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1. Storytelling Therapy

2. Introduction
What is a story?
• “characters and a plot that evolves over time”
(Brockmeier & Harre, 1997, p. 265). It must have a
“sequential, action-oriented, and diachronic structure”
(p. 270).
Why do people tell stories?
• People put events in order and comprehend reality when
they tell stories, thus creating links between the world,
themselves and others (Tannen, 1988).

3. What is storytelling therapy?
“The therapeutic use of story in therapy allows children
to read or hear about others who have overcome
problems similar to their own, giving them the
opportunity to apply what they have learned from the
stories to their own real-life situations” (Pardeck,
1990b)

4. Aims of storytelling therapy
• To promote healing and is often used with children
who have been traumatized or who are experiencing
behavioural and emotional difficulties.
• To solve interpersonal problems
• To promote mental health in children
Davis (1989) points out that it is a particularly helpful
form of therapy with children because stories are
already a “… normal and interesting part of a child’s life”
(p. 18)

5. The importance of storytelling and stories?
 Teaching children about the world through stories in
a safe, caring environment.
 A way of bridging reality and fantasy.
 Stories teach us values.
 The development of the imagination.
 Stories and healing.
 Stories help to explain emotions.

6. Types of stories
1. True Life (Autobiographical) Stories, and other
Documentary Stories.
2. Traditional Stories (Epics, Fables, Fairy Tales, etc).
3. Personal and family stories.
4. Made-up Stories.

7. Made-up stories
• Often the key components of a story are:
o The setting.
o Main character.
o A problem to face.
o How the problem is overcome with characters
who either help or hinder.
o The resolution.
o Prizes gained.

8. The Three T Model of Storytelling
The ‘Telling’
• the actual process
of the telling of the
story.
• It places emphasis
on the non-verbal
aspects of the
communication
taking place.
• Eg: facial
expression, tone of
voice, gesture and
body language.
The ‘Tale’
• refers to the
content of a story,
be it told, read
aloud or alone, or
seen in a movie or
TV.
• Whatever the story
there is always a
message that is
conveyed.
The ‘Talk’
• refers to the
conversation that
may happen
between teller and
listeners, where
either might
comment on the
story either as the
story is taking place,
if a story is being
told, or afterwards.

9. The Mutual Storytelling Technique
1. The teacher listens to a story that the student
relates.
2. Then, the teacher relates the same story, but with a
slightly more adaptive, solution oriented, mentally
healthy, mature ending.
3. Then, the student retells the story, and the teacher
repeats the process of upgrading the story in a
more adaptive, appropriate ending.
4. There is no right or wrong ways to finish the story.
The story is always a work in progress.

10. How the session been carried out?
• The stories may be supplied by the therapist or the
client.
• The client discussing a story or telling a story to others.
• Storytellers and listeners can imagine themselves in a
story’s situations, and can consider if they might do
things the similarly or differently from how the
characters are doing things.

11. “ By reading about others similar to themselves,
troubled children may not feel so alone or different” (p.
1043)
It allows the children to “… see solutions to problems
without the burden of in-depth verbalization,
confrontation, and interpretation, strategies which are
often critical to successful intervention” (p. 1044)
• Projection, Identification, Empathy, Imitation, and
Imagination are key processes when it comes to
people and storytelling.

12. 1. Project
People project
themselves into story
characters
2. Identification
Identify the characters
3. Empathy
Feel empathy towards
the characters
4. Imagination
This occurs through
the use of people’s
powers of
imagination.
5. Imitation
People may then
imitate the characters
of their favourite
stories.

13. • Therapists and clients could make lists of challenging
situations that clients may face in a wide range of
contexts:
– Illness and disability
– School issues
– Anger and behavioural issues
– Social adjustment and shyness
– Divorce and parental separation
– Domestic violence
• They could consider these challenging situations and
they could compose and tell stories based on these
situations. (healing stories)

14. Cautions in Therapeutic Storytelling
• Lack of familiarity
– make sure you know the story
• Appropriate abstract reasoning skills
• Don't break rapport
– tell a story clients can relate to (consider the
source)
– don’t get the details wrong (the Columbo trick)