Story Emotion Social Therapy, a new interdisciplinary mental health and speech-language pathology framework, is based upon the healing power of words. This framework is designed to complement varied interprofessional therapeutic approaches to meet the complexity of human needs. Cognitive behavioral therapy and story grammar bridge the disciplines, and is supported by emotional intelligence, mindfulness, narrative therapy, poetry therapy, and narrative language. Individuals learn to identify and tell personal stories, recognize thoughts and emotions, and incorporate more realistic cognitive mindsets. Interdisciplinary roles are detailed. Practical applications and client vignettes are included.
Gary Dick, PhD, is a mental health practitioner who contributed to the Story Emotion Social Therapy Approach. He is a professor at the School of Social Work in University of Cincinnati and has done psychosocial therapy for over 40 years. He believes the stories told in therapy provide understanding into one’s inner cognitive and emotional world.
