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Challenges of using social constructionism in psychotherapeutic context

In the last years, social constructionism has contributed to the construction of different therapeutic proposals. Aiming to understand how cosntructionist assumptions theoretically sustain certain therapeutic practices, this study analyzed White & Epston's narrative therapy, Harlene Anderson's collaborative approach and Tom Andersen's reflexive processes. According to constructionist assumptions, this analysis pointed to how it is presented, in these different proposals, a) an emphasis on the meanings brought by the clients, b) an analysis of the relationships, c) a focus on client's potentials and d) a notion of therapy as co-construction. At the same time, it pointed out the importance of reflecting about the concept of context used by those authors, as well as the sustenance of modern vocabularies of self. Finally, moving away from technical perspective, this analysis invites to consider those proposals as discursive options.

social constructionism; psychotherapy; meaning


Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicologia e do Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Caixa Postal 1622, 59078-970 Natal RN Brazil, Tel.: +55 84 3342-2236(5) - Natal - RN - Brazil
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