2005 Finalist

Therapeutic Storytelling Intervention: A programme to get the attention of troubled youth

An innovative storytelling therapy technique is proving highly successful in treating young people with severe behavioural and mental health problems.

Therapeutic Storytelling Intervention (TSI) was developed by Auckland Child and Family therapist, Ron Phillips, for use within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. It is a successful method of communicating with clients who are hard to reach by more traditional methods.

TSI was designed for adolescents described as "oppositional", who resist efforts to help them and often disrupt or reject their treatment. TSI avoids this by providing safe, externalised material for discussion.

It is based on a story called "Gem of the First Water" (1990) which follows the adventures of a boy as he faces a number of adolescent struggles. The story addresses topics such as the early development of problems, grief, drug and alcohol difficulties, peer relationships, parental relationships and making connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Telling the stories is used to engage the adolescent initially and then a questioning technique is used to invite a connection between the adolescent and the main character. The idea is that this will encourage young people to think about their issues, change their reactions to situations and take more effective control of their lives.

Parents rate their children as having fewer behavioural problems and fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and attention difficulties after TSI. Adolescents say they experience greater enjoyment of life and lower rates of overall depression, and suicidal feelings. They also report having more positive perceptions of their family life.

Campbell Lodge Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Contact: Ron Phillips 09 276 0200
Email: RPhillips@middlemore.co.nz