Matters of Interpretation
Reciprocal Transformation in Therapeutic and Developmental Relationships with Youth
1. Edition November 1997
384 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
An effective new therapeutic model that integrates the client's and
therapist's values
This groundbreaking book offers therapists and counselors an
effective new therapeutic model based on hermeneutics--the art and
science of interpretation. It recognizes that the clinician is not
a neutral observer in the therapeutic process but brings to the
interaction his or her own values, judgments, and prejudices.
Grounded in theory yet deeply inspirational, the book is filled
with rich personal reflections from real-world clinicians who have
used this model and found the process to be deeply transformative.
This new approach not only deepens the therapeutic relationship but
has proven to be especially effective with young clients at risk
for negative outcomes.
Introduction: The Forward Arc of Projection.
A Hermeneutic Methodology for Theory, Research, and Practice.
Where We Come From, What We Bring: The Historical and Relational
Underpinnings of the Hermeneutic Framework.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL ROLE OF INTERPRETATION.
Self-Reflection and Mutual Transformation.
Becoming Uncomfortable: Transforming My Praxis (Sharon M.
Ravitch).
The Flight of a Black Butterfly: A Hermeneutic Investigation of
Metamorphosis (Gregory Seaton).
Another Backward Arc: Further Reflections on "Expert" and "Problem"
(Karen E. Liiv).
Fear and Courage: Interpretations from Beyond a Life Half-Lived
(Kristin M. Carvill).
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MISSING.
Critical Absences and Hidden Influences in Interpretation.
Meaning, Purpose, and Hope: The Case of the Disappearance (Shuna
Keenan).
Treading Softly: A Critical Phenomenological Investigation of the
Voiceless in the Hermeneutic Circle (Deborah H. Cheng).
The Concealed Influence and Power of Nondirective Counselors (Hugh
McDonough).
The Dance of Interpretation: The Dialectic of Loss and
Connectedness (Anna Mackey).
THE SOCIALIZING INFLUENCE OF LANGUAGE.
"The Rules of the Game" Applied to Play, Power, and Politics.
Language and Politics: Translating the Rules of the Game--Ayer,
AHORA y Manana (John Ramirez Jr. & Marco Antonio Bravo).
Entering Play: Lessons of Grief, Joy, and Growth (Tara
Edelschick).
What's Love Got to Do with It? Combining the Influences of Race and
Love to Create an Effective Black Counselor (Randy B.
Hayward).
Theatrical Dialogue: A Hermeneutic Analysis of Change in One Act
(Robert W. Leary).
19. Coming Full Circle: The Return Art of Reflection.
to have a major impact across the full spectrum of fields that care
about youth development. This ambitious theory and practice book
marks a true innovation in teaching. Students . . . will gain a
deeper respect for the developmental challenges and cultural
complexities faced by the youth they wish to serve. Faculty and
supervisors . . . will be amazed at how much more their students
can learn when they are trained to use hermeneutic tools to study
and support the lives of children and adolescents in the world."
(Robert L. Selman, director, Risk and Prevention Program, and
professor of psychology and education, Harvard University)
"How rare it is to open a chapter in a book of psychology and find
a compelling story of human experience." (Frank Richardson,
associate professor of educational psychology, University of Texas,
Austin)