverse'' rather than a ''universe'' (Maturana & Varella, 1988). The exploration of the stories and the coconstructions of new stories about child, teachers, and parents are brought about by the use of a ''reflecting'' process (Andersen, 1987(Andersen, , 1995 and an open dialogue method (Seikkula et al, 1995;Seikkula, Arnkil, & Eriksson, 2003). For example, in the beginning of the first coordination meeting, the coordinator asks the teacher to tell him or her about how the child was considered for the project.…”

Tverrfaglig samarbeid i barnevernsaker

“…Seikkula og Arnkil sier at når flere aktører møtes for å diskutere og behandle en bekymringsfull situasjon, er det vanskelig for én person å kontrollere tingenes tilstand (2). Informanter sier at barnevernet må ha tillit til at andre fagfolk kan bidra til å finne løsninger.…”

“…Samtidig når informantene beskriver en redsel for at et utsagn kan påvirke relasjonen, kan dette vaere uttrykk for en emosjonell smittefunksjon. Den andre personens glede smitter, og det samme gjør frykt, sorg og entusiasme (2).…”

“…Det sosiale nettverket er barnets naermeste sosiale relasjoner og derfor relevant å bruke for å definere hva som er problemet (2). Alle spørsmål drøftes åpent med familien til stede.…”

Managerial and Frontline Perspectives on the Process of Evidence-Informed Practice Within Human Service Organizations

“…In addressing these service delivery issues and the social work education competencies, there is a need to transform the traditional language surrounding "client problems" where the focus is primarily on the service user to the newer language of "shared worries" (subjective zones of worries from small, medium, and large) (Seikkula, Arnkil, & Eriksson, 2003). In this context, service users and service providers bring their own shared worries to the dialogue (normative for everyone to possess worries) to explore, clarify, and create the mutual understanding needed for shared efforts to address the needs of service users.…”