IndexIntroductionOverview of the counseling sessionInterventionsAdvantages of the Narrative Therapy approach with EstherDisadvantages of the Narrative Therapy approach with EstherReference:IntroductionThe purpose of this article will be to logically use a narrative therapy approach qualitatively through a professional consultant to help a client, Esther, who is facing an economic crisis due to being fired from her job to deal with the situation more effectively. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Narrative therapy is an approach developed by White Michael and Epston David (Epston, 2016) while working in New Zealand. The two scholars believed that individuals like Esther could be helped to externalize the problems and issues that concerned them rather than internalize them and this could be done by separating the individuals from the problem at hand. The goal of narrative therapy involves understanding and using the individual's strengths to change their ineffective narratives, such as Esther's. The counselor using this therapy relies on the affected person's sense of purpose and skills to help them overcome difficult situations quickly (Epston, 2016). The prevailing emotions, perceptions, behaviors and feelings habitually or mistakenly committed by an individual depend largely on their state of mind and previous experience. People will often need assistance in order to remain fully healthy, productive and happy, especially when they encounter difficult times. Michael and White (Ingamells, 2016) provide an example of how to help an individual address problems in their study; if someone is hiding from law enforcement, he should be encouraged to perceive the act committed as a mistake and not as a crime. Hockley in 2007 stated that narrative therapy focuses on values, skills and knowledge possessed by individuals in problems that can be harnessed to help them deal with the threat at hand. In this article, the essay will therefore involve a session between Esther and a professional counselor. Understanding Esther from a Narrative Therapy Perspective White and Epston believed that if an ineffective narrative held by an individual is deconstructed, those individuals can construct an effective and ineffective narrative. oppressive stories that replace negative ones (Nichols, 2010). Esther can be understood from this perspective where by helping her to understand all the negativity in her life and the effect it has on her well-being, she will be in a better position to effectively deal with these difficulties arising from downsizing. As Michael theorized in his early work that society's experts invented narratives that became oppressive to people who did not meet these established standards, for example when working (Epston, 2016); Esther can be understood from this perspective and informed that she does not need to follow everyone's path, but she can also explore her potential and come up with something productive that will change her ideas and achieve greater success. Counseling Session OverviewIn this section I will introduce it by quoting the powerful words of the scholar (Michael White) behind the invention of narrative therapy: “The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem” (Denborough, 2014). Economic turmoil and changes in Esther's work patterns have led to transitions and trauma in her life, requiring the counselor to be prepared to address the work concerns of Esther.clients (Bxter-Magolda, 2008), Lara and Kindsvatter in 2010 stated that unemployment brings more mental stressors to the lives of affected individuals. The counseling session will be between Esther who is experiencing a serious economic crisis and a professional consultant, through an avalanche of questions, I will pull out the pieces of Esther's work experience and assure her of her competence and capabilities. I will also aim to help my client identify valuable desires, resources and strengths and probe her for the influence of other people in her professional life. A series of questions will be asked to discover all the useful and beneficial skills, abilities, resources, strengths, values, solutions and desires possessed by Esther that can be leveraged to form a foundation for a successful intervention. I will ensure that the client sees her problem from a different perspective and this will allow her to choose which side of the problem needs to be tamed, minimized or eliminated, externalization allows Esther to be the author and expert of her life so i consultants empower her to be the primary solution seeker will make Esther understand and address the problem at hand very easily (Epston, 2016). My client Esther reports that she has noticed that she is thinking negatively about herself and her situation, this in itself shows that she has low self-esteem, I will help my client to recognize low self-esteem and also the effects that accompany it , the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center documented in their study that individuals with low self-esteem have a tendency to display low opinions about themselves, may take the prevailing situation as a death sentence and then become critical in towards themselves, for example they may feel inferior and helpless. Goff (2010) added that an individual is likely to cope with low self-esteem using one of the following patterns: impostor syndrome where an individual uses their successes to mask their insecurities in life, rebellion which more often than not it presents itself as anger, impotence and guilt, victimism is another way of dealing with situations, here the person is convinced that he is powerless in the face of problems. These individuals like Esther need the help of others to overcome the situation through guidance (Goff, 2010). In the sessions I will help my client Esther understand the effects of low self-esteem and criticism as described by the University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center in 2017: the study revealed that a series of self-criticisms and blame like what she is doing Esther can dissuade someone from doing what they initially enjoyed doing because they now fear society's judgments about their current status. As illustrated in our case study, Esther's anger, fear and sadness prevented her from enjoying her hobbies and this is in agreement with Goff's finding that in his study insecurity significantly interfered with productive living of a person and weakened their joy. in life, (Goff, 2010). Interventions The narrative therapy between Esther and the counselor will mainly take place in the form of dialogue involving question and answer sessions. Esther is struggling with an avalanche of problems, counselors might say, “I see this as an opportunity to reflect on your career, what name can you use to refer to your current situation? “Asking a question like this helps Esther focus her drive on overcoming the problem and not be overwhelmed by it. I will encourage Esther to engage in conversation by asking her what to talk about and, on an ongoing basis, stating whether she is interested in the topic to address the problem. I will lead the customer totell additional, more optimistic stories about her life with the intention of helping her discover her inherent personality and coping skills. The goal here is to help you realize a positive and productive means of dealing with life and the future while forgetting your problems. During the session, events in Esther's life will be seen as stories, some of which appear significant while others are not. considered fatal. Meaningful stories originate from negative events, thus shaping his identity (Epston, 2016). I will not act as an expert, but rather I will help Ester realize the essence of being an expert about her own life and, therefore, she can discover the values, dreams, skills and goals that define who she truly is, separate from her problems. After knowing that she is the expert on her life, Esther will realize that she has all the answers to her problems, this will stimulate her to think more and put her life back in order. I could use another narrative therapy technique recommended by Scharf in 2004; It's called "spark events" so I'll ask Esther to describe to me how she and her family managed to curb a similar scenario or problem before and came out victorious, for example: "Can you think of any moment in your life where you have been very depressed, anxious or down, has this been the case, how did you resolve the problem?” By focusing on the outcome of the previous situation, Esther will understand that she can resist again since she has everything it takes to succeed as has been done before. As part of the intervention, I will advise my client to stop worrying about what others will do. think about her, she should forget about the expected opinion of others and focus on the task at hand, job search, Esther should also stop setting goals under the pressure of other people's opinions, this will reduce her anxiety and ultimately her health mental will improve. I would advise Esther to take the three steps recommended by Gerner and the CMHC to improve her self-esteem (Goff, 2010 & Counseling and mental Health Center, 2017) which are vital to how she will perceive her new situation in life and how she will respond . First, I will advise her to refute her inner critic, instead of focusing on the negative aspects like "I was fired by an indifferent employer because of my inability", she should recognize her strength, for example, "wow, I realize that I have everything I need for any job in my area of ​​expertise or I am proud of my achievements and believe I will get a job” The second step will require Esther to be compassionate with herself, so if her close friend was in the same situation , Esther may be ready to offer additional support and care, encourage and let Esther know that she deserves the same treatment, Esther should recognize that she is a human being and be aware of her emotions so even if she is angry about her unemployment, allow herself to experience and perceive deal with them in a more balanced way and not judge the employer as the reason for her unemployment. Esther should recognize that emotions will come and go over time. The final step recommended by the research duo is for Esther to ask her friends and confidants for help, let them inform her about her job-seeking mission, and let them help her realize it as a shared responsibility. Studies reveal that individuals with low self-esteem and self-criticism rarely ask for help but are the ones who deserve it the most (Neff, 2011), so Esther should seek assistance from friends, relatives, teachers or other helpers. I will also share stories of people who have had similar and worse problems