Metaphorical Stories for Child Therapy: Of Magic and Miracles

by Pat Pernicano PsyD

Therapeutic metaphor and stories have long been used within modalities such as hypnotherapy, play therapy, narrative therapies, and expressive therapies. Metaphorical interventions reduce client defensiveness. They provide an "aha" that leads to insight and change, as the client's identification with one or more characters in the stories springboards him or her into treatment activity.

Pat Pernicano, PsyD, is director of clinical services at Providence Self Sufficiency Ministries, where she provides programmatic direction and clinical supervision for the Family Preservation Program and Providence House for Children Group Homes. Dr. Pernicano is also a clinical faculty member at Spalding University and teaches part time in the PsyD program.