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Story, Metaphor and Pattern: a Key to Problem-solving and the Basic Human Language

Joseph Griffin and Pat Williams
June 6

From the moment we are born, human beings are specialised for pattern recognition. It is becoming ever clearer that the biological and psychological bases of metaphor, pattern and problem-solving are actually human 'givens' - part of human nature. We couldn't have evolved without them, and we are a truly metaphorical species. At every level metaphor plays an important role in the generation of understanding and in the solving of problems, both in therapeutic situations and in our daily lives. Indeed its misuse can actually create problems.

This seminar will focus on these functions of metaphor and on the fact that stories - and visual metaphors - have been used in all ages, places and cultures: sophisticated templates which can contain and transmit analogies and patterns of perception. Storytelling is, in fact, the oldest profession, born with mankind's very first words and reaching the parts that other things can't reach. The seminar is designed not only to communicate some of this understanding, but also to stimulate in participants the pleasure and appreciation of stories as entities in themselves.

Joseph Griffin is a psychologist well-known in the Health Service for his seminars on the effective treatment of mental disorders. His research has focused on metaphor in human psychology and development. He is the author of The Origin of Dreams.

Pat Williams was founder-director of the London College of Storytellers and works as a writer, lecturer and psychotherapist. She was co-author of a best-selling encyclopaedia of human beliefs, and another of her books, published pseudonymously, was American Psychology Today's book club choice, alternate with Bronowski's The Ascent of Man.