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Metaphor And Imagery In The Therapeutic Relationship

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Introduction:
Metaphor and imagery have a long history in psychotherapy, metaphor building up the relationship between the client and the psychotherapist (building trust, empathy and understanding). Metaphor is very powerful and can raise self- awareness and help clients to see more or less the full picture of the client inner world. Metaphor and imagery as used in the therapeutic relationship to building up the link between the inner world and external world is abstract but very powerful and can help the client to link between the here and now and the past (the echo of a significant event or situation in which the client feels stuck, in an impasse or in a dilemma not solved). Metaphor and imagery help the client to move in a positive way …show more content…

Solve the impasse of ‘pleasing the other’ (level 1). ‘Don’t be important, ‘don’t belong’, ‘don’t exist’, you’re not good enough’ (Berne, E. 1961,1964). (level 2). Level 3 symbolic image and language ‘I feel as if I am in a fog, lost, cold and alone’, ‘Prisoner of my thoughts’ (metaphor) (Lister-Ford, C. 2002, Steiner C. 1974).
➢ To strengthen /integrate his Adult ego state and developed his Free Child. In this case I used TA theory (Berne, E. 1961) in order to analyse and understand the client’s needs and to help understand his depression anxiety and low mood through creativity methods (Gestalt theory; creativity, see Zinker. J.1977). The objective of session 16 and 17 is to gain a better understanding of the clients situation, to raise his self awareness and also to get a better understanding of his internal/external worlds.
➢ The creativity process helps the client to connect to his emotions and thoughts and accept himself as an individual/person (‘being in the world’)(reference)
➢ Other objectives for this client in these sessions are to make sure the client has enough strength in his adult ego state in order to work with the creative process. (Sills, C. & Hargaden, H. 2003) (See also ethical and permission from the client (see Bond, T.

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