The Therapeutic Use of Stories

Book excerpt: The potential for healing available in well-known myths and stories is increasingly recognized, but many practitioners are unsure how to tap into this rich and often culturally-specific source of insight. What sort of story is best for what sort of situation? How can it be introduced naturally into the session? What is the best way of using the story? These are some of the questions contributors to this book set out to answer. They explore the historical and cultural context of story-telling and provide examples of specific stories for specific situations. Covering emotional themes such as anger, anxiety, fear, shame, guilt, separation and bereavement, the authors show how they work through stories with many different kinds of client groups and individuals of all ages in educational, health and social science settings. The Therapeutic Use of Stories provides a sound theoretical framework for the use of stories, examples of stories with a high therapeutic value, and practical advice on how to use them to best effect.