Publications

Publication details [#11971]

Liang, Liu and Hudong Zhao. 2014. Use of metaphors in Chinese family therapy: a qualitative study. Journal of Family Therapy 36 (S1) : 65–85. 21 pp.
Publication type
Article in journal
Publication language
English
Place, Publisher
John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Abstract

The article focuses on metaphors used by Chines family therapists. The study of transcripts of 36 hour long recordings of family and couple therapy sessions with 18 Chinese patients revealed two major categories, viz. verbal and non-verbal metaphors. The former were subdivided into 4 groups: story, object comparison, sayings and age. The latter consisted of two subgroups: gesture and spatialization. The interface of culture and metaphors from particular groups is discussed and a question of how metaphor can be integrated in therapy in the Chinese context is addressed.