Metaphors of Movement and Stories That Heal
Creating A Therapeutic Motion for Change

Washington D.C, USA
TBA September 2013
With Andrew T. Austin

“Metaphors of Movement is a very effective, easily learned model providing a clear window into someone’s fundamental underlying orientations in life. Understanding the framework and meaning of people’s Metaphors of Movement provides a clear path to getting people “unstuck” with a multitude of problems.“ –Steve Andreas

Metaphors of Movement and Stories That Heal explores the naturally occurring metaphors and stories that are inherent in our lives and experience. Hypnotherapy has a long tradition of metaphors and story telling but too often the art of telling therapeutic stories is reduced to a few stock stories and cliched riddles that somehow are supposed to create change unconsciously. This is regretable to say the least.

Meanwhile, a number of excellent works have been produced about the use of therapeutic stories, including:

- David Gordon’s work, “Therapeutic Metaphors.”
- Joseph Campbell’s, “The Hero’s Journey.”
- Richard Bandler’s work with nested-loops and state chaining.

This is a unique workshop that does not seek to replicate or teach the above works. Whilst it is not essential, participants will benefit from having at least a rudimentary awareness of the above. Metaphors of Movement and Stories That Heal is a different kind of workshop with different material from that commonly taught about metaphors. Metaphors of Movement and Stories That Heal will explore specifically the client’s experience and the client’s own stories and metaphor in order to create a rapid and very tangible change.

We will be rewriting the rules of therapy and we will be effective. No longer will clients be told that all the change work has happened “unconsciously” and then we all hope for the best. This is visible, demonstrable and measurable change work.

This workshop will develop the hypnotherapy skills of even the most seasoned hypnotherapist. For the novice this will provide an excellent grounding in Ericksonian hypnotherapy and creating therapeutic change. The first day covers the essential groundwork common to all the Metaphors of Movement 4 day trainings, from there the story telling theme develops.

The four days training will involve the following and much more:

Day 1. Eliciting The Client’s Story (Knowing The Problem)

- Structuring the client interview
- The structure of the personal story
- Physiological Metaphors
- The 10 Directions of Movement and their role in metaphor
- Unconconcious use of metaphors in everyday life

Day 2. The Structure of Problems and The Nature of Change

- Therapeutic limitations
- Working with physiological disorders
- Container metaphors and digital vs. analogical change
- Metaphors of Emotion
- Metaphors of Healing
- Metaphors of Therapy

Day 3. The Story Teller, The Fool and the Trickster

- Using tricks and riddles as therapeutic devices
- Word Artistry: painting a new reality with words
- Magic, mystery and song in the therapy room
- Therapeutic stories and working with young children
- Drama and theatre in the treatment room

Day 4. Enchantment and Entrancement (Casting the Spell)

- The utilisation of the Ericksonian approach in therapy
- Using stories from religious and spiritual traditions and antiquity effectively
- Creating wonder and building hope
- Involving the client actively in the story
- Themes and patterns for common problems such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, abuse and eating disorders

Organised and hosted by Gaye Gunes (Sun Service Inc), and presented by Andrew T. Austin, this event will be loaded with demonstrations, case studies and stories, and will provide ample practise time and exercises. This workshop represents the best in therapeutic training.

For details and booking, please contact Gaye Gunes at: gayegunes@gmail.com (Pronounced “Guy-yah Gunesh”)
Tel: 00 1 301 755 49 69