The role of figurative language in the induction phase of an expressive psychotherapy.

Overview

Figurative language has long been recognized as playing a role in psychotherapy, mostly in terms of interpreting "within the patient's metaphor." The therapist's use of metaphor has been less studied. The authors examine figurative language used by a therapist in psychodynamic psychotherapy with a borderline patient. Hypotheses that figures of speech are more frequent in interpretations than in other types of therapist interventions and that a high percentage of interpretations contain figurative language were supported. The discussion considers how figurative language may aid in gaining access to defended-against material and in communicating concepts in a personalized way to the patient.