questions the therapist will need to carefully observe what emotions (calmness, anxiety, anger, sad-
ness, etc.) accompany the play.
Step 5: Change
Assist the child to transform the metaphor into a more acceptable image. “How could dolly rebuild
those walls—with an opening, windows, or doors—so she would feel happier?” or “What could you
do to break down the brick wall, get over it, or work your way around it?”
Step 6: Consolidate
The final step is to ratify and consolidate the therapeutic changes brought about by the client. “How
can you and I help dolly make those changes?” or “How can you start to put those changes into prac-
tice?”
In sum, it is a process of listening to children’s language, listening to their level of experience, lis-
tening to their style of thinking, and joining them on their journey, much as you might fall into the
style and pace of a friend while out walking together. Once you have this step-by-step process for at-
tuning yourself to a child’s self-generated metaphors, you have a simple and effective tool that helps
validate the child’s experience, builds the therapeutic bond, and provides the basis for the child to de-
velop empowering strategies for change.
COLLABORATIVE TALESWhen tales are developed collaboratively with a child they have more therapeutic impact than if they
are seen to be imposed by the therapist, because the child is an active participant in the creation of
the story, the resolution of the problem, and the attainment of the outcome. Collaboration in story-
telling can be gained by some simple strategies.
Involve the Child in the Telling
Once you have commenced the story with a problem that may parallel that faced by the child, it is
possible to ask, “What do you think happens next?” Keep the child exploring possible solutions with
questions that presuppose a satisfactory outcome, such as “What does the character need to do to fix
42 Effective Storytelling for Kids and Teens
EXERCISE 3.7
■ Listen to the child’s own story.
■ What is the language he or she uses?
■ Join the language or metaphor of the child and start to shape the story toward the de-
sired outcome, perhaps using the steps described by Kopp (1995).