Metaphors a powerful tool for communication and change

Psychological therapy has always had the challenge of discovering effective ways of communicating complex and abstract ideas in terms that are understandable and resonant for patients. Metaphorical communication, which was largely popularized by Milton Erickson therapist, has emerged as a powerful technique in this regard. This method not only improves understanding, but also allows patients to explore and understand their own experience in new and insicious ways.

Content

• What are metaphors
• Benefits of metaphors in therapy
• The need to bring reason and the use of metaphors
• What is the usefulness of metaphors in psychotherapy?
• Steps to create a metaphor
  • An example case
  • References

What are metaphors

The metaphors are a form of figurative language that are used to describe one thing in terms of another. They often refer to unrelated objects or concepts to highlight a particular similarity or a shared characteristic. This type of language is very common in everyday life and is used in a variety of contexts, from literature and poetry to everyday conversation.

For example, the phrase "life is a trip" is a metaphor. Obviously, we are not suggesting that life is literally a trip in the sense of packing and embarking on a geographical trip, but we use the idea of ​​a trip to express the characteristics of life: unexpected surprises, the obstacles that must be overcome, the decisions that we must make at the crossroads and the growth and learning that occur along the way.

Benefits of metaphors in therapy

Metaphors can be extremely beneficial in therapy for a variety of reasons. To start, metaphors They have the ability to take complex and difficult concepts and present them so that patients can more easily understand. They are particularly useful when it comes to explaining abstract aspects of psychology and mental health, allowing patients to conceptualize their problems and struggles in novel and understandable ways.

In addition, metaphors They encourage self -exploration and self -discovery. When a therapist uses a metaphor, he is not giving direct advice or instructions, but rather presenting a story or an image that can lead the patient to reflect and reach his own conclusions. This can empower patients, allowing them to take more responsibility and control over their healing process.

Metaphors too They can provide a useful emotional distance. Sometimes, talking about painful problems and experiences can be too overwhelming emotionally. However, talking about these same problems through the lens of a metaphor can make the process less directly confrontative and, therefore, less threatening.

Finally, metaphors have the potential to facilitate significant change in the way patients see and face their problems. When presenting a new perspective, a metaphor It can help patients to break with old thought patterns, to see their problems under a new light, and to discover new strategies and solutions. Ultimately, this change of perspective can be a powerful catalyst for change and healing.

The need to bring reason and the use of metaphors

In many conversations, especially those that involve strong emotions or opposite points of view, people can fall into the trap to try to prove that they are right. This can lead to a greater resistance, to that positions are defended and to intensify emotions, instead of a mutual understanding or change.

This is where metaphors can be particularly useful. Instead of directing someone how they should think or behave (which can lead to resistance or the feeling of being dictated), A metaphor presents a story or an analogy that the person can interpret by himself.

The Metaphora deactivates the desire to bring reason because the responsibility for change does not fall on the person, but in the metaphor. We are not directly imposing an idea or change, we are simply sharing a story or a concept that is not directly related to the conflict.

For example, if the issue of acceptance of painful emotions is discussed instead of avoiding them, instead of directly telling someone who "should accept their emotions", you could tell the metaphor of "the man who rows against the current of a River instead of allowing the river to take it ". The individual then has the possibility of considering for himself what this metaphor could mean and how could he apply to his situation.

In this sense, metaphors in therapy can help people consider different perspectives and possibilities without feeling that they are being forced to change or accept a certain vision. This can facilitate an environment of greater openness and possibility of change.

Miracle questions in psychotherapy, what are they and how they are used

What is the usefulness of metaphors in psychotherapy?

Metaphors in psychotherapy are an important tool due to their ability to communicate ideas and emotions effectively, provide a new perspective and facilitate understanding. Its use focuses on several crucial objectives within the therapeutic process:

1. Provide understanding: Metaphors can illuminate complex or abstract concepts by relating them to more concrete and family experiences or ideas. For example, a therapist can use the metaphor of being trapped in a well to describe the feeling of depression.
2. Facilitate emotional expression: Some emotions or experiences can be difficult to verbalize directly. Metaphors can offer an indirect way for the expression of emotions and experiences, allowing patients to describe their internal world in a more rich and nuanced way.
3. Foster insight and perspective: Metaphors can provide a new way of seeing and understanding problems or experiences, promoting insight and reflection. This new perspective can lead to innovative solutions and new ways to handle difficulties.
4. Inspire change: Metaphors can act as a catalyst for change. By providing a clear image of how a different situation or emotional state can be, they can motivate patients to take actions and changes in their lives.
5. Improve therapeutic relationship: Metaphors can strengthen the relationship between the therapist and the patient by facilitating mutual empathy and understanding. The metaphors that reflect the patient's experience can help this to feel understood and validated.
6. Foster patient autonomy: Metaphors help patients find their own solutions and conclusions, instead of having to be directed directly by the therapist. This approach enhances the patient's self -efficacy, encourages his active participation in the therapeutic process and respects his autonomy.

Steps to create a metaphor

Create a metaphor for therapeutic use may require a creative thought and a deep understanding of the patient and his problem. Here I show you a series of steps that could help you create an effective metaphor in therapy:

1. Identify the problem: The first step to create a therapeutic metaphor is to completely understand the problem or challenge that the patient is facing. This may involve discussing in depth with the patient about his experiences, emotions and thoughts.
2. Define the structural parts of the problem and choose the right characters: Once you have a clear understanding of the problem, you can start dividing it into its basic components. Who are the 'actors' in the problem? What are the 'events' and the 'actions'? These can be personified in the characters of the metaphor.
3. Find a situation that corresponds to the maximum with the one that occurs in the problem: Now, try to think about a situation that looks like the problem of the problem. This could be a daily situation, an anecdote or a story you know, or even a fictional or imaginary scenario.
4. Consider the solution of the psychological problem in question: An effective metaphor not only identifies the problem, but also proposes a solution. What could be a possible or desirable solution for the patient's problem? How can this be represented in the metaphor?
5. Accommodate the solution to the structure of the situation and a fun history is invented in which the solution is raised in the situation: Once you have the basic elements of the metaphor, you can start joining them in a coherent and attractive narrative. The story does not necessarily have to be "fun", but it must be interesting and significant for the patient.

Metaphors creation requires practice and creativity. We may not always find the "perfect" metaphor in our first attempt, and that is normal. The objective is to help the patient to see their problem from a new perspective and to discover new ways of addressing it. Therefore, the most important thing is that the metaphor resonates the patient and is quite useful for him or her.

An example case

Imagine a person who is constantly anxious for what the future can bring, to the point that it is difficult for him to live in the present and enjoy everyday moments. This person is constantly concerned about what can happen, and this concern prevents him from enjoying the present moment.

A therapist can use a metaphor to help this person understand and address their problem. The therapist could tell the story of a traveler who is always running towards the next destination, so focused on reaching the next place that he never stops to enjoy the landscape or experience the places he passes.

Like the traveler in history, the person can begin to see how his constant concern for the future prevents him from enjoying the present. Through this metaphor, the person can understand their problem in a new way, and begin to see how it may be possible to live in a different way, perhaps stopping to "enjoy the landscape" instead of always running towards the future.

When using the metaphor, the therapist is not explicitly saying to the person what he should do or how to change. Instead, the metaphor provides a way of seeing the problem that can open new possibilities for change, by allowing the person to reach their own conclusions.

Exploring our history: the line of life as a therapeutic tool

References

• Benito, e. R. (2005). Metaphors in psychotherapy: a theoretical and practical review. Yearbook of Clinical Psychology and Health, 1, 77-89.
• Black, d. (2004). We are what we count. Metaphors and stories in cognitive psychotherapy. Brouwer falls out.
• Wilson, k. G., & Luciano, M. C. (2002). Acceptance and commitment therapy. A behavioral treatment oriented to values. Pyramid.