Peggy builds a context for her work in Social Construction in this 43 minute tape. The attraction to the use of language moved her from Strategic to Milan Systemic and the idea that what was happening to the therapist needed to be included in our study of therapeutic process was part of what interested her. The writings to clients of Michael White and David Epston provoked her thinking about writing to clients but ultimately she preferred to develop letter writing among, rather than to, the clients. We can redefine relationships through letter writing. We can change difficult or missing relationships, gain and give forgiveness, achieve connection through the relational practices developed in letter writing. Social Construction is the best, forward looking explanation for these ideas and allows for the contributions of literary theory and non-expertness and collaboration.
Running Time: 43 minutes

Peggy Penn, MSW, is the former Director of Training and Education at the Ackerman Institute for the Family. She now directs a research project on Language and Writing in Psychotherapy.She has written on love and violence, chronic illness, future questions, circular questions,models for consultation, love and language and narrative therapy. Her most noted publications include "Creating a Participant Text: Writing, Multiple Voices and Narrative Multiplicity" and her co-authored book, Milan Systemic Family Therapy : Conversations in Theory and Practice. She is also a published poet.