Many well-known mental health clinicians were or are storytellers: Milton Erickson, Stephen Gilligan, Michael Yapko, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Marie-Louise von Franz, Stanley Krippner, and a host of others. These professionals weave storytelling into the work they do as a way of utilizing therapeutic metaphor.
Stories are cited as a powerful element in clinical work, as mentioned by George W. Burns in his book, "101 Healing Stories: Using metaphors in Therapy." Metaphors are cited by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson in "Metaphors We Live By," as a fundamental mechanism of the mind that allows us to use what we know about our physical and social experiences to provide understanding of countless other subjects.
As a result of taking this training, helping professionals will be able to:
Prepare more engaging presentations, applicable for both one-on-one and with groups
Learn about how to find and prepare stories relevant for therapeutic discussions
Develop a "traveling apothecary" of teaching tales from various cultures which have been used throughout history to convey wisdom
Engage neuro-cognition on multiple levels
Storytelling is a therapeutic tool and a way of conveying useful information that allows the listener to take in the information and apply the teaching as they understand it. When hearing stories, listeners draw their own conclusions and make their own meanings. This is in keeping with the therapeutic value of client self-determination.
CEU Approved
