Narrative Therapy and the Affective Turn: Part I

Abstract

This article is the first of two that explore the impact of the affective turn on the development of narrative therapy. This first article will explore the theoretical influences and the epistemological and ontological value of integrating the “affective turn” with narrative therapy. The second part, which will follow in a later issue of the Journal of Systemic Therapies, will explore the practical implications of the affective turn in shaping counseling interactions with clients. This article explores research and scholarship on the mind, brain, and body and its connection to the language of feelings, intentions, and choices. The primary focus is on examining both existing and potential contributions of the affective turn to the evolution of narrative therapy. The article makes a case for moving beyond the discursive turn that originally shaped narrative therapy toward a more complex affective-discursive practice in counseling and psychotherapy.