Question 9-Metaphors

Authors?

Gass, Gillis, & Russell

Purpose of using Metaphors

-          Metaphors are essential to understanding ourselves and others, how we communicate, learn, discover, invent

-          Good metaphors can make experiences feel like a personal gift for client

-          Clients are given opportunity to tap into the affective, behavioural, and cognitive aspect to promote healthy change

-          Using metaphors in adventure therapy utilizes the CHANGES model as it is applied to action oriented kinesthetic metaphor process

-          Make connections between the activity and real-life situations to find solutions to their issues/situations that they may have not considered prior

Type one of metaphors: Spontaneous

-          client makes instinctive and relevant connections between the adventure experience and their own lives. Implicit messages of environment and experiences leads the client towards more healthy/productive behaviours.

o   Example: You are taking a group kayaking in winter and you see a bumble bee, one of the group members recognizes the bee should not be there and relates it back to their own feelings of not feeling like they belong in the group.

Type 2 of metaphors- Analogous

facilitators use discussions/ debriefs after adventure activities to form metaphoric connections. Assists clients in interpretating parallels in the experience and in their lives. Based on Gestalt therapy “what? So what? Now what?”

o   Example: You facilitate a group collaboration exercise where they are asked to complete an obstacle course but have to wait for each member to complete the first obstacle before moving on to the next. Therefore, they learn how to help each other to complete the tasks more efficiently together. After the activity the participants are asked what happened during the activity, successes and challenges. Then they were asked what it means to work individually vs collaboratively. Lastly, they are asked to share how this translates into their real-life situations and how they can take what they learned in the activity to other aspects of their lives.  

type three of metaphors

facilitator works with client to co-create framework of interpretation of the activity before it begins. Increases likelihood of the client/group focus on their clinical interpretation of the adventure experience on their therapeutic issue. Strengthens isomorphic connections.

Isomorphic framing

Isomorphic framing -          1. Assess, identify, and rank clients goals, thinking in terms of creating a “story line.” Introduction of the adventure experience.

o   This is a therapeutic group for children 8–10-year-old who struggle trusting others and have a difficult time with change. They are self sufficient to the point of being hyper-independent and don’t trust others enough to help them with their challenges. In addition, the facilitators noticed through observation that participants have been struggling to balance control with others in their group and in their lives. We will focus on their ability to trust the safe people in their lives.

Isomorphic framing--          2. Select a metaphoric adventure experience that just naturally “matches” the client’s issue and potential solutions to this issue.

o   The activity planned is to guide someone blindfolded using only words to retrieve an object. This is to facilitate listening and trusting another person with having limited control over self, others and the activity. Meanwhile the one guiding is asked to use positive leadership communication while assisting the individual in achieving the objective.

Isomorphic framing--          3. Examine potential successful resolutions to the therapeutic issue.

o   The group will recognize they can rely on safe people for support and trust that they will lead you in the right direction in both the activity and in life. They will also discover what they need in order to trust another person. Recognizing that it is not always easy to fully rely on another person but sometimes it is essential to find success.

Isomorphic framing--          4. Strengthen the isomorphic framework by creating revisions and changes in the adventure experience.

o   To strengthen the framework, I will facilitate incorporating different obstacles and move them throughout the activity to show how things don’t always go as planned and that things in life are constantly changing. To strengthen this metaphor, I will be asking the group to think about some of the things that hold them back from trusting others and what concepts they can let go of during this activity.

Isomorphic framing--          5. Review client motivation, working to appropriately adjust any particular issues to achieve appropriate levels of stress and reflection opportunities.

o   Being blindfolded can cause stress and uneasiness. We will first do this activity with no obstacles in the way and making it a short distance. The facilitators and anyone who does not choose to participate will ensure that the participants don’t go out of bounds and work to prevent injury.

o   Each member has the choice of participating and are encouraged to still debrief with the group, expressing their apprehensions of participation.

o   This activity has an appropriate amount of challenge without excessive stress for this group according to development/ability and personalities of participants.

Isomorphic framing--          6. Conduct the experience, making appropriate revisions during the experience.

o   If there are an uneven number of group members, I would create a group of three. If there were an even number but someone did not want to participate in the activity, I would ask them to create/change/rearrange obstacles. Observing if they make it more challenging for the participants.

Isomorphic framing- -          7. Debrief the experience, focused on the punctuating the isomorphic connections between the adventure experience and the clients’ therapeutic issues.

o   To re-emphasize the isomporphic connection I will ask the group to reflect on how it felt being the one blindfolded vs the one leading and how it applies to their lives. What is it like having to fully rely on another person to be successful. Lastly, having the participants reflect on what some of the things are that are holding them back from trusting- emphasizing the unexpected and constantly changing factors.

Inappropriate

-          This would be inappropriate if the group is recreational and not a therapeutic group.