Tom Andersen, a renowned narrative therapist, but originally a medical doctor, always tries hard to listen to what the patient presents. He may know about a horrific situation which occurred in the patient's life, but until the patient actually tells him about it, he works only with what he is given. Often this is something physical. He believes that all muscles in the body balance one another out, and unless we are using our muscles correctly, we will be unable to breathe properly. We need to be able to breathe both in and out easily. We have both flexor and extensor muscles – but these need to work simultaneously for us to be "balanced". If our muscles are too "bent", too flexed, we need to stretch out, to open ourselves up, to become liberated. So, when working with people, a therapist might look at how they are standing, in order to try to improve their posture, thus helping to correct a physical imbalance. We are connected in so many ways, and corrective action in one area of the body is likely to have some effect on another area. Bringing back movement, may also bring back words.
One way to bring back words through movement, is to get your client to paint. It is a good idea to stick the paper on the wall, so that the person needs to use his whole body. If he can't paint, that is OK. You are not expecting a work of art. You merely want him to to follow the process. Then, do not forget that each person owns their own painting, and what is done with the work of art is up to the person who created it. We have no right to interpret what we see in the painting – however, what we can do is to say what we see. I have no right to say I see an angry painting, but I can say I see a lot of black, and harsh strong painted strokes. I may also say what happens to me when I see it. ("I have a feeling of desolation, or a feeling of confusion).
