FAILURE, MISTAKES, REGRET AND OTHER SUBJUGATED STORIES IN FAMILY-THERAPY

This paper discusses the notions of failure and mistakes in family the rapy, arguing that there are insufficient accounts in the literature w hich reflect the untidiness and disorder of everyday practice. The ide a of dominant and subjugated stories is invoked to map the influence o f notions of failure upon family therapy practice. It is argued that o ur practice would benefit if more accounts of our work routinely inclu ded stories of failure, mistakes and regret.