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Metaphor

10 techniques · 6 approaches
ACT
Passengers on the Bus
Passengers on the Bus
A classic ACT metaphor. You are the bus driver. Thoughts, feelings and memories are loud passengers. You choose where the bus goes, but the …
ACT
Sky and Weather
Sky and Weather
A self-as-context metaphor. The sky holds all weather: sun, clouds, rain and storms. The sky is not damaged by the weather. Likewise, awaren…
ACT
Tug of War with the Monster
Tug of War with the Monster
A key Hayes metaphor for the paradox of struggle. On one side of the rope is the client; on the other is the monster: anxiety, pain, depress…
ACT
Two Dials
Two Dials
A metaphor for separating discomfort from willingness. One dial shows the intensity of pain, fear or anxiety; the other shows willingness to…
Adlerian
Dream Analysis
Dream Analysis
The Adlerian approach to dreams differs from the Freudian one. A dream is not the fulfillment of a repressed wish but a "rehearsal" of futur…
Adlerian
Lifestyle Metaphor
Lifestyle Metaphor
Therapist and client together create a metaphor that captures the essence of the style of life. "You are like a driver who always brakes at …
Focusing
Handle / Symbol
Handle / Symbol
Finding the precise word, phrase, or image that grasps the quality of the felt sense. The handle is not analysis or interpretation but a sym…
Frankl
Your Life in the Movies
Your Life in the Movies
The client is invited to imagine that their life is a film they are watching from the outside as a viewer. The exercise activates self-dista…
Jung
Alchemical Symbolism / Alchemical Imagery in Analysis
Alchemical Symbolism / Alchemical Imagery in Analysis
Jung discovered that medieval alchemy is a projection of psychic processes. The stages of the alchemical process (nigredo, albedo, citrinita…
SFBT
Three Houses
Three Houses
A visual technique that helps a child and a family talk about themselves through the metaphor of houses: "The house I live in", "The house o…
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.