Healing with Stories (eBook)

George W. Burns is an internationally recognized clinical psychologist, author, and therapist trainer. He is Director of the Milton H. Erickson Institute of Western Australia and The Hypnotherapy Centre of Western Australia. He has lectured around the world and is an adjunct senior lecturer at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia. He has published several books, including 101 Healing Stories and 101 Healing Stories for Kids and Teens (both from Wiley).

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

What This Book Offers.

The Contributors.

The Contributions.

The Structure of This Book.

Following Your Gurus: An Opening Story.

Chapter 1 Metaphor and Therapy: Clarifying Some ConfusingConcepts.

PART ONE IMPROVING MOOD.

Chapter 2 The Healing Is Complete: Outcome- OrientedExperiential Metaphors in a Case of Major Depression.

Chapter 3 An Empty Sadness: Exploring and Transforming Client-Generated Metaphors.

Chapter 4 And This Little Piggy Stayed Home: Playful Metaphorsin Treating Childhood Separation Anxiety.

Chapter 5 Climbing Anxiety Mountain: Generating Metaphors inAcceptance and Commitment Therapy.

PART TWO BUILDING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS.

Chapter 6 The Case of Carol: Empowering Decision- Making throughMetaphor and Hypnosis.

Chapter 7 The Woman Who Wanted to Lie on the Floor: A SocialConstructionist Use of Metaphor in a Tale of Two Clients.

Chapter 8 Trekking to Happiness--No Sherpa Required: AUtilization Approach to Transcending an Abusive Relationship.

Chapter 9 And the Two Snakes Fought: Storybook Therapy to HelpDeal with the Divorce Monster.

PART THREE CHANGING PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR.

Chapter 10 Under Fire: Refl ection and Metaphor in NarrativeTherapy.

Chapter 11 The Door Is Open, the Bird Can Fly: Merging Therapistand Client Metaphors in Child Therapy.

Chapter 12 Everyone's Life Is a Story: Guided Metaphor inChanging Global Lifestyle.

Chapter 13 Scared Speechless: Goal- Oriented and MultipleEmbedded Metaphors in a Case of Psychogenic Dysphonia.

PART FOUR ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELL- BEING.

Chapter 14 Scareless Ghost, Painless Pasta: Kids' OwnStories as Therapeutic Metaphor.

Chapter 15 Befriending Your Problems: Metaphor with a Self-Mutilating Young Woman in Transition.

Chapter 16 Night, Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let the SharksBite: "What's Missing?" in Metaphors.

Chapter 17 The Metaphor That Sang Its Own Sad Song: TherapeuticStorytelling in Pediatric Hospice Care.

PART FIVE DEVELOPING LIFE SKILLS.

Chapter 18 Reclaiming Poise after Persecution: Client- BasedCultural Stories in Trauma Therapy.

Chapter 19 Of Goths, Fairies, Dragons, and CBT: Joining theClient's World with an Evidence- Based Metaphor.

Chapter 20 That's Not a Problem: Metaphor with aDisruptive Client in Ericksonian Group Therapy.

Using Your Loaf: A Concluding Story.

Reference.

Resource Section.

Further Reading Resources.

Contributors' Favorite Metaphor Books.

Index.

"This is another unique book brought to us by Australian George
Burns. This is an excellent book for new and advanced therapists;
it is another one of Georges' books that you will have to order for
your own shelves, as I won't be lending you mine."
(Psychotherapy in Australia, August 2008)

"The reader will find a wealth of sundry stories in this book,
some woven by the therapist, some by the client, and others in
collaboration. The boundless urge to tell our stories and those of
our clients will, with the help of this book, sooner or later
prevail." (PsycCRITIQUES, 7/2/08)

"George Burns has become the "metaphor man." In this volume he
showcases some of today's best therapists healing with
metaphors. These rich teaching stories provide valuable tools for
students as well as professionals. I consider this volume must
reading for anyone wanting to improve their psychotherapy
service."

--Jon Carlson, PsyD, EdD, ABPP, Distinguished Professor,
Governors State University

"George Burns has done an expert job of compiling a definitive
work that demystifies the ever-versatile metaphor. Whether you are
a novice or an expert clinician, you will find a treasury of story
interventions along with the "inside scoop" on how each was created
and applied to bring success in nineteen unforgettable case
chapters. Better yet, you'll be able to create your own healing
metaphors thanks to the expert guidance of a wide range of talented
storytellers. Don't miss out on this one!"

--Maggie Phillips, Ph.D., Author, Finding the Energy to Heal;
co-author Healing the Divided Self

"I am an admirer of Burns' writing. His books are always
well-written and useful. When he tackles a topic, as in this
extremely practical casebook, no other book needs to be written
about it. He covers the whole waterfront."

--Bill O'Hanlon, M.Sc., Author of 27 books, including Do
One Thing Different

"Healing with Stories surveys the approaches of many
leaders in field of therapeutic metaphors and gets into their heads
to give readers a unique behind-the-scene understanding of how
experts formulate metaphoric interventions."

--Stephen Lankton, MSW, DAHB, Editor, American Journal of
Clinical Hypnosis, Author of Assembling Ericksonian Therapy
& The Answer Within

"If you want to be inspired, entertained, and enlightened,
Healing with Stories is the book to read. George Burns, a
master storyteller, has assembled a creative, diverse group of
clinicians to share their ideas about how metaphor can be used with
a variety of problems and clients. The result is a fascinating
array of insights into metaphor's role in the healing
process."

--Richard G. Whiteside, MSW, Author, Becoming
Dragon

"Aristotle said, "The thing most important by far is the command
of metaphor." In Healing with Stories, George Burns has assembled a
pantheon of "old pros" whose classic methods add innovative scope
and depth to the practice of contemporary psychotherapy."

--Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D., Director, The Milton Erickson
Foundation