Narrative and Phenomenological Methods to Understand the Lived Experiences of Clients/Communities

This interactive workshop has been designed for those with limited experience in conducting qualitative research. Even those familiar with qualitative work will find the deep(er) dive into narrative and phenomenological approaches beneficial.

Participants will be given a brief, general overview on the use of qualitative methods to better understand the lived experiences of individuals, groups, and/or communities. Conducting research with diverse groups, the use of self as an instrument of data collection, and other ethical considerations will be discussed. The presenters will then explain why and how narrative and phenomenological methods are used. Theoretical underpinnings, methodological strategies, and data analysis techniques will be explained. As this workshop is interactive, participants will use their own topics/areas of interest to engage in individual activities and small group discussions.

Participants will leave with a better understanding of qualitative methodology in general, narrative and phenomenological approaches in particular, and a topic-specific study outline to guide a future project.