You might have noticed that references to the physical, social and emotional benefits of using metaphors in therapy always seem to refer to ‘a well-told story', so this month I’m going to look at some ways you can improve your storytelling skills. 

The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, butto give you questions to think upon. Brandon Sanderson, fantasy and science fiction writer [1]

 

Tip One: Use personalisationand scene-setting

Remember thatthe same story will elicit different responses from different people, but theyneed to identify with it for that to happen. You can personalise a metaphor by adding words orphrases that your client has used or choosing a story based on their hobby. I have also used a simple introduction like: ‘What yousaid about your situation made me think of something I read in the paper theother day…’ Or I mightsay it’s something I read to my kids recently if it has a fairy tale format, or whateverelse sets the scene. 

The client instantly thinks ‘This is about me’. In over twentyyears of using this framework, I have only ever had one person say to me, ‘Youdidn't just read that in the paper, did you?’ - and it worked anyway.

Tip Two: Prioritiseemotions

Keep yourfocus on the emotions and the journey the client wants to make, not the literalsituation. Just because the client wants to quit smoking doesn't mean you haveto use a story about someone who smokes. 

Tip Three: Takeyour time

Don’t rushthrough your story, let the client enjoy it. When you have asked theclient to do or imagine something in their head, pause to let them do it beforemoving on.

Tip Four: Humour

Jokes, punsand comedy can add interest to a story, but peoples’ sense of humour can beunpredictable, so use them with care and respect.

Tip Five: Toneand volume

You may use acalm or monotonous voice to lull your clients into a hypnotic trance or relaxed state to prepare them for the metaphor. But once you get to thestory, tell it with expression. Vary your tone, speed, and volume to reflectwhat you’re saying. If the story’s exciting, make sure you sound as if you're excited, and so on. Whether you go as far as different voices for different characters is entirely up to you!

Tip Six: Involvethe client

Use wordslike imagine, think about, remember, consider, and not just visualise. Not allof us see internal images. (You’ll find more detailed tips on dealing withnon-visual clients in my book ‘The Hypnotherapist’s Companion’.)

Askquestions, like ‘What do you think happened then?’ or pique their interest withcomments like ‘You will never guess what happened next’.

Tip Seven: You don’t have to be obvious

There are twoways of delivering metaphors, one is to simply tell the tale and let them drawtheir own conclusions about what it means. The other is to end with something like ‘And that isjust like your situation because…’ You may feel explanations are needed butremember that one point of using metaphors is to avoid the client usingconscious reasoning. You could always ask the client later what they thought ofthe story or why they thought you chose it.

Tip Eight: Familiaritybreeds confidence, not contempt

You certainlydon’t need to memorise hundreds of stories. But you do needa certain familiarity with the story you’re going to use with a client. If you're not extemporising, read itthrough a couple of times before your session, perhaps out loud. 

This blog was adapted from Chapter One of The Metaphor Toolbox: scripts and stories for hypnotherapists, counsellors and coaches, which you can purchase from Amazon. As well as this chapter on becoming a better storyteller and developing your own metaphors, the book contains over 30 metaphorical stories to use with clients, each one with notes helping you to adapt it to the client in front of you.

----------------------------

 References

[1] Bergner, Raymond. (2007). Therapeutic Storytelling Revisited. (Page 4) American journal of psychotherapy. 61. 149-62. 10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.2007.61.2.149.

Author: Debbie Waller is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. She is the author of Anxiety to Calm: a Practical Guide to a Laid-Back Life, The Hypnotherapist's Companion, Their Worlds, Your Words, and The Metaphor Toolbox, all available from Amazon or direct from the author. Find out more about Debbie's services on
Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training - multi-accredited hypnotherapy practitioner training, taster days and foundation levels.
CPD Expert - accredited CPD and other therapy training (online and workshops options), expert and qualified hypnotherapy supervision