S u m m a r y

 

Puutio R & Kykyri V-L (2007)

Creating an alternative story during process consultation

 

Psykologia 42: 446&endash;455. Vammala ISSN 0355-1067.

Helping work has been described as a practice where, using professional discussion, an "alternative story" is constructed alongside the client's "problem story". This viewpoint emphasizes the negotiating character of change work and the active role of the professional in constructing a new interpretation. This article describes, using the methodology of discursive psychology and conversation analysis, how this takes place in the discussion between the organization and the process consultant. The material used for the article is a discussion, where the consultant is interviewing one member of the work unit during a development session, while the others are participating as listeners. The consultation situation is examined as a form of professional discussion, where a special task is constructed for the consultant as the creator of an alternative story &endash; without invalidating the problem story.

 

Risto Puutio, Lic.Psych., M.Sc., Department of psychology, P O Box 35, FIN-40014, University of Jyväskylä.

Virpi-Liisa Kykyri, Lic. Psych., Keski-Pohjanmaan Sairaanhoitopiiri, Mariankatu 16-20, FIN-67200 Kokkola, Finland.