This paper will overview a constructivist model of trauma psychotherapy
based on the Sewell et al. (1996) constructivist model of posttraumatic
stress disorder. Using a narrative metaphor of re-narration (i.e., re-construction
of the experience), the metaphor is carried forward to consider the importance
of a social audience for the on-going and resultant *story* of the traumatized
person. The social nature of an audience is crucial in several ways. First,
the therapist (who has often been conceived as a co-narrator in such metaphors)
must also be understood and used as a potentially valued and influential
audience member. Second, those internalized *others* whose perceived ex-pectations
define important roles for the client also serve as important audience
members (even though they might not be bodily available for renegotiation).
Finally, the here-and-now social sphere of the client must be considered
(and often aggressively elaborated) as important audience members. Thus,
each element of the therapeutic process as conceived within the constructivist
model (symptom management, life review, trauma reliving, constructive bridging,
and future pro-jection) will be discussed and reconsidered with the concept
of *audience* at the forefront. This paper is expected not only to serve
as a useful exploration for practitioners, but should also illus-trate
a nexus, or *common ground*, for personal constructivism and social constructionism
to mutually inform and elaborate one another (rather than to preempt one
another).
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