Four Effective Metaphors In ACT

If a client has difficulty understanding a concept or finding a solution in therapy, then metaphors are a way to help them. Metaphors are used in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) as a tool for learning and treatment. In this article you can read more about this fascinating technique.

In psychotherapy, it is common to use metaphors to help clients get in touch with their problems and better understand what the therapist is trying to say. Simple stories can somehow promote understanding and empathy. Specifically, metaphors in ACT are a valuable tool for therapists.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is based on two fundamental principles: Acceptance and activation. The goal is thus not to avoid pain and suffering, but to accept it.

This does not mean that the person has to completely surrender to suffering and pain. On the contrary, it means committing to your goals and pursuing them. Even if you encounter difficulties along the way. Therefore, activation and action are particularly valuable.

That way, metaphors are very useful because they can tell a story that the client can identify with. Of course, it is crucial to know which metaphor to use. The therapist must offer a solution that is adapted to the client’s values.

Effective metaphors in ACT

Metaphors in ACT, which are about acceptance and commitment, can be adapted to different kinds of problems. The important thing is that the client feels that they are useful and that they can enable the necessary therapeutic changes.

The metaphor must be effective and not just a story that has nothing to do with the client. Therefore, the metaphor should meet the following criteria:

• The metaphor must be consistent with the client’s development. The client must be able to understand the metaphor. It must relate directly to the person’s experience or to things that are commonly known in their social group and age group.
• There must be a clear connection between the person’s problem and the story.
• The metaphor should be action-oriented. It must somehow outline the steps the client should take in real life to change their behavior.
• It is important that the metaphor offers a solution. That way, the client will be able to detect behaviors they did not see before, and reinterpret or solve their problem.

Examples of metaphors in ACT

The shark pool and the lie detector

“Imagine you are sitting on the edge of a pool full of sharks. You are also connected to an extremely sensitive lie detector.

Your job is to completely avoid feeling anxious. If you feel anxious, then tip your seat and you smoke directly into the shark basin. What do you think will happen?

As you can imagine, you are likely to experience anxiety. ”

This metaphor is perfect for people who suffer from panic disorder. You start to feel a little anxious, but you want to avoid anxiety. But you can not stand it, and you think “This is terrible, I must not feel anxiety!” and it makes you even more anxious. When you discover what’s going on, you’re already down in the shark pool.

The metaphor of the hungry tiger

“You wake up one morning and find a cute tiger cub in front of your front door. You adopt the tiger and have it in your house.

Your lovely tiger starts to meow and you find that it is hungry. You give it some minced meat. Every time it meows, you give it something more.

As the day goes on, your pet grows and meatloaf is no longer enough. Now you have to feed the whole rib roast and large pieces of meat.

The same thing happens with your thoughts. The more you feed them, the bigger they get, just like with the tiger. In other words, the more value you attach to your thoughts, the greater they become. If you feed your thoughts, they end up controlling a large part of your life.

The metaphor of the Chinese finger trap can also be used in ACT

“If you’ve ever played with a Chinese finger trap, you know it’s a braided little tube about the size of a finger. When you stick a finger at each end and pull, the straws stretch out and it becomes narrower.

The harder you pull, the tighter the tube becomes and it becomes impossible to get your fingers out. But if you push your two fingers together, then they can easily get free.

Then think of your life as a Chinese finger trap. The more you fight against it, the more limitations you get. If you stop fighting, you retain the freedom to make your own choices. ”

The metaphor of the hole and the shovel

“Imagine you fall into a pretty deep hole and the only aid you have available is a shovel. Since you have no idea what to do and are desperate, you start shoveling loose.

Little by little you get deeper into the hole. As you remove the soil, the hole becomes deeper and harder to get up from. Wouldn’t it have been wiser to use the shovel in a different way? Couldn’t you have waited and seen if anyone came by who could help you up? ”

This is exactly what happens with experiential avoidance. The anxiety you feel about getting out of a difficult situation makes you bury yourself even deeper in that situation. But acceptance can help you come up with new alternatives. Maybe it hurts in the beginning, but in the long run, the solution is more beneficial.

As you can see, metaphors in ACT can be very helpful in understanding certain aspects of your life. At the very least, they can help you reflect and sometimes make you see the situation in a different perspective. It’s all too easy to get stuck where you are if you do not get input from the outside.