Storytelling in Child and Adolescent Therapy—Gregor, the Dragon

Stories with fairy tale elements can be effectively used up to primary school age in children. An example shows how therapy was successfully conducted with an aggressive child. The therapist used a positive identification figure, the dragon, to transform the boy’s aggression into positive energy. The involvement of parents and siblings can be beneficial in therapy. They are an additional source of ideas and information, and when the stories told are heard by all involved, favorable interactions usually occur. For adolescents, informative anecdotal and metaphorical stories in their area of interest are often useful.