Touching Stories: Massage and Metaphor

You can learn a simple massage for the back here

Story massage is a really simple way to bond with your child and help them heal some of their issues through metaphor. 

Storytelling has earned its place as the most important tradition humans possess. We associate with a story, imagination is roused and connections are made with ah ha moments in the land of possibility. Stories can deliver messages to the sub-conscious mind where there is no resistance.

Metaphor builds connections, allowing learning to take place and effecting change. If a picture paints 1000 words, metaphor paints 1000 pictures.

The power of story telling and metaphor cannot be underestimated. This combined with touch creates an incredibly powerful language that reaches deep into the unconscious of the recipient and begins to instal new neural pathways. Story massage can be used very effectively to help your child embrace their life story.

You will learn:

• Touch and its importance to emotional and physical wellbeing (with safer caring in mind) 
• The role of oxytocin
• How to be with a touch defensive child
• Developing ways to motivate children through story and develop flexibility of thought
• Story massage and the power of metaphor
• Embedding powerful messages into stories
• Creating stories for your child
• Creative ways to work with life stories
• Relaxation and mindfulness for children

Story for children who compare themselves unfavourably with others

One night the moon was feeling very sad

She had watched the sun in the daytime, shining, making the world a warm and happy place where flowers and trees grew

All the moon did was watch people sleep

Sometimes she’d be covered by cloud and be invisible

Sometimes she just wanted to drop out of the sky

Then one night the strong winds came and the clouds were blown away

The moon looked down at the sea and saw her reflection and how big and magnificent she was

Then she noticed on the beach a whale that had been stranded by the tide going out and she thought “I must help”

Using her magic force she pulled the wave back up the beach and the whale swam back to the sea

The whale blew a thank you through her spout and the moon shone proudly forever

Jealousy

The little giraffe was very proud of his long neck. It meant that he could see higher than anyone else and eat delicious leaves off the tall trees. 

He loved being with his mum and playing with all the other giraffes.

The little elephant loved having a long trunk. He could suck up water and squirt it over his back whenever he was hot and squirt water at all the other baby elephants.

One hot sunny day, all the giraffes and elephants from the African plain went down to the water hole to drink. Usually the animals went peacefully without bother as elephants and giraffes can live side by side and share the area where they live.

On this hot and dusty afternoon however the little giraffe was feeling grumpy from being so hot and thirsty.

He went to the water hole to drink and found his long neck really bothersome. He had to stretch is legs out and bend a long way to get the water.

When he looked up at the little elephant, drinking so easily and have fun with the other elephants, he just exploded with rage.

It just wasn’t fair that he had such long legs. Why should the elephant have a trunk to drink and squirt water when he didn’t.

He barged past his mum and almost knocked her over and ran off into the forest, trampling the grass flat and scaring the birds.

He hadn’t had a drink so to keep his mind off being thirsty he started munching the delicious leaves from the top of the trees. The munching and chewing calmed him a little.

Then he heard a strange sound. He looked around and saw nothing.

Then he looked down and saw the little elephant had come into the forest and was shedding a tear.

He was so hungry but all the leaves from low down on the trees had been eaten long ago.

There was nothing that the little elephant could reach.

The giraffe came up with a brilliant idea. He pulled the branches at the top of the trees down so the little elephant could reach them.

Then he asked the elephant to go back to the water hole with him and squirt him with water.The giraffe had the best day ever cooling down and playing in the hot African sun and making a new friend.

Healing the Trauma

One day a little fox got his leg caught in a trap and although he broke free, he couldn’t get the trap off his leg.

It hurt so much but he just couldn’t get it off, no matter how hard he tried.

He found it so frustrating and painful that he lashed out, especially to the foxes he loved.

The foxes in his family and friends tried to remove the trap because they loved him so much. All they wanted to do was help but the more he thought about it, the worse it got.

Until one day when he was fighting his mother suggested they go up to the field and play football instead of fighting the trap.

The more the little fox played the stronger the little fox got, until one day the trapped popped off on its own and the fox was free to play and grow like all the other animals in the forest.