The Storytelling Room
About This Technique
Storytelling is an important tool for play therapists to understand some of the underlying issues that child might be going through.
About This Room
The room features an image of a stage, the Storytelling Card Deck, and a counter to give points to children who tell a story. Children are sometimes reluctant to make up stories, but letting them earn points for each story, which can then be used to win prizes, can be a significant motivator.
You can use this Room for various storytelling techniques, and one of our favorites is the Mutual Storytelling Technique.
The Mutual Storytelling Technique was developed by Richard A. Gardner, MD. The technique is unique because it is in a game format, and relies on the therapist to tell “corrective” stories after the child has told a story. The child (and the therapist) get 1 point for telling a story, and 2 points for telling the moral of the story. Gardner points out that the moral that a child tells is particularly revealing of his or her underlying issues. Click here to find a more detailed description of the technique.
Using the Elements in Other Rooms
The Storytelling Card Deck can be used in any Room where you want to have individual or groups of children tell psychologically meaningful stories.
Adding Elements and Content
Click here to find additional backgrounds for your Storytelling Room. You can also add images from the Internet or even images that a child provides. For example, you could direct a child to “take a picture of a place in your house or your neighborhood that would make an interesting story.”
There are a variety of Figures and Emojis that can be used in stories, but you can also add images of your own or ones that your clients are interested in. Just find an image on the internet or take a photo on your camera and upload it to the Room.
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