Background: This thesis reflects upon a heuristic study of a Storytelling Programme which took place in a KS3 Pupil Referral Unit. Previous experiences in the field, as a community storyteller, revealed the power of stories to calm and engage young people. In my community work I had seen that storytelling particularly engaged those considered ‘hard to reach.’ This research was designed to explore the storytelling process further with the aim of understanding more about the impact of the process and to understand the key components as identified by the young people themselves. Methodology: A heuristic research methodology was adopted within this study. The Storytelling Programme was delivered to twelve young people at a Pupil Referral Unit in the North West of England. Five of these participants were interviewed along with their teacher, and their reflections were integrated with my own to create a crystallized understanding of the storytelling process, whilst also remaining true to the unique experiences of each participant. Findings: Heuristic analysis of the Storytelling Programme revealed that young participants developed new personal narratives that reflected new ways of being and thinking. Change was demonstrated by the young people expressing a more positive sense of self. A striking finding, echoed by all participants, was the significance of the relationship in facilitating the therapeutic change process. Discussion: Whilst some of the changes could be linked to particular stories, the participants could not articulate whether their increased sense of well-being came from the stories or more generally from the programme or my ‘way of being’ (Rogers, 1980). It appears that stories and the therapeutic relationship intertwine within the storytelling process to create opportunities for therapeutic change. The findings of this study suggest that story is a particularly useful indirect medium to engage ‘hard to reach’ young people who have disorganised attachment styles. Storytelling offers the opportunity to place the intersubjective relationship as central, fostering an implicitly nurturing and co-regulating dyad that can offer reparation as well as the opportunities for catharsis and the development of emotional literacy through the processing of the story material. Conclusion: It appears that storytelling intertwines the interpersonal relationship with the stories to create a process which is both interpersonal and intrapersonal. The storytelling process appears to facilitate dyadic co-regulation, which may be an essential first step in the therapeutic change process. Once in a state of calm the young people could connect to the story stimuli and develop new ways of being and thinking. Whilst stories appear to promote changes at both the relational and semantic level, the findings from this study suggest that the implicit relational changes had primacy in facilitating significant therapeutic change.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vad ungdomar tyckte var viktigt i det första mötet med terapeuten, och vad i detta möte som fick dem att bestämma sig för att återkomma och påbörja en stödgrupp. Kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med sju unga vuxna i tjugoårsåldern som alla hade fullföljt en termin på en stödgruppsverksamhet för anhöriga till missbrukare i Stockholm. Utskrifterna av de inspelade intervjuerna tematiserades i tre steg genom tematisk analys. Resultaten från de teman som hittades analyserades utifrån teorier om arbetsallians. De främsta fynden i studien pekar mot att terapeuterna fick allians med ungdomarna redan på första mötet.  Terapeutens värme och mänsklighet var en nyckelfaktor som spelade stor roll för att skapa allians med de unga. De uppskattade även äkthet, självkännedom och flexibilitet hos terapeuterna. I materialet framkommer även att platsen i sig spelade roll. Faktorer som omgivning och inredning spelade roll för ungdomarna. Slutsatserna indikerar att allians är av största vikt och att det kan vara än viktigare med unga vars frågor är flyktiga och i familjer som kämpar för att hantera vad som ofta är extremt påfrestande situationer, vilket ofta är fallet i beroendefamiljerna. / The purpose of this study was to explore what adolescents found important during the introductory meeting with the therapist, as well as which aspects of the initial meeting encouraged them to participate in a support group for codependents. Qualitative interviews were compiled of seven individuals in their early twenties whom had all completed a term at a treatment center for codependents in Stockholm. The transcpripts were thematized in three steps using thematic analysis. The resulting themes were explored from the viewpoint of the Working Alliance Theory. The main findings in this study were that the therapists made a strong alliance at an early stage with the adolescents. The warmth and the humanity of the therapists was a key factor that made an important difference among the adolescents. The therapists expression of authenticity, self- disclosure and flexibility played part in their experience as well. The environment and furnishings held inviting properties and helped create a relaxed atmosphere. Conclusions point to the significance of alliance, especially within youth, for whom issues are volatile, and whose families are struggling to manage what often are extremely disruptive situations. These often include problems with addiction of some sort.

Inledning: Det finns ett speciellt intresse i psykoterapi för unika, potentiellt transformerande ögonblick, till exempel ögonblick av ömsesidig öppenhet som berör på djupet. Studiens syfte var att utforska psykodynamiska psykoterapeuters förståelse och kliniska upplevelse av mötesögonblick. Frågeställningar: Vad är terapeutens förståelse av fenomenet mötesögonblick? Vad är terapeutens upplevelse av själva mötesögonblicket, av patienten i ett sådant ögonblick, samt av det som sker i den terapeutiska processen efteråt? Metod: Sex psykodynamiska psykoterapeuter intervjuades genom semistrukturerad kvalitativ intervju. Intervjuarna analyserades med tematisk analys. Resultat: Mötesögonblick uppfattades som en form av delad upplevelse. Den kliniska upplevelsen beskrevs som en ömsesidig spegling av psykofysiologiska tillstånd. Receptivitet sågs som nyckeln i bemötandet av patienten. Patienterna släppte sina försvar i mötesögonblick, men varsamhet uttrycktes kring dessa ögonblick i arbetet med patienter med svårare problematik. Det fanns olika synpunkter i relation till konsolidering av mötesögonblick efter deras uppstående. Diskussion: Resultatet diskuteras utifrån terapeuternas förståelse och kliniska upplevelse av mötesögonblick. Betydelsefulla faktorer i deras upplevelser diskuteras i förhållande till teoretiska begrepp och tidigare forskning. Tankar om metoden diskuteras, samt förslag för vidare forskning. / Introduction: There exists a special interest in psychotherapy for unique, potentially transformative moments, for example, deeply touching moments of mutual openness. The purpose of the study was to explore psychodynamic psychotherapists` understanding and clinical experience of moments of meeting. Issues: What is the therapist`s understanding of the phenomena moments of meeting? What is the therapist`s experience of the actual moment of meeting, of the patient in such a moment, and of what happens in the therapeutic process afterwards? Method: Six psychodynamic psychotherapists were interviewed through semi-structured qualitative interview. The interviews were analyzed with thematic analysis. Result: Moments of meeting were understood as a form of shared experience. The clinical experience was described as a mutual mirroring of psychophysiological states. Receptiveness was considered key in relation to encountering the patient. Patients let go of defenses in moments of meeting. Caution was expressed around these moments in work with patients with more difficult problems. There were differing opinions in relation to consolidation of moments of meeting after their occurrence. Discussion: The result is discussed in view of the therapists` subjective understanding and clinical experience of moments of meeting. Meaningful factors in their experience are discussed in relation to theoretical concepts and previous research. Thoughts in relation to the methodology are taken up, plus suggestions for future research.