Metaphor Therapy: Using Client Generated Metaphors In Psychotherapy

210 Pages·1995·9.5 MB·English

by  Richard R. Kopp

METAPHOR

RICHARD R. KOPP, PhD.
Metaphor Therapy

Using Client-Generated
Metaphors in

Psychotherapy
Metaphor Therapy

Using Client-Generated
Metaphors in

Psychotherapy

Richard R. Kopp, Ph.D.

Dp,
oO
BRUNNER/MAZEL

A member of the Taylor & Francis Group
Libracy of Congress Catalogingin-Publication Data

‘Kopp, Richard Royal
‘Metaphor therapy’ wsing client genersted metaphors in psycher
th by Richard BK¢

Includes bibliographical references: and index.
ISBN 0 87630-7709
I, Metaphoo—Therapeutic use. 2. Psychotherapy. I. Tie.
RCAE9.MA7KG? 1995
S16 80 14-20)
94 97846
cir

Copyright © 1995 by Richard R. Kopp, Ph.D.

All sights reserved, No part of this bnnak may be reproduced
by any process whatsoever without the wrilien permission
‘of the cupyright owner,

For information an ordering, vantact:

BRUNNER/MAZEL

‘A member of the Taylor de Francis Grau
1900 Frost Hoad, Suite 107
Bristol, FA 19007
1-800-821-8912

‘Manufactured in the United States of America
2345 67 HOC RRBRIDOET
To
The memory of my parents,

a bK

Ly,
laire-and Jacob Kopp,

and may grandfather,
Benjamin Sperling
Contents

Dedication

Foreword by R. J. Corsini

Acknowledgments xi
Inteoduction My Husband Is a Locomotive: Clien-Generated

Metaphors and Metaphor Therapy sali
Part L ‘Yhe Crcative Imagination in Metaphor Therapy 1
n Through the Looking Glass: Exploring and

Transforming Client Metaphors 8
2 Derailing the Locomotive: Case Examples of

Brief Metaphor Therapy 7
3. Back to the Future: Exploring and

‘Transforming Early Memory Metaphors 35
4, ‘There's This Giant Wall Around Me:

A Case Example by Susan Speraw, Ph.D. 64
5 I Think, Therefore I Am a Tew Ketile:

Metaphor Therapy and the

Metaphoric Structure of Reality 91
Parl II. Weaving the Tapestry:

‘Toward an Integrative Model of

‘Motaphor and Psychotherapy 109
6 ‘Metaphor Therapy and

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy 12
z Metaphor Therapy and

Jung's Analytic Psychology 125
8 ‘Metaphor Therapy and

Fricksonian Hypnotherapy 129

oft
iti Metarnon THERAPY

os Metaphor Therapy and

Cognitive-Bchavior Therapy 133
10, ‘Metaphor Therapy sand

‘Adler's Individual Psychology 137
u Metaphor ‘Therapy and Family Systems Therapy 143
12 ‘Metaphor Therapy: Integrating Individual

a Family Therapy 152

13. Metaphor in Mind and Brain:

Speculations on the Neuropsychology
of Metaphor Therapy and Therapeutic Change 157

Fpilogue The Pattern That Connects:

Metaphoric Structure in Mind and Nature 170
References 174
‘Name Index 18k

Subject Index 185
Foreword

Ti wit be appropriate to use metaphors in this foreword to demon-
strate the power of this use of language.

Resistance is a common problem in psychotherapy, regardless of
one's method or theoretical orientation. Those who come for therapy

have two kinds of resistances: resistance Anon to them and resistance
ke hom Resi i" k

: P
sensitive that clicnts consciously avoid mentioning them, thus sabo-
(aging their therapy. Unknown resistances involve an unconscious
avoidance that also can be a burrier to successful therapy.

Resistance can be compared (o a logjam. Imagine huge trunks of
trees coming down a swill river, moving lengthwise for the most part,
rushing down the river Irom the lorest to the sawmill. Imagine one
enormous tree lurning sideways, being caught by wo rocks, thus jam-

he p Lather Jogs-What-san-he-done?-One-could
the back of the logjam and remove the logs one by one until one gets
to the main log. But how much more efficient it would be if one were
able to remove the first log immediately! This is whal loggers do: they
blow up the offending log to permit the others lo come down the river
And in therapy, our clients are figuratively in a jam until we gel to the
central issue thal keeps them from living a full and free life.
Like an ant on the rim of a cup, to use anothier metaphor, a cliont
Y dont dk Je, exploring-material that lead

nowhere, avoiding clarification of the causes of their symptoms, often
due to “unknown-to-them" reasons.

How does one deal with resistance? How do you get to the cause of
problems? Many approaches to psychotherapy have built-in methods
for dealing with resistance. Carl Rogers, for example, depended on
autochthonous disclosures via. generating a.safe environment ia which

the client felt understood and accepted. At the other end of the spee-
trum, Albert Ellis altempts to achieve el:

different. stratepy—atlacking the peryon’s conceplions.

In Metaphor Therapy, Richard Kopp points out an innovative method
fox getting to the heart of the mattcr, an apparently simple one: the
client, and therapist, acting like detectives, look for elues to under-
standing the essence of the mystery by exploring and transforming
the clienc’s metaphoric language, hoping to find something that has
x” “Mrrapvor THERAPY

Tittle significanee either (o the client or to anyone who docs nol know
the seerel of the metaphor, but which, when the secrel is ceveuled,
becomes the key that opens the lock of the door that has stood be-
tween the person and freedom.

Arelated issue has to do with the concept of the immediate moment—
af instant in therapy whien one hits the nerve that controls everything,
a moment of rapture, a tiny slice of ultimate joy, a shattering moment
ofunderstanding...whal is known as insight, a transcendental point of

change, the knife edge of moving from darkness into light or, to re-
turn fo our original metaphor, the moment that the main log is re-

allowing everything to-go-d

‘The goal of the therapist is to help the client achieve this glorious
moment of climax, bul lo achieve this, one must know what to do.

rerapists have Tvaniely 0 sds To draw on, but this well-w!
book offers something new and valuable.

Metaphor Therapy is above all a useful book, one in which therapists
will learn new and practical cherapeutic tools. Dr. Kopp skillfully pre-
sents his theories and findings in the context of a number of major
systems: psychoanalysis, analytic psychology, Ericksonian
hypnotherapy, cognitive-behavior therapy, Adler’s individnal psychol-
ogy, and family systems therapy, thereby demonstrating that Meta-
phor Therapy is consistent with all of these and, of course, with many
other systems as well. ‘hus, while using metaphor in Lherapy is an ald
idea, touched on by other systems, in this book the ecader now has a
novel way of understanding and using metaphors that extends beyond
these other systems. How Iwish that I would have known about Mela-
phor Therapy for the 50 years that] practiced counseling and psycho-
therapy.

T recommend this book to all counselors and therapists. Knowing,
how to use metaphors with clients or patients will he a magic key that
opens « doorway lo change.

R. J. Cons, Ph.D.
Acknowledgments

Ovte of the benefits of waiting a book is that it gives the author an
opportunity to thank those who have helped along the way.

Tam graicful io Harold Mosak, Bernard Shulman, and the lacully
of the Alfred Adler Institute of Chicago (now the Adler School of Pro-
fexsional Psychology) for invodueing me to Adlerian Psychology and
the use of eatly recollections in psychotherapy. Adlerian principles
continue to be a source of insight and inspiration in my work and in
my life,

‘As a faculty member of ICASSI (The International Committee on
Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes) for the last 19 years, T have
had the extraordinary opportunity te ceach an international group of
health-care professionals at the two-week Rudolf Dreikurs Summer
Tnstitute, Ihave learned much from their feedback and derived much
from the community of caring, connection, and encouragement that
is the essence of ICASSI.

Naney Steiny and the Southem California Counseling Center pro-
vided excellent training in family therapy.

Twould like to thank the California Schoo! of Professional Psychol-
ogy, Los Angeles, for granting me_time to-work-on-the proposal-for
this book. Tam also grateful to CSPP for attracting bright, caring,
and talented individuals who have made my 22 years of teaching so
rewarding. I especially want ta express my deep appreciation to the
students in my Metaphor Therapy classes at CSPP over the last 9

ears, Their enthusiasm for these ideas and methods, their efforts in

‘applying this approach in their clinical work, and their comments and
suggestions have contributed significantly to the development of this
approach, In particular, 1 would like to thank the following students
who contributed case examples that appear in the first three chapters:
Danicl Goldberg, PD.D., Dianc McDowell, Patricia Pulido, Terry
Rattray, Ph.D, Karen Schneider, Ph.D., Joslyn Smith, Christine
Welch, and especially Susan Sperasy, Ph.D., who recounts her poignant
work with Mike in Chapter 4

‘Natalie Gilman and Bernie Mazel at Brunnor/Mazel, and an anony-
mous reviewer provided many helpful comments and suggestions. Thcir
interest and support enabled this book to hecome a reality