FEATURES OF THE APPLICATION OF METAPHORICAL ASSOCIATION CARDS IN WORKING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA

Abstract

The article focuses on the problem of using metaphorical associative cards (MAC) in working with psychological trauma, in particular, trauma caused by war. On the basis of the performed theoretical analysis and the author's own practical experience, the key features of the application of MAC in working with psychological trauma are formulated, namely: for full healing from psychological trauma, working only with MAC is not enough, because the discussion of the image is carried out mainly at the level of consciousness and does not involve the human body, work with which is also necessary; the use of MAC may be appropriate at certain stages of work with psychological trauma, but this is only part of the therapeutic program; when working with psychological trauma, the use of MAC as material for storytelling will be acceptable; work with MAC can be considered a certain crisis intervention, if we take into account the nature of the questions that the psychologist formulates during the discussion with the client of a certain metaphorical image; the advantage of using MAC during a therapeutic conversation about a traumatic experience is the creation of a conditionally safe space and environmental friendliness; one should be extremely careful in using MAC in working with people who have experienced a traumatic experience, since virtually any image can become a trigger and provoke violent uncontrolled reactions; in the absence of images on the metaphorical map, the work with MAC can be continued as work on the development of imagination and flexibility of thinking; MAC can be successfully used in working with meanings and existential problems, questions of existential content actualize, accordingly, precisely existential meanings, help to switch a person's attention from mental reactions to the spiritual dimension, to distance oneself from the mental to the spiritual; MAC is a good tool (and/or) material for working with human resources, that is, something that supports a person and strengthens his strength.