The Hero(ine) on a Journey: A Postmodern Conceptual Framework for Social Work Practice

Abstract

Narrative therapy, the strengths perspective, and solution-focused therapy are 3 prominent examples of social work practices heavily informed by social constructionism. Yet getting students from understanding theory to applying theory can often be challenging. This article offers a conceptual framework to aid students in the application of social constructionism and the theory of mimesis in the aforementioned 3 approaches. The “hero(ine) on a journey” is the framework offered for capturing the linguistic turn that informs postmodern practice: a focus on how narratives construct the identity of the client, how the client's efforts at reaching a preferred identity serve as the engine that drives change, and how these efforts arise from an endeavor at consciousness-raising.