Postmodern therapy is a broad term used to describe therapeutic approaches that reject modernist ideas such as absolute truth and objective reality. Instead, postmodern therapies emphasize subjective experience, social constructionism, and the idea that there are many different ways of understanding ourselves and the world. Some key features of postmodern therapy include:
- Rejection of universal truths: Postmodern therapists believe that there are no absolute or universal truths that apply to all people. Rather, truth is subjective and constructed through language and social processes.
- Focus on language: Therapists pay close attention to clients’ use of language, seeing it as shaping and constructing their realities rather than simply reflecting an objective reality.
- Emphasis on social construction: Our understandings of self and the world are seen as socially constructed through relationships, culture, and institutions rather than reflecting inherent, objective realities.
- Focus on power dynamics: Postmodern therapy examines and critiques power structures and dynamics within society and how they shape clients’ lives and understandings.
- Valuing of diverse perspectives: Therapists recognize and value diverse worldviews and perspectives, including those marginalized in mainstream society.
- Collaborative therapeutic relationship: The therapist takes a “not-knowing” collaborative stance rather than being seen as the expert.
Some of the most prominent and influential postmodern therapies include narrative therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and collaborative language systems therapy. While varied in their approaches, these models share a rejection of modernist assumptions and a constructivist view of human experience shaped through social processes and language.
Narrative Therapy
Developed by Michael White and David Epston in the 1980s, narrative therapy views people’s identities as shaped by the stories they construct about their lives. The stories we tell about ourselves and our problems can actually contribute to or create issues in living. Narrative therapists help clients separate from and “re-author” the problematic stories that shape their lives in negative ways. Key techniques include:
- Externalizing the problem – Viewing the issue as separate from the person rather than inherent to their identity.
- Re-authoring conversations – Helping clients develop empowering alternative stories about their lives and identities.
- Highlighting unique outcomes – Identifying times when clients acted outside their problematic story as seeds for a new narrative.
- Developing richer stories – Using metaphor, imagery, and multiple perspectives to create a new story.
By helping people reshape limiting or harmful stories, narrative therapy aims to liberate them to live fuller, more authentic lives aligned with their values.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Pioneered by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) takes a future-oriented, goal-directed focus. In contrast to diagnosing problems and past causes, SFBT helps clients define their desired future and focuses on developing solutions to get there. Key techniques include:
- Goal setting – Collaboratively defining a clear vision of the client’s preferred future.
- Exploring exceptions – Identifying times clients have already moved toward that future vision.
- Miracle question – Imagining life if a miracle solved the problem to illuminate possibilities.
- Scaling questions – Having clients rate where they currently are on a scale towards their goals.
- Complimenting – Noticing client strengths and resources to encourage more of useful behaviors.
With its emphasis on solutions and the future, SFBT aims to help clients quickly gain a positive focus and make progress towards meaningful goals.
Collaborative Language Systems
Developed by Harlene Anderson, collaborative language systems therapy sees clinical issues as grounded in oppressive cultural discourses that shape clients’ lives, language, and understandings of self. The therapist works as an influential conversational partner to help clients separate from limiting cultural stories and construct new, preferred narratives. Key practices include:
- Listening for restrictive cultural discourses or narratives operating in clients’ lives.
- Asking influential questions to help clients consider alternative perspectives.
- Co-creating new language and narratives with clients to support change.
- Validating clients as experts on their own lives.
- Honoring clients’ worldviews and priorities.
By mindfully attending to language and cultural narratives, this therapy helps disempower oppressive stories and open space for clients to author their lives in liberating new ways.
Is Postmodern Therapy Biblical?
When evaluating postmodern therapy from a biblical perspective, there are some important considerations:
Helpful Emphases
First, some postmodern emphases align well with biblical principles:
- The power of words: The Bible emphasizes the power of the tongue for life and death (Proverbs 18:21) and the importance of wholesome speech (Ephesians 4:29). Attending to clients’ language makes sense biblically.
- Critiquing worldly narratives: Scripture often critiques worldly thinking that does not align with God’s truth (Romans 12:2). Questioning oppressive cultural stories could be beneficial.
- Honoring others: The postmodern stance of not claiming to be the expert resonates with biblical calls to humbly honor others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3).
In these areas, postmodern therapy provides helpful correctives to more authoritarian or expert-driven therapeutic approaches.
Cautions
However, other postmodern assumptions require biblical discernment:
- Relativism: The postmodern rejection of universal truth contradicts biblical assertions of absolute moral truth grounded in God’s character and commands.
- Social constructionism: While culture shapes us, Scripture teaches that human nature reflects God’s intent in creation, not just social forces (Genesis 1:26-27).
- Power critiques: While power abuses should be critiqued, power structures like family and government are also ordained by God (Romans 13:1-7).
- Closed system: Postmodernism often adopts an entirely secular lens, leaving out spiritual realities emphasized in Scripture.
From a biblical perspective, while postmodern therapy provides helpful correctives, Christians should be discerning where its premises contradict revealed biblical truth.
Integrative Approach
For Christians seeking to integrate biblical values with clinical practice, it is worth asking:
- Which postmodern emphases align with Christian truths about human nature, language, society, etc.?
- Which premises contradict biblical revelation, requiring discernment?
- How can we thoughtfully integrate compatible elements while rejecting unbiblical assumptions?
With wisdom and discernment, Christians could potentially integrate certain emphases from postmodern therapy that align with biblical revelation while also avoiding elements incongruous with Scripture.
Key Biblical Themes Relevant to Counseling
Scripture provides profound insights highly relevant to guiding a Christian counseling approach. Some key themes include:
1. Human Nature
The Bible teaches that human beings were created good in God’s image as physical and spiritual beings (Genesis 1:26-27), but this image has been corrupted by sin and the Fall (Romans 3:23). Yet, redemption in Christ offers healing, forgiveness, and the power to grow in righteousness (Colossians 3:10). Biblical counseling thus operates with a nuanced understanding of human nature and potential.
2. Words and Language
Scripture emphasizes the power of the tongue for good or harm (Proverbs 18:21) and calls believers to wholesome, edifying speech (Ephesians 4:29). Counselors should thus help clients move from destructive speech patterns into truth-filled, grace-imparting language.
3. Truth and Knowledge
The Bible asserts objective truth revealed from God (John 8:31-32). While human knowledge is finite, Scripture provides true knowledge about God, human nature, and realities like sin that should inform counseling.
4. Compassion and Care
Biblical portrayals of God reveal His compassionate care for people in need (Exodus 34:6-7). Christian counselors are called to reflect God’s heart by extending compassion, comfort, encouragement, and practical support to clients (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
5. Hope and Redemption
A biblical view finds ultimate hope in Christ’s redemptive work (Colossians 1:13-14). Christian counselors can help clients move from hopelessness to faith-grounded hope in God’s power to heal and transform lives (Romans 15:13).
6. Community and Relationships
Scripture portrays human beings as relational at core, created for community with God and others (Genesis 2:18). Counseling can help restore healthy relationships and connections vital for human thriving.
7. Spiritual Dimension
A biblical perspective recognizes spiritual realities like sin, divine resources, and the soul’s need for God (Luke 12:22-31). Counseling can help address spiritual struggles and connect clients to spiritual resources for growth.
8. Meaning and Purpose
The Bible provides a grand narrative of God’s redemptive work in history that grounds ultimate meaning and purpose in life (Ephesians 1:9-10). Counseling can help clients align with God’s purpose and fill life with meaning.
9. Ethical Discernment
Scripture provides moral truths and ethical principles to guide counseling approaches in a righteous direction (Micah 6:8). Christians are called to discern ethical dimensions of counseling theories and practices.
A thoughtful, nuanced integration of biblical perspectives with the most helpful insights from counseling theories could produce an approach that honors both revelation and compassionate care of human needs.
Essential Qualities in Biblical Counseling
Based on biblical teaching, some essential qualities should mark Christian counseling:
- Truth: Counsel based on God’s truthful revelation, not just human wisdom (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Wisdom: Applying Scripture to life’s problems with divinely guided insight (Proverbs 2:6-7).
- Discernment: Singling out issues needing address from a biblical perspective (Hebrews 5:14).
- Compassion: Entering into clients’ suffering with Christ-like love (Colossians 3:12-14).
- Care: Investing time, listening, support, gentle inquiry, and attentiveness to reach the heart (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
- Skill: Rightly applying God’s Word to different struggles and needs (2 Timothy 2:15).
- Hope: Inspiring faith and courage through the hope of the Gospel (Romans 15:13).
- Redemptive Lens: Viewing counselees through the redemptive possibilities in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When grounded in Scripture and filled with Christ-like love, counseling provides a unique opportunity to gently restore people to the wise, hopeful, and purpose-filled lives God desires.