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Language and Change The Use of Keywords in Therapy
Author(s) -
Boscolo Luigi,
Bertrando Paolo,
Fiocco Paola Maria,
Palvarini R. Meri,
Pereira Jacqueline
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.297
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1467-8438
pISSN - 0814-723X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1467-8438.1995.tb01031.x
Subject(s) - publishing , psychology , political science , law
Certain words, that we call keywords, acquire a special set of meanings which give them a potential to bring about change. Through a brief analysis of the role of language in therapy we give an indication of why the therapeutic lexis has the scope to offer a family a new script, and how keywords can make a significant contribution to that process. Case examples are used to illustrate the effects of keywords such as ‘strike’, ‘slavery’, and ‘falling in love’. We conclude with a consideration of the form of therapeutic relationship necessary for keywords to do their job of facilitating the co‐creation of new meanings .