This approach allows for the view of formulation as a shared narrative, or a story that is
‘constructed rather than discovered’ (Harper & Spellman, 2006). These unique individual
stories are centrally concerned with the
personal meaning
to the service user of the events
and experiences of their lives, and it is the personal meaning that is the integrating factor
in the narrative. A formulation is not an expert pronouncement, like a medical diagnosis,
but a ‘plausible account’ (Butler, 1998, p.1), and as such best assessed in terms of
usefulness than ‘truth’ (Butler, 1998; Johnstone, 2006).