Bridging the Power Gap: Narrative Therapy With Incarcerated Women

Social work intervention with incarcerated female clients is complicated by the oppressive patriarchal structures under which most jails and prisons operate, the victimization histories, and the various psychosocial problems with which female clients frequently present. Traditional ways of xworking with this mostly minority population often fail to challenge the profound effects of self destructive behaviors, the internalized pathologizing self-discourse, and the oppressive societal ideologies that frequently characterize the lives of incarcerated women. This article argues for a new intervention paradigm for social work practice with incarcerated women while recognizing the implicit dictates of the correctional setting. It explores the philosophical foundations of the narrative therapy approach and demonstrates the clinical application of narrative strategies to social work intervention with women within a correctional context.