The New Social Worker Vol. 19, No. 3, Summer 2012 | Page 26

Reviews
Narrative Approaches in Social Work
Practice: A Life Span, Culturally Centered,
Strengths Perspective, by Edith M. Freeman,
Charles C Thomas Publisher, Springfield, IL,
2011, 244 pages, $54.95 hardcover, $34.95
paperback.

This text begins with the challenge
to outline narrative approaches from
four theoretical perspectives: life span
development, social construction, spirituality, and culture. The author prudently
divides the text into two sections. The
first part lays the foundation of the narrative approach, offering a chapter for each
of the five principles: timing and context
of narrative; the shared experience and
transformation, naming, and unpacking:
the assessment-intervention; meaningmaking; and social-political-cultural
intervention. Within each chapter, there
are clear descriptions of the principle’s
elements and significance, as well as the
corresponding practice skills. Furthermore, the author offers greater clarity
to the reader through poignant case
examples, figures and tables to summarize key points, and consistent cross-referencing to the other principles and their
corresponding practice skills.

In the second portion, the author
seeks to equip readers with advanced
practice skills to be used across the life
span. Beginning with children, the author
offers prevention, early intervention, and
treatment strategies through the use of
play, interpretive, and improvisational
narrative approaches. Other chapters
include: youth and narrative transitions
to explore choice and consequence, “reauthoring” narratives concerning gender
and adult development, older adults and
life narrative for well-being and peer
support, resolution-based metaphor for
couples and families in conflict, and
common marginalized and exception
narratives for multisystemic advocacy
and change. The author sustains consistent and substantive content throughout
the text, in spite of the comprehensive
breadth in approach. That said, the theoretical and practical narratives of spirituality are not integrated into the text to
the extent of the other perspectives.

This text merits utility in the clinician’s and clinical supervisor’s toolkit, as
well as the educator’s syllabus. Beyond

24

The New Social Worker

providing lucid explanations of how and
why individuals tell and retell narratives, narrative typology, and practice
skills, the author describes the nuances
of therapeutic interactions with clients
that a seasoned clinician seeks to impart
during supervision. For the classroom,
the author strategically fashions chapters
to be read sequentially or individually
for topical study. This text stands as a
cutting-edge resource for social workers
as they advocate for the profession’s legitimacy in an environment increasingly
driven by evidence-based practice and
outcome evaluations.
Reviewed by Joshua Hammer, MSW, MA,
Program and Research Assistant, Institute for
Urban Initiatives.
Lesbian and Gay Couples: Lives, Issues, and
Practice, by Ski Hunter, Lyceum Books, Chicago, IL,
2012, 208 pages, $29.95.

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