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Product reviews for Metaphoria
Peter Mabbutt, FBAMH, London College of Clinical Hypnosis
Rubin Battino has produced a solid and eminently readable volume that provides a comprehensive guide to the sometimes mystifying subject of metaphor. Designed to appeal to the novice and experienced therapist alike, this book provides a firm foundation in a therapy technique and method of teaching that has been handed down across the centuries. Metaphor is not simply storytelling. It is a subtle, yet effective, means by which ideas can be communicated, associations forged, whilst encouraging change. The effectiveness with which a metaphor can be measured is purely dependent on the skill of the person delivering it: it is not simply a case of telling a tale that may or may not be of interest to the patient. As the author points out, the effectiveness of a metaphor is determined by many things: the language used; sentence construction: grammatical manipulation; delivery; and utilization of the patient's reality. Happily, all of this is discussed in detail and to a depth that allows the reader full comprehension and understanding of these complexities. At this juncture I should point out that this is not just another collection of metaphors to be blindly used by therapists. By defining and exploring the subject, the author positively encourages the appropriate application of metaphor in the therapeutic setting. However. example metaphors are liberally sprinkled throughout the text, and one enjoyable factor is that Battino practises what he preaches by including some that are aimed directly at the reader.
Metaphoria provides an extremely useful survey of the literature on metaphor. All the example metaphors, many reprinted from other sources, are accompanied by the author's own positive critique. The author reinforces his opinion that these metaphors should not simply be taken and used as is, and to this end he goes into great detail, giving theme, course, and suggested phrases for various therapist generated metaphors. To help those who wish to create their own from scratch, the construction of metaphors is comprehensively covered. Battino details the language used within this frame and explains how to construct direct and indirect suggestions whilst looking at the importance of the manipulation of words. Following on, he discusses the use of implication, the use of confusion, as well as the use of binds. Along with the author, I am firmly of the opinion that when using published metaphors they should be individually adapted to suit both the patient and the particular aspects of their presenting symptom, as well as to the therapist's personal style. Metaphoria goes a long way to helping the novice develop these skills, whilst at the same time allowing the more experienced to revise what they already know and to gain fresh ideas.
Having taken the reader through the basic metaphorical approach, Battino moves on to look at the construction and application of advanced metaphor, specifically the multiple embedded metaphor. This complex approach is simply defined and the reader is encouraged, after having practised some of the more simplistic forms, to include these in their repertoire. Here the first half of the book concludes. Up until now, the emphasis has been firmly biased towards hypnotherapeutic approaches. The remainder is now devoted to the use of metaphor within various other therapies. Rubin Battino provides an important and useful overview of each whilst highlighting where metaphor can, and is, applied. It is interesting to note that within some of these approaches, metaphor transcends the oral narrative and enters into the realm of activity.
The overview of Ambiguous Function Assignments (homework) argues that they can be viewed as an active form of metaphor, whereby the patient carries out a task that will have a metaphorical meaning with regard to the presenting symptom and its resolution. Generic assignments are given that will allow those new to use of Ambiguous Function Assignments to extrapolate and apply them appropriately to their own patients.
By looking at Solution Focused Therapy, in particular the Miracle Question. Battino hypothesizes that this can be used to create patient-generated metaphors. Further to this he explores the field of Narrative Therapy that couples the patients own account of their life with the beliefs they hold with regard to it, arguing that these beliefs are metaphors in their own right.
For those therapists working with physical illness, the author provides chapters outlining particular metaphorical approaches to healing and surgery. Here he makes an important distinction between “healing” a patient and “curing” a patient. In this context “healing” refers to the psychological and spiritual changes that accompany the therapeutic journey with regard to illness and its outcome.
The book concludes by looking at the metaphorical nature of ritual and ceremony and how they have been used throughout the ages to create a healing change. For some, the concept of such approaches as the Navajo Talking Circle may seem a little esoteric. But we must remember that these ceremonies were the forerunner of all the talking therapies, and for many people they still provide an effective path to resolution.
Rubin Battino has produced a superbly concise, yet wide ranging overview of the field of metaphor. The clarity with which he approaches the subject is refreshing, and with its multitude of references this book is an excellent resource for further study. -˜Metaphoria' works on many levels: as an interesting read: as a story book: as an authoritive review of the subject; and, perhaps, as a personal journey of discovery as our own inner associations are made whilst reading many of the metaphors presented. -˜Metaphoria' will appeal to anyone with an interest in therapy no matter their background, and, as such, is an essential addition to every therapist's personal library.
Metaphoria provides an extremely useful survey of the literature on metaphor. All the example metaphors, many reprinted from other sources, are accompanied by the author's own positive critique. The author reinforces his opinion that these metaphors should not simply be taken and used as is, and to this end he goes into great detail, giving theme, course, and suggested phrases for various therapist generated metaphors. To help those who wish to create their own from scratch, the construction of metaphors is comprehensively covered. Battino details the language used within this frame and explains how to construct direct and indirect suggestions whilst looking at the importance of the manipulation of words. Following on, he discusses the use of implication, the use of confusion, as well as the use of binds. Along with the author, I am firmly of the opinion that when using published metaphors they should be individually adapted to suit both the patient and the particular aspects of their presenting symptom, as well as to the therapist's personal style. Metaphoria goes a long way to helping the novice develop these skills, whilst at the same time allowing the more experienced to revise what they already know and to gain fresh ideas.
Having taken the reader through the basic metaphorical approach, Battino moves on to look at the construction and application of advanced metaphor, specifically the multiple embedded metaphor. This complex approach is simply defined and the reader is encouraged, after having practised some of the more simplistic forms, to include these in their repertoire. Here the first half of the book concludes. Up until now, the emphasis has been firmly biased towards hypnotherapeutic approaches. The remainder is now devoted to the use of metaphor within various other therapies. Rubin Battino provides an important and useful overview of each whilst highlighting where metaphor can, and is, applied. It is interesting to note that within some of these approaches, metaphor transcends the oral narrative and enters into the realm of activity.
The overview of Ambiguous Function Assignments (homework) argues that they can be viewed as an active form of metaphor, whereby the patient carries out a task that will have a metaphorical meaning with regard to the presenting symptom and its resolution. Generic assignments are given that will allow those new to use of Ambiguous Function Assignments to extrapolate and apply them appropriately to their own patients.
By looking at Solution Focused Therapy, in particular the Miracle Question. Battino hypothesizes that this can be used to create patient-generated metaphors. Further to this he explores the field of Narrative Therapy that couples the patients own account of their life with the beliefs they hold with regard to it, arguing that these beliefs are metaphors in their own right.
For those therapists working with physical illness, the author provides chapters outlining particular metaphorical approaches to healing and surgery. Here he makes an important distinction between “healing” a patient and “curing” a patient. In this context “healing” refers to the psychological and spiritual changes that accompany the therapeutic journey with regard to illness and its outcome.
The book concludes by looking at the metaphorical nature of ritual and ceremony and how they have been used throughout the ages to create a healing change. For some, the concept of such approaches as the Navajo Talking Circle may seem a little esoteric. But we must remember that these ceremonies were the forerunner of all the talking therapies, and for many people they still provide an effective path to resolution.
Rubin Battino has produced a superbly concise, yet wide ranging overview of the field of metaphor. The clarity with which he approaches the subject is refreshing, and with its multitude of references this book is an excellent resource for further study. -˜Metaphoria' works on many levels: as an interesting read: as a story book: as an authoritive review of the subject; and, perhaps, as a personal journey of discovery as our own inner associations are made whilst reading many of the metaphors presented. -˜Metaphoria' will appeal to anyone with an interest in therapy no matter their background, and, as such, is an essential addition to every therapist's personal library.
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14/09/2004 01:00
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