Before the rise of brief therapy and solution-focused approaches, David Gordon was a student of the co-founders of NLP, Richard Bandler and John Grinder. While Bandler and Grinder focused on the structure of subjective experience (leading to classics like The Structure of Magic ), Gordon took a specific interest in language patterns.
[Analyze Client Problem] ➔ [Translate to New Setting] ➔ [Introduce Resource/Shift] ➔ [Resolve Narrative]
Erickson was famous for telling seemingly simple, rambling stories that triggered profound, positive changes in his patients. Gordon deconstructed Erickson's intuitive storytelling genius into a structured, replicable methodology. In 1978, he published Therapeutic Metaphors , providing a step-by-step blueprint for crafting custom tailored stories that facilitate psychological change. What is a Therapeutic Metaphor? david gordon therapeutic metaphors pdf
For clinicians, students, and researchers searching for a or comprehensive guide, understanding his structural approach to narrative therapy is essential. This article explores the core concepts of David Gordon’s framework, how to construct therapeutic metaphors, and their practical applications in clinical settings. Who is David Gordon?
: How to use specific sensory details (sight, sound, touch) to make a story more vivid and engaging for the listener. Part III: Representational Systems Before the rise of brief therapy and solution-focused
: Gordon teaches how to deconstruct a client's problem into its core dynamics—people involved, sequential patterns, and obstacles—to ensure the story accurately mirrors the client's experience. Self-Discovery
Most therapists ignore the client’s current worldview. Gordon demands you use it. If the client believes "life is a battlefield," you don't tell a garden metaphor. You tell a battlefield story. You must enter their "map of the world" via the metaphor. For clinicians, students, and researchers searching for a
The seminal work by David Gordon , titled Therapeutic Metaphors: Helping Others Through the Looking Glass