The Hour and the Story: The Hour and the Story: Metaphorical Metaphorical

Interventions in Interventions in ChangeworkChangework

Bill O’HanlonBill O’Hanlon

Invisible FenceInvisible Fence 22

Hour and The StoryHour and The StoryNICABM 2009NICABM 2009

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Bran FerrenBran FerrenMost people function in a storytelling mode. It’s the way we Most people function in a storytelling mode. It’s the way we communicate ideas, richly, as well as how we structure our communicate ideas, richly, as well as how we structure our thoughts. . . . I don’t know anyone who remembers things based thoughts. . . . I don’t know anyone who remembers things based upon a string of facts. You remember because you assemble upon a string of facts. You remember because you assemble things in a storytelling form. I would argue that genetically our things in a storytelling form. I would argue that genetically our brains are wired for storytelling. brains are wired for storytelling.

It’s our method of organizing information for presentation to It’s our method of organizing information for presentation to others. I have never known a great teacher, a great political leader others. I have never known a great teacher, a great political leader or a great military leader who also wasn’t a great storyteller. or a great military leader who also wasn’t a great storyteller. Education is a storytelling problem. Leadership is a storytelling Education is a storytelling problem. Leadership is a storytelling problem. problem. –Bran Ferren in 12. 1998 of –Bran Ferren in 12. 1998 of CIO Web Business MagazineCIO Web Business Magazine

George MillerGeorge Miller

Somewhere in our neuro-physiology, Somewhere in our neuro-physiology, we’ve been hard-wired for story. There is a we’ve been hard-wired for story. There is a kind of narrative imperative—we can’t be kind of narrative imperative—we can’t be without stories and we will find them where without stories and we will find them where we can. we can. ––George Miller, director of Mad Max George Miller, director of Mad Max moviesmovies

That Reminds Me of a StoryThat Reminds Me of a Story

Homo NarransHomo Narrans

Exercise: Freeing the metaphorical mindExercise: Freeing the metaphorical mind

Freeing the Metaphorical MindFreeing the Metaphorical Mind

Problems are like . . .Problems are like . . .

Therapy is like . . .Therapy is like . . .

Life is like . . . Life is like . . .

Types of MetaphorsTypes of Metaphors

Fables/parablesFables/parables

True storiesTrue stories

Metaphorical clusters/framesMetaphorical clusters/frames

Life stories and narrativesLife stories and narratives

Therapeutic and teaching storiesTherapeutic and teaching stories

Rituals and symbolsRituals and symbols

Elements of StoriesElements of Stories CharactersCharacters ActionAction Beginnings, middles and endsBeginnings, middles and ends Settings and propsSettings and props Suspense/engagement of interestSuspense/engagement of interest Vague enough to allow for Vague enough to allow for identificationidentification Enough specific details (names, Enough specific details (names, places, actions, sensory details, etc.)places, actions, sensory details, etc.)

Details about people, places or actionDetails about people, places or action DialogueDialogue Repetition of verbal elementsRepetition of verbal elements

Great storytellers 1Great storytellers 1

Orange CheeksOrange Cheeks

Jay O’CallahanJay O’Callahan

Elements of StoriesElements of Stories CharactersCharacters ActionAction Beginnings, middles and endsBeginnings, middles and ends Settings and propsSettings and props Suspense/engagement of interestSuspense/engagement of interest Vague enough to allow for Vague enough to allow for identificationidentification Enough specific details (names, Enough specific details (names, places, actions, sensory details, etc.)places, actions, sensory details, etc.)

Details about people, places or actionDetails about people, places or action DialogueDialogue Repetition of verbal elementsRepetition of verbal elements

Great storytellers 2Great storytellers 2

Flowers and Freckle CreamFlowers and Freckle Cream

Elizabeth EllisElizabeth Ellis

Elements of StoriesElements of Stories CharactersCharacters ActionAction Beginnings, middles and endsBeginnings, middles and ends Settings and propsSettings and props Suspense/engagement of interestSuspense/engagement of interest Vague enough to allow for Vague enough to allow for identificationidentification Enough specific details (names, Enough specific details (names, places, actions, sensory details, etc.)places, actions, sensory details, etc.)

Details about people, places or actionDetails about people, places or action DialogueDialogue Repetition of verbal elementsRepetition of verbal elements

Live StorytellingLive Storytelling

Different voices and postures Different voices and postures for different charactersfor different characters Outline expressionsOutline expressions Voice volumeVoice volume Voice speedVoice speed Gaze/direction of gazeGaze/direction of gaze Body movements/positionsBody movements/positions

Gathering and remembering Gathering and remembering storiesstories

I gather them by noticing what captures I gather them by noticing what captures my attention and what I recall from my attention and what I recall from experiences, reading, watching movies or experiences, reading, watching movies or TV, or talking to peopleTV, or talking to people

I categorize them into “file folders” by I categorize them into “file folders” by themetheme

I retrieve them by associationI retrieve them by association

When to tell storiesWhen to tell stories

When you want to entertain, capture When you want to entertain, capture people’s attention and gently sway them to people’s attention and gently sway them to a new point of viewa new point of view

When logical, rational or persuasive When logical, rational or persuasive approaches aren’t or don’t workapproaches aren’t or don’t work

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou Change the viewingChange the viewing

ResourcesResources

http://www.storytellingcenter.com/http://www.storytellingcenter.com/

http://www.storyteller.net/http://www.storyteller.net/

http://www.audible.comhttp://www.audible.com

http://www.augusthouse.com/http://www.augusthouse.com/

http://www.talltalesaudio.com/http://www.talltalesaudio.com/

http://www.storycenter.org/http://www.storycenter.org/

Bill O’Hanlon, M.S., LMFTPossibilities

223 N. Guadalupe #278Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA

PossiBill@aol.com505.983.2843

Fax 505.983.2761www.billohanlon.com

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