In story telling as a therapeutic technique, what is a key step after the client creates a make-believe show?

• A. The therapist records their own version and revises it to promote coping or behavior changes.
• B. The therapist immediately offers direct interpretations of the symbolism.
• C. The client rewrites the story so the therapist approves it.
• D. The session ends without reflection.

Answer: (A)

In storytelling as a therapeutic technique, the goal is to use the client’s imagination and narratives to illuminate patterns, coping resources, and possibilities for change. After the client creates a make-believe show, a key step is for the therapist to record their own version of the story and revise it to promote coping or behavior changes. This practice provides a concrete, reflective model that the client can compare with their original narrative, helping them see alternative endings, new strategies, and more adaptive ways of responding. It keeps the process collaborative and narrative-focused rather than directive, inviting the client to explore how changes in thinking or action might lead to different outcomes. The other options miss this collaborative, reframing function: direct interpretations can interrupt the client’s meaning-making; requiring the client to rewrite for the therapist’s approval centers the therapist’s control; and ending without reflection forecloses the opportunity to integrate insights into real-life coping.