Psychotherapeutic Metaphors A Guide To Theory And Practice

Provides a theoretical and practical introduction to the use of metaphors in therapy, outlining which clinical situations lend themselves to the use of metaphorical strategies and how to use metaphors to develop rapport between therapist and client.

"Approachable and user-friendly." —The Professional Counselor The use of metaphor is central to the implementation of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and is a powerful tool for all practicing psychotherapists. In Metaphor in Practice, psychotherapist Niklas Törneke presents the first practical book to combine the behavioral and linguistic sciences of metaphor, and illustrates how and when to apply metaphors in practice for better treatment outcomes. The use of metaphors and experiential exercises can help clients gain a deeper understanding of the problems that cause their disorders. Metaphors help clients connect with their values, and often spark the inspiration and motivation needed to make a commitment to change. And while metaphor is central to relational frame theory (RFT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), research now shows its usefulness has an even broader reach. In this book, you’ll find a scientific analysis of metaphor based on over thirty years of research, as well as trends in research over the last ten years. The book includes an overview of RFT, how metaphor has influenced the community of behavior analysis, as well as available clinical research on metaphor use. You’ll also discover how to create metaphors for functional analysis, distance of observation, and things that matter to your client. Most importantly, you’ll find practical examples of metaphors and clinical exercises you can use in-session. There are many books on metaphor and psychotherapy, but this is the first book to make the connection between the science of metaphor and the detailed clinical process of using that knowledge. If you are a mental health professional—or simply interested in the science of metaphor—this book will provide everything you need to understand and apply this approach.

Competence and incompetence are constructs that emerge in the social milieu of everyday life. Individuals are continually making and revising judgments about each other's abilities as they interact. The flexible, situated view of competence conveyed by the research of the authors in this volume is a departure from the way that competence is usually thought about in the fields of communication disabilities and education. In the social constructivist view, competence is not a fixed mass, residing within an individual, or a fixed judgment, defined externally. Rather, it is variable, sensitive to what is going on in the here and now, and coconstructed by those present. Constructions of competence are tied to evaluations implicit in the communication of the participants as well as to explicit evaluations of how things are going. The authors address the social construction of competence in a variety of situations: engaging in therapy for communication and other disorders, working and living with people with disabilities, speaking a second language, living with deafness, and giving and receiving instruction. Their studies focus on adults and children, including those with disabilities (aphasia, traumatic brain injury, augmentative systems users), as they go about managing their lives and identities. They examine the all-important context in which participants make competence judgments, assess the impact of implicit judgments and formal diagnoses, and look at the types of evaluations made during interaction. This book makes an argument all helping professionals need to hear: institutional, clinical, and social practices promoting judgments must be changed to practices that are more positive and empowering.

The studio-based approach, where artists and art therapists work side-by-side making art, exploring issues of transition, and listening metaphorically, is examined. In addition, the relevance of esthetics and empathy in looking at client artwork without judgment and responding to the client through art making is discussed. This excellent resource describes how to look at, listen to, and respond to the metaphors that artworks divulge."--BOOK JACKET.

The challenge facing the authors of texts that address the multiplicity and complexity of problems that may afflict families can be intimidating. Philip Barker has addressed this challenge head-on in each of the editions of this book. This task has been greatly facilitated by the contributions of the new co-author, Jeff Chang, and in this edition provides a clear, easily read and readily understandable introduction to family therapy. Much has happened in the field of family therapy since the fifth edition of Basic Family Therapy was published in 2007. New developments covered in this book include: Emotionally Focused Therapy The Gottman approach to couples therapy Mindfulness and psychotherapy The common factors approach to psychotherapy and to family therapy The increased emphasis on empirically supported treatments High-conflict post-divorce parenting Basic Family Therapy will be of value to readers new to family therapy and to those in the early stages of training.

First published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The original edition was the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of the ways in which animals can assist therapists with treatment of specific populations, and/or in specific settings. The second edition continues in this vein, with 7 new chapters plus substantial revisions of continuing chapters as the research in this field has grown. New coverage includes: Animals as social supports, Use of AAT with Special Needs students, the role of animals in the family- insights for clinicians, and measuring the animal-person bond. *Contributions from veterinarians, animal trainers, psychologists, and social workers *Includes guidelines and best practices for using animals as therapeutic companions *Addresses specific types of patients and environmental situations

This book helps counselors/therapists in all treatment modalities effectively use the extended metaphor as a therapeutic tool. It is a needed addition to every therapist's tool kit. The book will show you how to create a personalized and carefully constructed metaphor to reach a resistant client. This is especially important when we consider that each client is an individual and requires treatment specific to his or her needs. You will find a detailed description of the components used to create original therapeutic metaphors in a step-by-step fashion along with a rich and varied collection of metaphor examples. Two full-length annotated metaphors are provided to help you effect positive change in your clients. This book is a must for all mental health professionals.