& guided meditations in the Metaphor Toolbox

Published as a celebration of the tenth anniversary of Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training, this book is a celebration of the talented and creative people who have passed through our doors.

In the Metaphor Toolbox, Debbie Waller has brought together metaphors and stories by a number of authors. They cover a wide variety of themes, from modern to traditional. They work equally well as hypnotherapy scripts, guided meditations, or when used conversationally during counselling or coaching sessions.

But it is more than just a book of metaphors and hypnotherapy scripts. We:

• explore why and how storytelling works as therapy
  
• what research tells us about stories’ effects on the brain
  
• include notes about how to adapt and personalise each approach for different audiences
  
• offer themed chapters to make it easy for you to pick just the right story for your client

The book is an invaluable resource for therapists of all kinds.

Foreword by Marion Robb, co-moderator of the international forum ‘Hypnotic Women’

Quoted from the Foreword. The book itself is both a delight and a resource … Demonstrating diversity, intelligence, and creativity … and providing inspiration and insight for students and seasoned practitioners alike.

Chapter One – Telling stories: why they matter and how they heal

Stories have been part of the human experience for around 30,000 years to pass on history and teach ideas. We start by considering why this should be. We look at the effect stories have on the brain; how we see hidden meanings; and how stories are adapted to maintain their relevance. We also have tips for polishing your storytelling skills, and developing original metaphors of your own.

Chapter Two – Kaleidoscope: a twist on some classic metaphor themes

Mark Twain said, “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope…” In this chapter, we put a few classic therapeutic metaphors into a kaleidoscope to create some modernised and imaginative variations.

Chapter Three – Metaphors for finding inner strength and resilience

Some clients don’t recognise that they have the strengths and resources they want. They just need to reinforce them or transfer them to a new situation. Others need new skills built from scratch. In this chapter, you’ll find therapeutic metaphors that encourage them to do all those things. To build or rebuild, discover or rediscover the inner strengths and power that they need to achieve their goals.

Chapter Four – Clearing metaphors for therapists

These metaphors help your client to clear out and let go of underlying issues. They provide a kind of mental spring-cleaning. Which, of course, would make a perfectly good clearing metaphor, at the right time of year.

Chapter Five – Fairytales and the wisdom of old wives

Familiar stories and sayings inspire the hypnotherapy scripts and metaphors in this chapter. But they have a twist or an unusual point of view to support therapeutic change. They appeal to the child within us and are suitable for most clients.

Chapter Six – Metaphor scripts based on jobs, hobbies and interests

An extremely effective way to make a metaphor meaningful: base it on themes that are already familiar to your client. In this chapter, we have stories that specifically talk about hobbies, interests and even jobs that clients might have.

Chapter Seven – Metaphor scripts to help with readiness for change

Clients need to be ready for change before it will happen. If you think your client needs a bit of a boost to help them get there, these metaphors will help. They’re an excellent option for a first session, since they set the scene for change.

Chapter Eight – Mini metaphors for therapists

The metaphors in this chapter are less than 300 words. A word or a phrase that your client uses can inspire a mini metaphor. Or even everyday experiences with your family, car, or pets. Perhaps they are the ‘Country and Western’ side of metaphor creation? (Although singing them is optional!)

Hypnotherapy Trainers, Supervisors, Therapists: If you’d like to gift or resell my books to your students, supervisees, or clients, I offer a discount on orders of 5 copies or more of the same title.

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