Ordinary and extraordinary narratives of heroism and resistance: Uncovering resilience, competence and growth

Abstract

Current approaches to work with trauma often emphasise diagnosis, symptoms and exposure-based treatments. This paper, based within a narrative framework and drawing on recent research in positive psychology, focuses on how we can collaborate with clients to move from trauma-saturated stories that limit possibility and meaning for the future, to stories that are possibility-rich, meaningful and ordinarily and extra-ordinarily heroic. We identify some principles, assumptions and ideas that guide our interventions: labelling people, for example, as ‘abused’ or suffering from PTSD can sometimes constrain progress; people find small ways to resist even the most violent of situations; inviting fun, laughter and other positive emotions into therapy can help build resilience; having our ear attuned to noticing strength and small acts of coping and progressing builds success; and the importance of giving good attention to the client’s theory of change. We end with some questions about different pathways to resilience, recovery and post-traumatic growth.