Sometimes the hardest experiences in life are also the hardest to put into words. Trauma, grief, or depression often live beyond literal description, making them difficult to process through direct conversation alone. This is where therapeutic metaphor becomes a powerful tool in psychotherapy and counseling.
Whether in hypnosis or traditional therapy, metaphor use allows clients to explore their internal world symbolically, bypassing the brain’s defenses. Through metaphoric language and imagery, clients gain insight and discover possibilities for growth. At Kass Therapy and Hypnosis in New York City, Dr. Noah Kass integrates metaphor therapy with hypnosis and narrative therapy to help clients reshape old beliefs and reclaim a healthier sense of self.
Begin rewriting your internal world through the healing lens of creative healing therapy at Kass Therapy and Hypnosis. Reach out today.
What is a Therapeutic Metaphor?
A therapeutic metaphor is more than a figure of speech. It is a figurative language construct: an emotionally engaging image, story, or phrase that reflects a client’s lived experience. Unlike their literal counterparts, metaphors act as bridges between conscious understanding and subconscious emotional processing.
For example:
- A client might describe carrying “a heavy backpack” of worries, representing emotional burdens.
- Another may say they are “stuck at a crossroads”, a metaphor for decision-making in relationships or intimate aspects of life.
- In hypnosis, clients often create images of light, nature, or a path forward, all serving as helpful anchors in the healing process.
Sometimes these are client-generated metaphors; other times a therapist introduces new metaphors to spark emotional shifts.
Why Metaphor is So Powerful in Therapy
The subconscious mind responds more easily to stories and symbols than to abstract reasoning. Metaphor bypasses defenses, allowing insights to land in ways that feel natural, intuitive, and deeply personal.
- In narrative therapy, clients can reframe their identities by externalizing problems (“the storm” instead of “my anxiety”).
- In hypnosis, metaphors can be used to create vivid imagery that rewires the brain’s emotional responses.
- In both approaches, metaphor supports creative healing therapy, helping clients move from being stuck in a cycle of pain to seeing themselves as survivors, creators, and meaning-makers.
The Science Behind Metaphor Therapy
While metaphors may sound poetic, their impact is grounded in both clinical psychology and cognitive neuroscience. According to neuroimaging studies published in the American Journal of Psychology and related university research, the brain processes metaphoric language differently than literal statements. When clients hear or create a therapeutic metaphor, multiple brain regions responsible for emotion, imagery, and understanding light up—making the experience more emotionally engaging and memorable.
This biological response helps explain why metaphor functions are so integral to psychotherapy. They activate both emotional and cognitive networks, allowing clients to explore pain, grief, or depression safely and symbolically. By engaging figurative language, metaphor therapy encourages the person to link abstract concepts to their lived reality, turning insight into tangible healing.
Dr. Kass uses this understanding intentionally, helping clients recognize their own symbolic patterns and use client-generated metaphors to shape new meaning. Over periods of consistent practice, this approach supports emotional regulation, self-care, and long-term growth, illustrating how metaphor use bridges art, science, and healing in a truly therapeutic way.
Healing Trauma Through Creative Storytelling
When someone is caught in cycles of self-criticism or pain, they may feel trapped in a single story: “I’m powerless,” “I’m broken,” or “I can’t change.” By introducing new metaphors, a therapist can emphasize resilience, self-care, and healing.
For example, a child struggling with fear might imagine growing into a tall tree with deep roots. An adult facing grief may picture themselves crossing a bridge into the light. In both cases, metaphoric language helps the person find connection, strength, and a renewed sense of self.
This is the essence of creative healing therapy: using metaphoric language to encourage understanding, self care, and guide clients toward their intended outcome—ultimately a more balanced, hopeful future.
Rewriting Your Story Through Therapy
If you’ve been feeling stuck in old narratives or struggling with the consequences of emotional pain, exploring therapeutic metaphor may be the next step.
At Kass Therapy and Hypnosis, Dr. Noah Kass combines psychotherapy, hypnosis, and narrative therapy with metaphor therapy to help clients reshape their internal world, discover new metaphors, and chart a path toward healing.
Reclaim your narrative with narrative therapy and therapeutic metaphor—a powerful path to emotional processing and healing. Contact Kass Therapy and Hypnosis today