This paper describes the “mutual story telling” therapy as it is used to aid the young child Joshua in finding healthy ways of dealing with conflicts that cause disruptions in his home and school life.
In this therapeutic process, Joshua's stories illustrate growth in ability to integrate good and bad parts of himself, to acknowledge his own anger and to express it without fear of annihilation; to feel the ego strength necessary to allow him to explore his external world.
References
1.
MelanieKleinThe psychoanalysis of children.London: Hogarth Press,1973.
2.
WinnicottD.W.Therapeutic communication in child psychiatry.London: Hogarth Press,1971.
3.
RichardGardnerMutual story telling technique in the treatment of anger, inhibition problems.Int J Child Psychother1972; 1(1): 34–64.
4.
Ibid, p. 34
5.
FreudA.The Ego and the mechanisms of defense. The writings of Anna Freud. Vol. II. New York: International Universities Press,1964; 25–6.
6.
HartmanH.Essays on ego psychology.New York: International Universities Press,1964.
