Clients‟ experience of counselling within a narrative framework

4.3.3.Fighting containment-freedom 
There were several words that suggested battling or friction in the journals (of a Beast trying to 
be heard), which seems to reflect the friction of opposing selves trying to be heard which I 
experienced following trauma. As these were discovered they formed the construct of „fighting 
containment-freedom‟. The words in the journals may be quite different from each other but it is 
what they imply that is important. There is a sense of not wanting to go to the counselling, or of 
feeling invaded by the counsellor, as well as various words that suggest actions or feelings of 
anger.
Table iii. To show words that suggest battling or friction. 
Pursued
I don‟t want her in 
Out of control 
Chased
Invaded
Got away with it 
Avoiding
She‟s not doing enough 
Indifference
Feel got at 
Anger
Excuses
Battle
I did not want to go 
Small talking diversion 
Don‟t want to go 
Running from 
Don‟t have to see her 
Struggle
Tip out the box 
Feel nothing towards her 
Need to get out 
Spilling blood 
Don‟t want to love her 

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Fighting the containment of their own feelings is understood from the words and phrases that are 
suggestive of running away or avoiding the counselling. Fighting the freedom (the Beast) of their 
own feelings may be seen in the words or phrases that suggest invasion or being chased by the 
counselling. However, some words, like anger or indifference, may apply to either side of the 
polarity for what is important in this category is the fight and tension between opposing feelings 
or ways of being - as if Beauty repels the Beast. For example the phrase „she‟s not doing enough‟ 
seems to be an angry criticism towards the counsellor which implies that the participant does not 
think that the counsellor is working hard enough. In this sense the participant may be struggling 
to contain her anger whilst also fighting to have freedom from it, or to have it. Yet she may be 
angry with herself (rather than with the counsellor) for not working hard enough. Both the 
context of the journal and the words and phrases are needed together in order to define a 
category and which category a phrase or section fits into.
Extract 4. Journal entry to show the category fighting containment-freedom 
Line Words from whole entry Analysis 
1. No counselling this week 
2. Thoughts go all over the
3. place when I don’t get 
4. my counselling. I wonder 
5. if it’s a test these weeks 
6. I don’t go to my session 
7. to see if I will return! 
The client seems to use the journal to 
contain herself as she has no session this 
week.
Lines 2-7 suggest that she feels lost 
without the counselling with thoughts all 
over the place. Yet although she wants 
the counselling she appears to fight