Journal May 2026 Release_Full Edition - Flipbook - Page 18
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asked him if he would be willing to help other children out in their efforts to keep
Trouble out of their classrooms and their lives. I explained that I sometimes meet
other children who have the same kind of challenge, and I knew he was now an
expert in this. He said, "Sure."
Virginia:
What exactly did you do, Darnell, to keep Trouble away?
Darnell:
Well, I just got ready and put my things away when I was supposed
to.
Virginia:
How did you keep Trouble away so you could do that?
Darnell:
I said, “Trouble, you’re bad!”
Virginia:
Trouble, you’re bad. So you spoke directly to Trouble and told it that
it’s bad?
Darnell:
Yeah.
Virginia:
What did Trouble do when you told it that it’s bad?
Darnell:
It went away.
Virginia:
And does Trouble ever come back?
Darnell:
Yeah. But I think – You can do that thing to get in trouble, or you can
do something else and get to go out and play.
Virginia:
Do you mean that even when Trouble tries to show up and give you a
hard time, you’re able to keep it away and get to go out and play?
Darnell:
Yeah.
Virginia:
Wow, Darnell, I’m so impressed with your Strength. I wonder if you
would be okay if we used your ideas to help other children when
Trouble shows up in their lives and tries to take over. Would that be
okay with you?
“It’s Taken Care Of”: A Collaborative Effort by a Student and a Teacher to Keep Trouble out of the Classroom
Journal of Contemporary Narrative Therapy, May 2026 Release, p. 9-24.
www.journalnft.com
