ABSTRACT
This chapter is about the family dimension of people's narratives. It looks at how to apply narrative-based practice when there is only one client in the room and the conversation takes a family perspective, but also addresses encounters with two or more family members at the same time. The chapter illustrates the anonymised case examples that are taken from practitioners who have applied a narrative-based approach in their everyday work, using a family perspective. Sometimes people turn up to an encounter in health and social care in twos or threes because there is "a family problem", but usually this is not the case. Asking questions about the family is often the best way of moving from the professional's perspective of the story to the client's. Family inquiry is therefore particularly useful with depression, somatisation, behavioural problems, dependency on drugs or alcohol, relationship difficulties, or previous failed interventions. It can also help when either client or professional feel stuck.
