Of Mice and Metaphors

Jerrold R. Brandell, Ph.D., BCD is Distinguished Professor and Coordinator, Doctoral Concentration in Clinical Scholarship, Wayne State University School of Social Work (Detroit), where he has taught since 1992. He has held visiting professorships at the Zurich Hoechschule fuer Angewandte Wissenschaften (Switzerland), Lund University (Sweden) and the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), and has led workshops and lectured widely on clinical topics in the United States and abroad. A practicing child, adolescent, and adult psychotherapist, and psychoanalyst, he is the author or editor of twelve books, including Countertransference in Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents (1992). Psychodynamic Social Work (Columbia, 2004), and Essentials of Clinical Social Work (2014). He is the (Founding) Editor of Psychoanalytic Social Work, and also serves on several other editorial boards. Recognized as a distinguished practitioner by the National Academies of Practice, he maintains a part-time practice in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

A Prefatory Note Prologue Chapter 1: Stories and Reciprocal Storytelling in Dynamic Child Psychotherapy Children's Stories: An Overview of the Literature What Is Reciprocal Storytelling? When Is Reciprocal Storytelling Useful and with Which Patients? Eliciting the Child's Story The Lesson or Moral Poststory Discussion The Therapist's Role in the Storytelling Process What Are the Most Important Components of Children's Stories? Which Theoretical Frameworks Are Compatible with Reciprocal Storytelling? The Case of Tony Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 2: Autogenic Stories, Projective Drawings, and the Clinical Assessment Process The Case of Sean The Case of Robert The Case of David The Case of Carl Using Squiggle Drawings in Conjunction with Diagnostic Stories The Case of Danny The Case of Annie The Case of Derek Stories Used for Evaluative Purposes Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 3: Narrative and Historical Meaning in Child Psychotherapy Historical and Narrative Discourse: Theoretical Perspectives Clinical Assessment in Child Psychotherapy: The Cultivation and Synthesis of "Data" The Narrative Discourse in Child Psychotherapy Autogenic Stories: Royal Road to the Child's Narrative The Case of Jed Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 4: Applications to Special Clinical Issues and Problems of Childhood The Case of Sean, Revisited: Responding to an Environmental Crisis The Case of Naima: Severe Separation Anxiety in a 7-Year-Old Transracial Adoptee The Case of Roberta: Depletion Depression in a Biracial Child Storytelling with a Borderline Child: Therapeutic Considerations The Case of Harry Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 5: The Unfolding of the Narrative in the Psychotherapy of a Traumatized 10-Year-Old Boy Treatment Considerations The Case of Nathan Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 6: Transference Dimensions of the Storytelling Process Historical and Contemporary Perspectives The Case of Mattie: Illustration of a Selfobject Transference Countertransference Phenomena Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 7: Secrecy and Trauma: An Adopted Child's Psychotherapy Pertinent History Bruce's Treatment Begins "The Snake That Came Out of the Hole" "The Ghost with a Conscience" "The Boy Who Felt Like a Ghost" "The Bird That Never Laughed" Countertransference Themes in Bruce's Treatment Conclusion and Further Reflections Discussion Questions Chapter 8: What Else Can Stories Tell Us? Using Children's Metaphorical Communications as a Measure of Therapeutic Progress The Case of John Summary Discussion Questions Epilogue Appendix References Index About the Author

"Of Mice and Metaphors: Therapeutic Storytelling with Children by Jerrold R. Brandell is a fascinating presentation on the use of storytelling as a powerful tool in psychodynamic therapy with children. Using an economy of words that are strongly supported by literature and empirical evidence and illustrated with actual case studies and vignettes, Brandell offers not just an explanation but a how-to guide." -- Van Vaughn "This is an ambitious clinical and educational text that informs assessment, diagnoses, case conceptualizations and therapeutic approaches with a wide range of children using autogenic storytelling. Brandell reviews the theoretical basis of this technique and provides very clear case examples with detailed discussions to illustrate its uses." -- Gaston Weisz PRAISE FOR THE PREVIOUS EDITION "In this clear, well-written book, Dr. Brandell gives us a lucid exposition of the power of storytelling as part of a psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy for children and adolescents. With many vivid clinical illustrations, he demonstrates the utility of storytelling for assessment, creating an alliance, producing change, and, as a research tool, for measuring outcome. Dr. Brandell is an inspiring teacher, and his book has much to teach both beginning and experienced child therapists." -- Jack Novick "Of Mice and Metaphors offers a gold mine of clinical material. Brandell amply demonstrates the power and effectiveness of his approach. His case illustrations vividly detail how children unveil their psychodynamics through the stories they tell, and his responses give evidence of his empathic attunement and immersion in the children's psychological lives. Both beginning and seasoned therapists will find much to draw on from the contents of this book." -- Joseph Palombo "A compelling account by a master clinician of the use of reciprocal storytelling technique." -- Charles E. Schaefer