See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/334949511

Narrative Reframing of Stories and Fables: Implications for Counseling

Article in International Journal of Humanities and Social Science · January 2019

DOI: 10.30845/ijhss.v9n6p2

CITATIONS READS
5 422

3 authors, including:

Latoya Pierce Janelle McDaniel

St. Bonaventure University University of Louisiana at Monroe
4 PUBLICATIONS 29 CITATIONS 20 PUBLICATIONS 325 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Janelle McDaniel on 25 October 2023.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 9 • No. 6 • June 2019 doi:10.30845/ijhss.v9n6p2

Narrative Reframing of Stories and Fables: Implications for Counseling

Ida A. Chauvin
Latoya A. Pierce
Louisiana Tech University
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
Ruston, LA 71272, USA
Janelle R. McDaniel
University of Louisiana Monroe
Psychology, Behavioral and Social Sciences
700 University Avenue
Monroe, LA 71209, USA

Abstract
Stories and fables play a vital role in many forms of human communication and even the counseling profession. Lives
and relationships are shaped by the stories we hear and the meaning we give to the experiences shared. When a story
is reframed by a skilled counselor, that narrative can be used as an appropriate tool to expand mind sets, foster
empathy, and even guide moral-decision making. This review examines and summarizes the incorporation of
storytelling (narrative reframing) and its intrinsic value in therapy and in other places. Included in this article is an
overview of using storytelling in both historical and current perspectives. Also discussed are the key concepts of
storytelling, sources and benefits, and the goals along with a discussion of the teaching the narrative skill set to
counseling studentsforuse across populations.
Narrative therapy, primarily developed by Michael White and David Epston and widely practiced by therapists world-
wide, involves listening to and telling stories about individuals and their challenges in order to help clients make
changes and improve their quality of life (for review, see Epston, 1992; White et al., 1990). Storytelling isan age-old
process of presenting a narrative metaphor that makes sense. Stories, tales, metaphors, fables, parables, and folklore
have been used as part of therapeutic healing in a number of ways since ancient history in all ages, cultures, and races.
It has been integrated into all types of therapy such as group, individual, family and couple therapy and used for clients
of all ages (Etchison, & Kleist, 2000). It has been suggested that human beings are narrative by nature and that many of
the lessons learned in life are derived from cognitive moral development (Rusnak, 1985).
The focus of narrative therapy is the collaborative approach between the counselor and client or clients that allows us to
construct a story to give our lived experiences meaning. By the same token, we can also deconstruct those stories and
change the meaning (Angus & Greenberg, 2011). We can also tell stories that will be meaningful to clients and help
them reframe their thoughts, showing how one object or event can have multiple meanings. Narrative reframing is an
interactive approach.
For example, a client approaches the counselor stating that he always wanted to go to college. He attempted and failed
at a university twice, community college twice, technical college and trade schools two or three times, and is currently
looking at another trade. He feels like a failure. One strategy is reframing his thoughts by asking the client to separate
themselves from the problem, trying to see a different perspective. This may reveal some strengths and unrecognized
potential in the client. It could be a powerful revelation when the counselor interprets this story in a different way
(Ricks, Kitchens, &Goodrich, 2014), one where a determined individual never gives up. Having an individual see
themselves as struggling instead of a failure can be powerful. Telling a story about the struggles of others against
insurmountable odds (for example, refugees, victims of national disasters, war and other human plights) may allow
clients to draw a parallel to their own story.
Helpful and timely stories are a part of our personal cultural and individual development. Much of our repertoire for
storytelling comes from the stories told to us in childhood. Often, storytellers have valuable life experiences they use
to draw on for their stories. Aesop, the fable maker of ancient Greece, provided scores of tales with explicit and
specific morals which are still passed through generations.

12
ISSN 2220-8488 (Print), 2221-0989 (Online) ©Center for Promoting Ideas, USA www.ijhssnet.com

In the modern technology era, we now learn stories from television, radio, theater, book, billboards, and from the
Internet, some of which we will pass on to future generations as it has become a part of our own identity (McQueen &
Hobbs, 2014).
Whereas children view stories as entertainment, paying little attention to implicit or vague morals or metaphors,
clinicians find great utility in the practice of telling stories and narrative conversations as it provides an opportunity for
clients to examine, reflect, and recognize empowering strengths and skills (McQueen, C., & Hobbs, C. 2014).American
psychiatrist Milton Erickson based much of his work on this idea by literally telling stories to his patients. Bettleheim
(1975) utilized metaphors, fairy tales, and fables as a means of therapeutic intervention. When we communicate with
other colleagues and peers, we often use self-narrative that enables us to better construe who we are and where we are
going (Gudmundsdottir, 1991). This self-narrative can evolve on a cultural level and give cohesion to these shared
beliefs. Gudmundsdottir (1991) elaborates:“Stories are a part of a narrative way of knowing that is basic to the ways in
which human being understand the world and communicate that understanding to others. Pedagogical content
knowledge is a narrative way of knowing, and describe (sic) how narratives serve as a way of explaining that
understanding to others (Gudmundsdottir, 1991, p. 4).”
Counselors can capitalize on the value of storytelling as part of a balanced approach to therapy. A good story has utility
and can be used repeatedly. Most adults can recall stories from their childhood and the themes associated with them.
Hoyt (2000) insists for this reason that stories, whether read or told, are an asset to civilization. He encourages the use
of both recipe knowledge, which he calls “encyclopedic knowledge,” and a more down-to-earth style of making up the
story as one goes along. Some stories have great utility and can be multimodal in use.
An example of such a story is Aesop‟s The Fox and the Grapes. A hungry fox saw some fine bunches of grapes
hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis and did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could
into the air. But it was all in vain, for they were just out of reach. So he gave up trying and walked away with an air of
dignity and unconcern, remarking "I thought those grapes were ripe, but I see now that they are quite sour.” The moral:
It is easy to despise what you cannot get. – Aesop‟s Fable
In the fable above, a hungry fox has convinced himself that the grapes he put so much effort into obtaining were sour
after all. At first, he saw them as a means to satisfy his current need. Only after exhausting efforts to obtain the grapes,
he blames the grapes, seeing them as the problem. Clients may look to blame or demean others as a means to hide their
own shortcomings much like the fox does in the story. Using another version of the same theme, an unemployed man
may claim that an available job is not good enough for him, citing poor pay perhaps, while in reality, he may actually
be afraid of interviewing for the position for fear of failing to get the job. This thinking is counterproductive and may
thwart many job opportunities. The old fable could be used to help this client understand his underlying feelings,
address his fears, and reframe his thoughts. Past studies have examined the effectiveness of storytelling as an
intervention in vocational rehabilitation work with veterans. If the job interview or job search was likened to a story
while the counselor teaches the client a better story, better outcome occurred (Krieshok, Hastings, and Ebberwein
1999).
In addition, storytelling can be used as a non-confrontational way to approach a subject with a client in an effort to
encourage them to dig deeper into their own thought patterns or attitudes. Some stories can give encouragement or a
gentle lesson in a non-preaching and non-accusing manner. At times a story allows us to see what we do to ourselves
and to others. Without blaming, condemning, or complaining, new ways to solve fundamental problems are revealed to
the client. Well-timed stories may illuminate a problem in a way that incisively gets to the heart of the matter,
eliminating the need for other approaches that may be time-consuming or less effectual.
Stories as a Means of Expanding Mind-Sets
Because stories influence attitudes, behavior, and cultural change, they can allow the counselor to create a climate
which builds unity when diversity exists. Stories can reinforce cultural values and even ethics (Semmler & Williams,
2000). When counselors and therapists share their stories, they can change a client‟s worldviews or perspectives to
include different ideas and solutions that may not have been previously considered. In all settings, stories can reinforce
values and virtues and can fill voids in a client‟s moral education. Counselors are charged with the responsibility of
redirecting, reinforcing, questioning, or affirming a client‟s reality and reasoning infrastructure. Stories allow the
recipient to move away from a current mind-set and see a different solution to similar situation (Harney, 2000) .Mental
health professionals can use storytelling in attempts to expand mind-sets and maybe reach even difficult clients,
possibly those with whom other traditional methods of delivery have failed. In some cases, the counselor needs to
challenge, fine tune, or change these mind-sets that interfere, block, or otherwise prevent healthy relationships and
social living.

13
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 9 • No. 6 • June 2019 doi:10.30845/ijhss.v9n6p2

It has been argued that a good method for teaching values would be one that introduces morals along with teaching
methods of analysis and judgment that produce answers about right and wrong (Sanchez, 1999). Stories can do this
implicitly.
Storytelling helps mental health professionals reveal truths to their listeners (Harney, 2000). Harney further states that
a story acts as a mirror for clients to reflect back on some other real-life struggle or problem and gain a new
prospective. Much of the integrity and moralistic lessons we learn come from literature and the humanities. Even
simple stories can impart life lessons which can be analyzed for their implications. Some lessons may be fallacious and
thus offer room for critical analysis. English author G.K. Chesterton (1908)illustrated this quite well in his analysis of
fairy tales: “If I were describing them in detail I could note many noble and healthy principles that arise from them.
There is the chivalrous lesson of „Jack the Giant Killer;‟ that giants should be killed because they are gigantic… it is a
manly mutiny against pride as such.... There is the lesson of „Cinderella,‟ – exaltavithulimes [the uplifting of the
humble]. There is the great lesson of „Beauty and the Beast;‟ that a thing must be loved before it is lovable. There is
the terrible allegory of the „Sleeping Beauty,‟ which tells how the human creature was blessed with all birthday gifts,
yet cursed with death; and how death also may perhaps be softened to a sleep…. I am concerned with a certain way of
looking at life, which was created in me by the fairy tales… (p. 55)”
In the therapeutic setting, clients often focus on emotions and primal instincts rather than reason and critical thinking.
Storytelling can be used to challenge single-minded, emotionally driven value systems. For example, despite the high
levels of illiteracy in prison, storytelling and analysis of literature is suggested to have the power to change lives,
attitudes, and actions in this population (Trounstine,2007). The humanities emphasize values, community building, and
cognitive skills, all of which aid in moral decision making. Trounstine further suggests that literature can aid inmates
in changing their lives. If one can think through a character‟s role, they can think themselves through life‟s problems.
Using the Narrative Metaphor to Externalize Problems
A story can stimulate critical and creative thinking allowing the individual to transfer knowledge about a place, time, or
event. To do this, the story must have a theme. The theme of a fable is its moral; a parable, its teaching; a work of
fiction, its view of life and behavior. The client can extract the theme from the characters, the action, and the setting
that make up the story. It is the duty of the storyteller to make the connection with the client by finding somecommon
ground.Counselors knows that preaching and moralizing to clients are not agents for change. Through narrative
therapy, which at the foundation is storytelling, counselors and educators can make attempts to examine and use the
meanings and consequences that are the foundation of the stories and experiences clients bring to therapy (Semmler&
Williams, 2000). The use of narrative therapy can externalize the moral of the story for the client so that “self-healing
resources inherent in the soul can speak to us of its neglected longings and make us whole” (Parry, 1997, p. 120).
Telling a story to a client can reveal new and better ways for them to solve problems, see other‟s views, exchange
ideas, and draw parallels to their own current issues. The use of stories and parables has been recommended to help
clients in therapy visualize and resolve the major issues between the story and their actual lives (Harney, 2000).
Deeply ingrained in our society are the rules and principles by which we live. Thinking about “lived experience” from
different perspectives and generating alternative stories can allow the client to behave in different and better ways
(White et al., 1990).Wexler (1996) believes that literature contributes to the exercise of the moral imagination. If
clients can be made aware of the subtle yet relevant complexities of a situation, in other words, the multi-
dimensionality of a problem, and connect this with the human experience, literature will encourage them to empathize
with others and understand their inner selves and their motives and behaviors.
Storytelling as an Educational Tool
Narrative storytelling has long been an important part of educational and psychological research communities
(Polkinghorne, 1988; Saebin, 1986). Although there are relatively few scientific findings about the effectiveness of
storytelling alone as a means of therapy, it has been shown to be an effective complementary tool for guiding in the
classroom. Besides introducing or reinforcing values and virtues, narrative therapy and storytelling can be effectively
substituted and used as an alternative way to reveal truths. Most educational professionals use a type of narrative
unconsciously without realizing they are doing so. Morton (1996) describes group work using narratives as an
approach to educational therapy. In the school setting, storytelling can be a great opportunity for a student to get
through emotional difficulties while the teacher skillfully guides the process (Morton, 1996).Play therapists, too, have
long been proponents of storytelling as a tool for children to express their conflicts and anxieties. Sharing and creating
a common experience aid in the development of the client‟s ability to interpret events beyond the immediate
experience. Through art and stories, children share their perception, reactions, and stressors in a safe and supportive
setting (McNamee &DeChaiara, 1996). Carlson and Arthur (1999) maintain that the use of stories allows children in
therapy to separate themselves from the hurtful experience and deal instead with the theme symbolically.
14
ISSN 2220-8488 (Print), 2221-0989 (Online) ©Center for Promoting Ideas, USA www.ijhssnet.com

Webb (2007) focuses on the treatment of children who have experienced crises resulting from psychological, physical,
or environmental events. Because children do not have the coping mechanisms of adults and sometimes lack adequate
familial support to deal with such stressful situations, storytelling and other devices of play therapy can be useful
methods of dealing with these intense and traumatic events.
Storytelling in Counselor Education
For many counseling graduate students, the crux of their degree program is to begin learning how to utilize counseling
skills and interventions. It is the exciting time when students can flex their counseling muscle and begin the application
phase of learning. Storytelling can be a powerful skill to put into their counseling toolbox. As most graduate programs
have a Techniques or Pre-Practicum course, storytelling can easily be incorporated into the pyramid of micro skills that
are introduced to students. There are three ways to accomplish this goal: 1) lecture as an introduction, 2) role plays as
practice, and 3) reflection papers or case scenarios to analyze the skill. Lecture is typically the starting point to
introduce any new concept to students. The instructor has the capacity to introduce the idea of storytelling, why it is
used, and the meaning it could potentially create for the client. The easiest way to provide an example of course is for
the instructor to tell a story and process it with the class as a whole. This mode of teaching storytelling has the
potential to do two things. First, it will give individual students an opportunity to discuss their personal meaning from
the story. If a climate of safety has already been established, students may feel empowered by sharing their
interpretation of the story. Empowerment is typically a client goal and a basic tenet of counseling in general. Secondly,
it allows each student to observe and vicariously learn how their interpretation of the story is similar or different from
others. This occurrence helps to broaden the students‟ perspective which is also a goal for counselors in training as it
relates to cultural competence and the ability to work with a diverse group of clients.
Role plays are always a popular vehicle for engaging in new counseling skills as they afford the students the
opportunity to practice what they have learned. Once students are taught how to do storytelling, the best way to practice
it is to incorporate it into a role play. The instructor may initially provide a “staged” example or model of how to utilize
storytelling in a role play so students can clearly see how to bridge the skill from simply being a principle to applying it
in the context of a mock session. Once students have seen storytelling utilized, they may become more aware of the
opportunities to use it in their own role plays with each other. As a technique, storytelling can also enhance the
dynamic between counselor and client. For counselors, storytelling keeps the therapist in the “facilitator” role instead of
the “advice giving” role. As a general rule, counselors use advice-giving sparingly as it has the capacity to foster client
dependence or hinder the relationship if the advice is not successful. It is a much better guideline to help the client
generate their own solutions and for the counselor to simply facilitate the process. Storytelling allows the counselor to
provide a different perspective to the client without simply giving advice. It provides a creative way to give the client a
new lens or outlook on their circumstances and eventually propel them towards change. This concept can be a part of
discussion or process time in the techniques or pre-practicum course.
Lastly, storytelling can be incorporated into reflection papers or exams. Like any other counseling skill, students must
be given the opportunity to reflect upon their experience using the skill and what meaning it creates. Essentially,
students must be able to analyze when it is most appropriate to use the skill, how to use it, and how to help the client
create symbolism from storytelling. Reflection papers are a widely used approach to help students formulate their
thoughts, feelings, and opinions about the concept. A case scenario is another way to help students analyze the use of
storytelling and could be utilized in two different ways. First, the instructor could provide a client profile/scenario and
the story that the counselor would utilize. The student can then discuss how the story might be helpful to the client.
The other option (which might be considered more advanced) could be for the instructor to provide a client profile and
simply ask the student to generate a story that might be helpful to this client. It is important to note that the student
should have a plethora of story examples to choose from before attempting option two. The latter option may be
utilized for a final exam or for students who have developmentally demonstrated the capacity to conceptualize a clear
understanding of storytelling first. To review, storytelling can be incorporated into a techniques or pre-practicum
course in a number of ways. Lecture, role plays, and reflection papers/case scenarios are simply a few mechanisms to
get students comfortable with this microskill. As students continue to practice storytelling, it will become second nature
to them and they will eventually find those moments in which it can be very useful to the client.
Limitations
Storytelling and narrative therapy, despite all of the positive attributes, do have some criticisms. For example,
sometimes clients or students cannot make the proper connection, leaving the counselor or educator to offer their own
explanation as opposed to the client or student coming up with their own. If narrative is subject to different
interpretations, such as cultural, interpersonal, linguistic, and cognitive variables, as Kelly (1999) suggests, how can we
truly judge that a person correctly decodes the information?
15
 International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 9 • No. 6 • June 2019 doi:10.30845/ijhss.v9n6p2

It is worth mentioning that in utilizing narratives, the counselor must consider the story, the storytelling, and the
cognitive level of the listener. Most proponents will agree that if there is a breakdown of any of these parts, then the
resulting interpretation is less meaningful. This highlights the need for the counselor to be aware of their role in
assisting in the process by expanding on the information.
Conclusion
Whether counselors reframe the client story or share their stories, they can change clients‟ worldviews or perspectives
to include options and ideas never considered in the past. Stories reveal traits to clients that may be previously
unknown. Like teaching history and literature through narratives and storytelling, we can build better and stronger
relationships with one another, regardless of cultural background. In a global sense, we can strengthen communities
and promote healing and healthy relationships. In any event, the issue of promoting moral development, character
development, and ethics through communication training still remains fertile ground for further investigation. The
strength in the message of a narrative lies with the story, the presentation, and its application. The opportunities for
incorporating stories with other theories beyond the ones presented here are limited only by the creativity of the
therapist.
References
Angus, L. E., & Greenberg, L. S. (2011). Working with narrative in emotion-focused therapy: Changing stories,
healing lives. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/12325-000
Bettelheim, B. (1975). The uses of enchantment: The meaning and importance of fairy tales. New York:
Knopf.Carlson, R. & Arthur, N. (1999). Play therapy and the therapeutic use of story. Canadian Journal of
Counseling, 33(3), p. 212-226.
Chesterton, G. K. (1908). Orthodoxy. New York.
Epston, D. (1992). Experience, contradiction, narrative & imagination: selected papers of David Epston& Michael
White, 1989-1991. Adelaide: Dulwich Centre Publications.
Etchison, M., & Kleist, D. M. (2000). Review of narrative therapy: Research and utility. The Family Journal, 8(1), 61-
66.
Gudmundsdottir, S. (1991). Story‐ maker, story‐ teller: narrative structures in curriculum. J. Curriculum Studies,
23(3), 207-218
Harney, K. (2000). Visualizing psychological concepts in stories, parables, and riddles. Counseling and Values, 44(3),
p. 222-227
Hoyt, M. (2000). Some Stories are Better than Others: Doing What Works in Brief Therapy and Managed Care.
Philadelphia, PA: Brunner/Mazel, Inc.
Kelly, T. (1999). Towards a “Common Sense” Deconstruction in Narrative Therapy. Unpublished manuscript.
Krieshok, T., Hastings, S., Ebberwein, C., Wettersten, K., & Owen, A., (1999). Telling a good story: using narratives
in vocational rehabilitation with veterans. Career Development Quarterly, 47(3), p. 204-214.
McNamee,A. S.,&De Chiara, E. (1996). Inviting StoriesTo Help Young Children Cope with Stressful Life Experiences.
McQueen, C., & Hobbs, C. (2014). Working with parents: Using narrative therapy to work towards genuine
partnership. Educational And Child Psychology, 31(4), 9-17.
Morton, G. (1996). The Therapeutic Potential of Storymaking With Children. Educational Therapy and Therapeutic
Teaching, 5-17.
Parry, A. (1997). Why we tell stories: The narrative construction of reality. Transactional Analysis Journal, 27, p. 118-127.
Polkinghorne, D. E. (1988). Narrative knowing and the human sciences. Suny Press.
Ricks, L., Kitchens, S., Goodrich, T. My story: The use of narrative therapy in individual and groupcounseling. Journal
of Creativity in Counseling, Mar 2014.https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2013.870947
Rusnak, T. (1985). Are Morals Caught or Taught? Education Research Quarterly, 9, p. 37-42.
Sarbin, T. R. (1986). Narrative psychology: The storied nature of human conduct. Praeger Publishers/Greenwood
Publishing Group.
Sanchez, T. R. (1998). Using stories about heroes to teach values. ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social
Science Education.Semmler, P. & Williams, C. (2000). Narrative therapy: A storied context for multicultural
counseling. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 28,(1), p. 51-62.
Trounstine, J. (2007). Texts as teachers: Shakespeare behind bars and changing lives through literature. New Directions
for Adult and Continuing Education, 2007(116), 65-77.
Webb, N. B. E. (2007). Play therapy with children in crisis: Individual, group, and family treatment. Guilford Press.
White, M., White, M. K., Wijaya, M., &Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. WW Norton &
Company.

16

View publication stats