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Going over the bridge—a practical use of metaphor and analogy
Author(s) -
Bowen Barry,
Nimmo Gini
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6427
pISSN - 0163-4445
DOI - 10.1046/j..1986.00729.x
Subject(s) - analogy , metaphor , bridge (graph theory) , epistemology , focus (optics) , computer science , psychology , cognitive science , management science , engineering ethics , medicine , engineering , philosophy , linguistics , physics , optics
This paper deals with the use of metaphor and analogy in systems‐based therapy, with a focus upon a treatment programme developed by the authors. Following a working definition of metaphor and analogy, there is a short description of the setting in which therapy took place before the paper moves on to consider the historical development of the programme. The method is then presented in some detail with reference to a particular case example (‘the bridge’). It is concluded that this approach to therapy provides a way of dealing with a family's difficulties in a ‘safe’, positive and effective way.