Therapists' intentional use of metaphor: Memorability, clinical impact, and possible epistemic/motivational functions.

Abstract

The memorability, clinical impact, and possible epistemic and motivational functions of therapists' intentional use of therapeutic metaphor were examined in 4 dyads of experiential psychotherapy. Clients tended to recall therapists' intentional metaphors approximately two thirds of the time, especially when these metaphors were developed collaboratively and repetitively. Clients rated therapy sessions in which they recalled therapists' intentional use of metaphors as more helpful than sessions in which they recalled therapeutic events other than therapists' intentional metaphors. Four distinctive epistemic and motivational functions of therapeutic metaphor were observed.

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