Sometimes a child returns from school, angry. Seeing that he has had a difficult day, we as parents ask : What happened? He replies angrily, nothing, leave me alone. We are at a loss, do not know what happened and how we can help our child. One option, for example, is to look at our dog and tell the child, look at the dog, I wonder why he is sad, he must have missed us all day, and ask the child what he thinks happened to the dog. Many times the child will tell what he went through that day, as if they were the dog's experiences. One can make up a story about the boy next door, who is suddenly angry and his parents do not know what to do, and ask the boy what he thinks could have happened to the neighbor.
It's amazing how stories similar to ours, of someone else (third position) can open hearts. It happened to me when I was doing this with a patient that he suddenly spilled what had happened to him and also a lot of issues bothering him. The conversation became fluid and close, an hour passed quickly and I had a chance to help him with his struggles. Sharing our stories, giving metaphors examples, may open hearts, It can help children and adults alike. Naturally it is easier for us to talk about somebody else or a metaphor when we share our feelings. It gives parents the opportunity to find out what is happening in the child's heart, what he is going through, allows to discover social problems for example or other difficulties . I would be happy to help you too with Love The Breathing