The Therapeutic Use of Metaphor in Recreational Therapy | The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt

The Therapeutic Use of Metaphor in Recreational Therapy

August 9, 2010 —

The Therapeutic Use of Metaphor in Recreational Therapy

written by Melissa Thompson, CTRS and Teresa Marvel, CTRS/PT, Recreational Therapists at the Retreat

Metaphors can be very powerful tools in treatment and recovery. They can serve to enable a person to have one brief experience represent a larger theme in their lives. Metaphors are used in various ways throughout the Retreat’s programming, particularly in Recreational Therapy services. Modalities that are heavy in metaphor include rock climbing, experiential therapy, ropes course, equine assisted psychotherapy, and adventure sports outings.

Rock climbing is done on a weekly basis on the Retreat. Residents are encouraged to attend the short trip to Earth Treks, a top-notch indoor rock climbing facility. There are several common themes that often arise in these sessions. Using a challenging climb as a metaphor for something that a resident is struggling to overcome can be a powerful experience when the person is able to complete the climb. Support of the belayer (the person holding the ropes) can translate to the importance of creating and maintaining one’s support network at home. Residents have to confront issues around their ability to trust others and ask for help when they need it. Often times, a resident’s persistence and determination are indicated by their climbing experiences. Rock climbing is loaded with potential for seeing life and therapy metaphorically.

Experiential Therapy allows the resident to engage in specific tasks or initiatives for therapeutic learning. The term “experiential” comes from the idea that the resident learns their through the experience of doing the activity. The initiatives generally result in an increased awareness of one’s patterns of behavior and communication in which they engage in their everyday lives and relationships. A wide variety of metaphors can present themselves, depending on the individual and the specific activity. For instance, trust could be explored through the use of blindfolds while relying on others to safely guide the participant through an obstacle. Metaphors relating to a person’s patterns of communication and interactions with others often arise.

With the exception of the cold winter months, residents have a monthly opportunity to participate in a ropes course with the group. The ropes course utilizes a series of low ropes, which are just a few feet off the ground, and high ropes, which are twenty to thirty feet above the ground. Facing fears, setting and achieving personal goals, and trust often are themes experienced in these activities. Ropes course elements can be individual which focus more on internal struggles, or group which focus on dynamics and interactions with others.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is offered in both group and individual opportunities at The Horse Inspired Growth and Learning Center. Often times a particular horse will serve as a metaphor by representing a particular person in the resident’s life. Working with the horses also offers opportunities to look at how a person communicates, and how to be more effective in one’s interpersonal communication. Since the interventions are so varied within this therapy, a multitude of metaphors and themes can arise.

Finally, adventure sports outings can provide opportunities for the use of metaphor. Activities like white water rafting, sailing, and skiing and snowboarding are offered seasonally at the Retreat. Both rafting and sailing are activities in which several people must work together toward a common goal. In one common metaphor, the activity represents the group process of the resident’s treatment team, including the resident, working together toward a common goal. Another theme that is explored is how the resident interacts in social settings. These activities offer an element of risk that challenges the resident out of their comfort zone. By stepping out of their comfort zone the resident can address obstacles or barriers that block them from moving forward. The rocks that are faced in a whitewater rafting trip are barriers that need to be maneuvered around. They might be presented for a resident as barriers in their life that need to be addressed.

All these activities require physical effort, and this active engagement of the senses and muscles of the body creates a different pathway for learning. There is a vibrant, in-the-moment quality to the experience that can be quite powerful. We find that this complements and enhances the cognitive and emotional work done in more traditional therapy groups and individual sessions on the Retreat. The experiences a resident has during a rock climbing outing or a whitewater rafting trip can be powerful and insightful. Change, moving toward a goal, feeling stuck, and fear of failure are all common themes of life that one can transcend through metaphorical learning in Recreational Therapy.