When
used appropriately, therapeutic metaphors can be a very powerful agent
of change.
The
story may contain examples of problem-solving strategies, coping skills
or new perspectives which a person may apply to his or her circumstances.
The
subconscious mind will recognise the merits of the
problem-solving approach offered in the story and use
it later as a guide to resolve their current problems.
What
makes metaphor so effective as an agent of subconscious change, is
that it speaks directly to the subconscious mind in a meaningful way,
while bypassing the conscious mind. Therefore, the conscious mind
cannot contradict or resist the message.
The
story may make absolutely no sense to the
conscious mind, and it is vital that the person not
try to analyse the story.
The
metaphor must be as indirect as possible, in order to keep the conscious
mind from interfering. If the message of the metaphor is too obvious,
the person’s conscious mind might notice the implications and
reject the message.
