Once Upon a Time: Fairy tale and Story-writing therapy when working with children and adults

Stories allow children and adults alike “to explore who they are and how they feel or what they yearn for saying within the protected word of the imaginary" (Waters, 2004; p.1)

Let us step on Aladdin's carpet and travel together to the realm of fairy tales; on the way exploring the therapeutic use of fairy tales through specific experiential activities that we will be embarking on.

Once upon a time …stories were created. Some fairy tales have accompanied us during our childhood, helping us express meaningful life experiences and feelings. Perhaps it is time to add a chapter to these fairy tales or to write a new fairy tale altogether.

Story-writing can provide us with the opportunity to re-story or reframe our personal experience (Waters, 2004). The actual act of writing or telling our stories is therapeutic within itself. The narrative mode in stories is mainly associated with right-brain activity…