Humanizing Patients through Narrative Approaches: The Case of Murphy, the "Motor-Mouth".
BACKGROUND
Some psychiatric patients are presented as hopeless, burned out, and devoid of social graces. Staff of mental health centers and hospitals are not encouraged to view these people differently. A narrative perspective allows anyone to emerge as a richly complex human being.


METHODS
A course presented students with the opportunity to create narrative descriptions of patients presented by medical staff as hopeless.


RESULTS
One student's narrative of "Murphy the Motor Mouth" is presented; it shows the validity and usefulness of the narrative approach in reconstructing a person to be avoided as an interesting, valuable, and richly complex human being.


CONCLUSIONS
Murphy in story emerges as more interesting and worthy of knowing than the clinical Murphy constructed by medical staff. Narrative approaches offer a richness and intimacy that fosters a more therapeutic and effective relationship between patients and staff.
Valenti
Michael Pickren
MP
Mehl-Madrona
Lewis
L