FAMILY ATTACHMENT NARRATIVE THERAPY: HEALING THE EXPERIENCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT

Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Jul 2005 by May, Joanne C

It was also noted that the parent's intellectual, behavioral, or adjustment problems do not present a barrier to the intuitive understanding of the child's need for protection (George & Solomon, 1999). The motivation to provide protection seems to be present even when the parent has a disturbed and traumatic attachment history. In addition, as parents develop understanding and empathy for their child's fearful feelings, they are able to anticipate and prevent fearful situations (Fraiberg, 1980).

Theoretical assumptions. Family Attachment Narrative Therapy assumes that the parent intuitively knows and understands the fearful emotions and motivations of the child. As the parent realizes this understanding, he or she is able to feel empathy and, consequently, develop narrative strategies that protect and heal. The task of the therapist is to activate the parent's innate need to provide protection and healing in the form of narratives that verbally attune to the child's internal state and explicitly challenge the child's faulty motivating internal working model. To accomplish this goal, therapy begins with an intensive phase. As a rule, this consists of 30 hours spread out over 2 weeks. Depending on the age of the child and the circumstances of the family, variations of this schedule can be considered. Each day, the lead therapist and the parents meet while the child spends time with a nondirective play therapist. The play therapist is a member of the team and notes behavior and attitudes that contribute to the team's understanding of the child. Although we find the team approach most functional, the success of the model is not dependent on the rigid participation of multiple therapists.

Family Attachment Narrative Therapy requires a partnership between parents and therapist, a concept congruent with the emerging influence of narrative and resilience based models of partnership therapy (Minuchin, 1992; O'Hanlon & Weiner-Davis, 1989; Walsh, 1998; White & Epston, 1990).

Although our partnership with parents does require therapist competence, it is not measured by dispensing academic psychological wisdom. Instead, the graduate-trained therapist must assume the position of student, elevating the status of the parent to expert and consequently activating the parent's innate need to heal and protect. When the balance of this partnership is disturbed by an overactive, controlling therapist, it can impede activation of the attachment system.

Technique. The technique of activation begins as the therapist employs an affirming, inquiring, questioning method of eliciting the parent's intuitive knowledge of the child's motivating thoughts and emotions. Rather than providing the parent with a cookbook of techniques that will alter the child's problem behavior, the therapist asks for information that shifts the parent's focus from: "How can I control and change the unacceptable behavior of this child who is not accepting my authority?" to: "Who would my child be had I been there to love and protect her? How did my child think and feel when neglected, abused or abandoned? What conclusions did my child form in response to early maltreatment? What is my child feeling and thinking when she refuses to comply? What is my child feeling and thinking when he sabotages experiences that should be positive? What is my child feeling and thinking when she always has to be in control?"