Journal May 2026 Release_Full Edition - Flipbook - Page 21
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Good luck to you in the fifth grade; feel free to share this certificate with your
new teacher so she is aware of your Strength Against Trouble.
Signed by Ms. Maxfield, Ms. Henson, and Dr. Leeds
Follow-up at two years
I phoned Darnell’s grandmother and asked about her, the family, and Darnell. She
reported that he was doing well in sixth grade with no problems at school or
home. She commented that he still had the certificate on his wall and enjoyed
talking about his Strength Over Trouble. I spoke with Darnell, who said he still had
the Certificate of Strength. He told me he had some good friends and was
involved in school activities. His grandmother told me he continued to be the
protector and advisor to his two younger cousins. Darnell and his mother gave me
permission to write up and share his story with others.
Follow-up at five years
A phone call at five years confirmed the transformation in Darnell. His
grandmother also told me she was going back to school to get her GED. She had
found a tutor in the school system and, since I knew the teachers and staff, she
asked if I could guess with whom she was working on her lessons. I named a few
teachers who had done GED coaching before, but she said, “No. It’s Darnell.” It
was Darnell who was tutoring his grandmother. He was happy and doing well in
school, with his friends, and with his family.
How these interactions with Darnell affected me
Because of the success of this collaboration with Darnell, I was interested in
learning more about using a Narrative Therapy approach with children. I studied
with Walter Bera at the Kenwood Center and enrolled in a Master’s program in
clinical social work. Post-graduation, I worked as the children’s therapist in a local
clinic, then joined Paul in private practice.
My young clients and I collaborated in building an Anti-Worry Machine, a Brain
House, and a laboratory for concocting secret ingredients for dispatching
Troubles. We used photography, painting, sewing, clay, to build models of the
Troubles that tried their best to sneak up on kids. When the kids found ways to
“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
