The Importance of Narrative Case Studies |
There is a long and respected tradition of clinicians writing about the complexities and nuances of their work with clients. Freud, in his case studies, was the forerunner with his classic essays that have guided and intrigued us for years. For me, they were a welcome breath of fresh air during graduate school and held out the possibility that the field of psychology contained more depth and interest than B.F. Skinner’s experiments with pigeons. Freud’s reflections on Dora, etc. were followed by Robert Lindner’s The Fifty Minute Hour, and then the writings of Oliver Sacks and Irvin Yalom. This narrative tradition has continued to evolve as media has changed, and we can now learn about psychotherapy with compelling TV programs such as "Couples Therapy" with Orna Guralnik and insightful, thoughtful podcasts with Esther Perel.
These assorted studies are helpful for both clinicians and clients. Because of issues of........