Greeting Cards: Their Use as Therapeutic Messages that Reframe and Heal

Abstract

“If you play at it, it will work itself out. If you work at it, you might find yourself playing around.” The use of greeting cards in therapy is a kind of play therapy. It offers the individual a fun way to receive a new “sentence” in life. It has the magic of a fortune cookie, yet it can be used to convey therapeutic interpretations, and to reframe and review old issues. An example is John, who complained that he was very disorganized and lacked authority at work. John received a card that stated: “You will soon manage your own organization.” Another example is Gloria, who felt guilty for always procrastinating. She received a card that said: “You can table the motion, but you can’t table the time. So move it!” In this article, the author discusses the therapeutic use of greeting cards and gives some illustrations.