Integrating Co‐Constructive Life Narrative Interview Into Therapy: A Case Study of an Adolescent With Depressive Symptoms
M. Almeida, F. Salomé, M. R. HenriquesABSTRACT
Case Presentation
This case study describes the therapeutic process with a 14 year‐old adolescent girl (‘Mary’) in residential care who presented depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation and non‐suicidal self‐injury. Early sessions revealed rigid and problem‐saturated narratives centred on abandonment, rejection and guilt.
Therapeutic Intervention
We illustrate how the Co‐Construction Life Narrative Interview with Adolescent (CLNIA; created by the authors, MA and MRH), an innovative narrative tool, was articulated with the Cognitive Narrative Therapy (CNT) to integrate the adverse experiences and support identity construction. CNT encourages the creation of new meanings for the lived experiences and the construction of narratives that are coherent, complex and multifaceted.
Therapeutic Outcomes
Throughout therapy, Mary showed significant improvements, including a decrease in non‐suicidal self‐injury, re‐engagement in leisure activities and strengthening of interpersonal relationships. She increasingly demonstrated authorship over her life story, empowering herself to deal with challenges and gaining renewed motivation towards life.
Discussion and Clinical Implications
We discuss how CLNIA informed the following intervention plan using CNT and gave support and guidance for the further narrative work. We also discuss the therapeutic utility of CNT for identity exploration in adolescence. Finally, we highlight the potential of combining CNT with CLNIA to support adolescents to move from adverse experiences and traumatic narratives, and foster more creative, flexible and adaptive life narratives.