In Intr troductions Group Introductions including hopes and fears - PDF document

Metaphor in counselling and psychotherapy A workshop with Dr Jonathan Lloyd In Intr troductions Group Introductions – including hopes and fears for the day, why you are here & describe yourself as a therapist metaphorically The use of metap aphor in therap apy Dr Jonat athan an Lloyd Agen enda Some Defi finiti tions 09:30 – 09:50 Introductions 09:50 – 10:00 Definitions METAPHOR 10:10 – 11:00 Models of Therapy and their use of metaphor (including Overarching definition of metaphor: "as the phenomenon whereby we negative talk, and potentially think about something in terms of something else". aspects) – what the literature tells us. 11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break The term metaphor is derived from the Greek word metapherein, to transfer over. The etymological roots of the word are meta meaning 11:15 – 12:00 Findings - a brief discussion including standing-in-for discussion. beyond or over, plus pherein meaning to bring or bear. 12:00 – 12:30 Therapist Generated Metaphors including practice. In this context a metaphor is something that is brought or carried over or beyond. 12:30 – 13:00 Lunch 13:00 – 13:30 Client Generated Metaphors including exercise. 13:30 – 14:00 Clean language – DVD and demonstration 14:00 – 15:30 Co-constructed/moving metaphors/plus practice 15:30 – 16:00 Conclusion Examples of a British culturally specific metonym includes ‘the Crown’ meaning the Similes make use of the same monarchy. An example of a metonym cognitive mechanism as perhaps with a with a more universal metaphors and have a rational or application would be ‘plastic’ meaning logical element to them. For credit cards. They stand-in-for. example, ‘she smiled like a Cheshire Cat’ 1

Metaphor in counselling and psychotherapy A workshop with Dr Jonathan Lloyd Cryptophors , are carriers Deep Metaphors (therapeutic metaphors?) of hidden meaning and are defined as: are of particular relevance "consistent, recurring images of a life story to counselling and that give coherence to, and aid in, the psychotherapy (Cox & interpretation of the events of that life....and Theilgaard, 1987). are used by clients to both circumscribe and frame possible solutions to the problems in their lives" (Mallinson et al., 1996, p.2). MODELS & METAPHOR Person Centred Person Centred Communication : - Rogers (1973, p.4) could not be clearer when he penned “one overriding theme in Rogers uses organic metaphors to describe his approach such as a potato which grows in a dark cellar which reveals an organism's tendencies to my professional life… is my caring about self-actualise (Rogers, 1979). communication. I have wanted to understand, as The absence of the promotion of the specific use of metaphors in the profoundly as possible, the communication of the traditional person-centred literature is probably due to the authentic other. I have wanted to be understood.” person to person “therapy as relationship encounter” (Rogers, 1962, p.185) stance which takes precedence over techniques and theory (Wyatt, 2001). It is about “a way of being” (Rogers, 1980, p.227). Empathy is defined by Rogers (1975, p.3) as: “entering the private perceptual world of the Person Centred other and becoming thoroughly at home in it. It involves being sensitive, moment to moment, to The absence of the promotion of the specific use of metaphors in the traditional person-centred the changing felt meanings which flow in this literature is probably due to the authentic person other person, to the fear or rage or tenderness to person “therapy as relationship encounter” or confusion or whatever, that he/she is (Rogers, 1962, p.185) stance which takes experiencing. It means temporarily living in precedence over techniques and theory (Wyatt, his/her life, moving about in it delicately 2001). It is about “a way of being” (Rogers, 1980, without making judgments, sensing meanings of p.227). which he/she is scarcely aware, but not trying to uncover feelings of which the person is totally unaware, since this would be too threatening…” 2

Metaphor in counselling and psychotherapy A workshop with Dr Jonathan Lloyd There appears to be more explicit reference to the use of metaphors in the process oriented literature. Sanders (2007, pp.111- 112): “therapy is Worsley (2002) proposes that meaning is never dialogue, is relational… A dialogical exhausted and the client’s metaphors are “radically approach to therapy is one that interpersonal” (p.82). He suggests that client emphasises or even rests completely on generated metaphors are crucial in gaining an understanding of meaning and that they “invite shared dialogue, that is, the co-created exploration” (p.82) and the therapist needs to be relationship between helper and the guarded about what they offer into the client’s person being helped.” metaphor. I propose that the idea of co-created Rennie (1998) suggests that the use of metaphor dialogue being a key concept has close "liberates the secondary stream of consciousness" (p.44). connotations to the use of metaphors in therapy. CBT Relational Stott et al. (2010) explain the importance of Depth metaphors in CT and CBT: "Cognitive Therapy has, as a central task, the aim of transforming meaning to further the client's goals and help journey towards a more helpful, realistic and adaptive view Knox (2011, p.132): of the self and the world. Metaphor should “Do you know the …is it, Michelangelo therefore be a powerful companion" (p.14). painting in the Sistine Chapel, where you have the two fingers? It’s kind of like that and there comes a point ‘ ch- ch-ch ’ and the contact is there…” Whilst Stott et al. (2010) state good For example, the metaphor of a pressure reasons to pay close attention to the cooker is suggested as useful for those clients client's own metaphor, they concede suffering from anger issues as it illustrates the that the majority of metaphors are process of pressure building up during introduced by the CBT or CT periods of in-assertiveness. therapist. There are many ‘empowering metaphors’ Indeed, the greater part of the suggested that relate to current scenarios in publication prescribes useful films and books that could be useful for therapist-generated metaphors for clients. For example, Gollum's multiple certain classes of psychological internal voices heard at increased times of issues such as Eating Disorders, stress in The Lord of the Rings can be a Psychosis, and Bipolar Disorder. helpful metaphor for those clients hearing voices 3

Metaphor in counselling and psychotherapy A workshop with Dr Jonathan Lloyd Freud, (1917, p.295) provides us with a metaphorical description Psychodynamic of the unconscious, conscious and the process of censorship: Enckell (2002) suggests that the specific way the “Let us therefore compare the system of the unconscious endeavours to represent reality is non- unconscious to a large entrance hall, in which the literal and is analogous to the theory of metaphor. mental impulses jostle with each other like separate Thus, a significant element of psychoanalytical individuals. Adjoining this entrance hall is a second investigation is comparable to the reading of narrower room – a kind of drawing room – in which metaphors. consciousness too resides. But on the threshold between these two rooms a watchman performs his Siegelman (1990, p.128) states that: “our inability function: he examines the different mental impulses, to see the hidden or implicit metaphors can acts as a censor, and will not admit them into the drawing room if they displease him.” prevent patients from enlarging the meaning of their experience”. The use of metaphor in psychotherapy enhances the exchange between the unconscious UNSAFE and conscious realms (the entrance hall and the drawing room) as the metaphor can bypass the client’s censoring defences. Metaphors allow the client: “safe access to hitherto buried ( and guarded ) experience” (Cox & Theilgaard, 1987, p.69). Deep metaphorical visualisations that Working with dreams can be an fundamental element clients access during therapy, referred of a Jungian Analyst’s work with their client and can indicate unconscious wish fulfilment and latent to in Rice (1974) as evocative transferential issues (Sharpe, 1988). Sharpe (1988, reflections . I find that symbols, p.7) suggests that dreams indicate the individual dreams, imagery, visualisation are all psychical product of the individual: metaphoric messages from the “The dream -life holds within itself not only the unconscious that help us conceive evidence of instinctual drives and mechanisms, by the world in a meaningful and safe which those dreams are harnessed or neutralised, but also the actual experiences through which we have way, and connect our emotions with passed…dreams are like individual works of art.” the visual. 4