friendly enough, but do you just go to a stranger’s house for the night? What would her mother say
when she tried to explain this one?
“Thank you,” answered Sally. “That is a kind invitation but I think I will need to check with my
parents first.”
“Listen,” came an irate-sounding reply, “I got excused from class so I could talk to you. Now
there is this idiot in the next cubicle who keeps answering all my questions. I’m going to have to hang
up and call you back later.”
STORY 55
POSITIVE REFRAMINGTherapeutic Characteristics
Problems Addressed
■ Wanting what you cannot have
■ Facing failureResources Developed
■ Striving to get what you want
■ Looking for all the options
■ Accepting failure
■ Reframing ideas into the positive
■ Changing feelings by changing thoughtsOutcomes Offered
■ Acceptance of failure
■ Knowing that change is possible
■ Positive thinking
■ Happy feelings
A boy was walking home from school when he saw the branches of an apple tree hanging out
over a tall fence. From one of the branches dangled a large, tempting apple. The boy wasn’t much of
a fruit-eater, preferring a bar of chocolate if given the choice, but, as they say, the forbidden fruit can
be tempting. Seeing the apple, the boy wanted it. The more he looked at it, the hungrier he felt and
the more he wanted thatapple.
He stood on tiptoe, stretching as high as he could, but even at his tallest height he was unable to
reach it. He began to jump. He jumped up and down, springing as high as he could, at the top of
each jump stretching his arms to grab the apple. Still it remained out of reach.
He thought a little more about how he might solve his problem. He thought perhaps he could
climb the fence, but as he faced its tall, smooth surface he could find nothing to grip—no footholds,
no handholds, nothing. Damn.
Not giving up, he thought, if only he had something to stand on. His school bag wouldn’t give
enough height and he didn’t want to break the things inside, like his lunch box, pencil case, and
CREATING THOUGHTSCreating Helpful Thoughts 145