Symbol, Story, and Ceremony: Using Metaphor in Individual and Family Therapy

'Human problems often are like a crystallized lattice. Heat is needed to excite stable molecules and promote a fluid state. In psychotherapy, properly tailored and timed symbols, rituals, and anecdotes are tools to 'heat up' entrenched positions and elicit previously dormant flexibilities.'--Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D., Director, The Milton H. Erickson Foundation