Metaphorical associative intuitive cards. The world of projective maps. Review of decks, exercises, trainings

Metaphorical associative (intuitive) cards (MAK), which have become very popular in psychology, are called cards, because they are a set of small pictures made in the form of divination cards or postcards. Metaphorical cards can depict people, various life situations, abstract pictures and spots, animals and birds, natural and urban landscapes, household items, stories from fairy tales. A deck of associative cards can consist of a set of any pictures.

Sets of associative metaphorical cards, unlike, for example, do not have a clear compositional, logical and quantitative structure, these cards do not have predetermined interpretations. Some decks of associative cards consist of images with inscriptions or explanatory texts, others include only cards with pictures, there are sets consisting of cards with images and cards with words.

There are also metaphorical cards that contain only texts. Each deck of metaphorical associative cards is unique, but can be combined endlessly with other sets, opening up new possibilities for the imagination.

Psychologists call the use of metaphorical cards a technique of self-knowledge, a flow of free associations, awareness of hidden experiences and needs, understanding of unconscious impulses and aspirations of a person, work with the subconscious. However, there is no difference how to call such a process of self-knowledge - divination or self-knowledge technique. After all, any is also an appeal to oneself, to one's inner state, to one's feelings and thoughts. That is why the process of working with metaphorical associative cards can be called fortune-telling, as a result of which a person receives an analysis of the current situation and a forecast for the future. Moreover, such a forecast will not predetermine or predetermine mandatory events - it, like in all fortune-telling, may well change after some actions of a person in the present, a change in his attitude to ongoing events, a change in psychological state or mood.

As mentioned above, each metaphorical associative map does not have an initially embedded meaning, and the image on it is only a symbol or metaphor. When fortune-telling, a person’s personal reaction to the picture that has fallen to him is important - everyone will interpret and interpret the same image in their own way, unconsciously linking the card with their experiences. Furthermore, - in different periods life and in different life situations the same person can perceive and interpret the same picture of metaphorical associative cards in different ways.

So, for example, a card with a photograph of an evening deserted street illuminated by rare lanterns, one person will perceive as a frightening image of loneliness, and the other as a positive symbol of the end. labor day when you can finally take a break from hard work.

How to guess on metaphorical associative (intuitive) cards

The rules are flexible and are not limited by any framework. To work with intuitive maps, it takes much less special knowledge and skills than, for example, for . If in the case of the latter it is necessary to understand a developed and rather complex sign system, then with metaphorical maps everything is much simpler: what a person sees on the map and at the same time feels is the result.

Fortune telling on associative metaphorical cards, you can ask any questions: on the situation, on the choice of path, on the beginning of any business, on relationships, on the result of certain actions. At the same time, the main thing is to understand that the correct wording of the question is very important here. Intuitive cards should not be asked, for example, “When will I get a job?”, “Will I get married?” or “When will I get rich?” Metaphorical cards do not have any definite interpretation, and no one can say what the dropped card means for a particular person - only the associations that it evokes personally in the fortuneteller are important. It is these associations that are the answer to the questions.

Metaphorical associative cards allow you to work only with your own "I". With their help, it is impossible to find out what, for example, another person thinks about us. If we nevertheless ask such a question, we must remember that the answer will not be what the person thinks about us, but how we ourselves imagine what this other person thinks about us.

Metaphorical associative intuitive cards online

Questions when fortune-telling on metaphorical associative (intuitive) cards should be of the following nature: “What will my path be?”, “What should I work on in myself in order to find suitable job?”, “How will my business progress?”, “What do I need to realize in myself in order to get married?”, “What do I need to change in myself in order to achieve what I want?”, “What will help me on the path to my goal? ”, “What do I need to understand and realize in order for what I want to happen?”, “What is stopping me on the way to the goal?”, “For what reason is there not enough warmth in our relationship?”, “What do I need to change in ourselves to change our relationship?”

It is better to divide difficult questions into simple ones, that is, ask not “Why can’t I find new job and what will help me to do this?”, and “What is preventing me from finding a new job?” and “What will help me find a new job?”. Each question has its own card.

Otherwise, the principle independent divination on metaphorical associative cards is no different from the same process on any other card: after formulating a question, one card is selected from the deck, which is the answer. In working with associative maps, there are different approaches or techniques that can be compared to different card spreads. Just as when you can consider the situation using different layouts, so in divination on metaphorical associative cards, you can use different techniques: for example, one or three cards.

In order to help other people work with metaphorical associative cards, you need special education, knowledge, and experience. That is why many techniques involve working with intuitive cards under the guidance of an experienced psychologist leader. But these cards are good because, even without having them special education, you can use just for yourself.

Are there maps for traveling deep within yourself? And if they exist, what do they look like and where can I get them? And what are the points on them? Metaphorical, they are also called associative, cards are such helpers. This is the door through which you can look into your unconscious.

How psychologists work with metaphorical cards

Metaphorical cards are sets of pictures - landscapes, portraits, plots, situations, abstract drawings. They are often used by psychologists and coaches. It happens that it is difficult for a person to open up, it is difficult to talk about himself, it is difficult to understand what feelings and experiences this or that situation actually causes. And when the client talks about what he sees in the picture, answering the psychologist's questions, it is much easier for him to talk about his deepest experiences. And it is easier to understand what causes them.

Sergey is 39 years old, he came with a request about the fact that he couldn’t overcome a certain “ceiling” of earnings. Opening the next card, he changes his face and to the question “What do you see in the picture?” replies that he sees a threat to himself. That if he has a lot of money, he will become "inanimate."

And the card shows a hand that looks like the hand of a knight in armor, which holds out a bouquet of flowers to an ordinary "living" hand. “What is it that turns out,” Sergei wonders, “I have such a strong fear of money? And that’s why I can’t earn more than a certain amount in any way? .. ”

Olga, 27, in the same picture sees a noble knight giving flowers to his lady. And she really wants her young man to be that noble knight. The same picture evokes positive emotions in Olga and thoughts about a happy future.

How it works

In metaphorical cards, unlike fortune-telling, there are no predetermined meanings and meanings. According to them it is impossible to say that "a long road and a government house will fall to you."

In these cards, each person sees his own meaning, his own meaning. And the psychologist does not offer a ready-made interpretation of the picture, but asks questions so that you yourself can formulate what you see and what answer lies in this for you.

For example, if we are talking about the future, you can get answers to the questions: what kind of future do you want, what is important in this very future? Understand what can help you achieve what you want, and what can hinder you. Moreover, conversations based on pictures, accompanied by a psychologist, can help to discern such subtle nuances that do not lie on the surface and are not always easy to see on your own. And, of course, find ways to overcome these obstacles.

When we are talking about some problematic situation in the present, then with the help of cards you can explore options for resolving this situation, find ways out of it.

Business lady Svetlana, 38 years old. “This man has been working for a very long time. He dug up and planted a whole avenue of trees, he was very tired. He even stands in an uncomfortable position, as if his back hurts. He is pleased with the result, but he really wants to rest.

Ivan, 34 years old, manager in big company. “This guy got the right tool and it makes his job a lot easier. He is happy that he has this tool and he is inspired by how much useful things can be done for people with this tool.”

And every time the psychologist asks a lot of additional questions. For example: “How do you feel about what is shown in the picture? How does this relate to what you have in your real life?”

How to use the cards yourself, without the help of a specialist

If you are in a difficult situation, you have a problem that you want to solve, or you need to make a choice and you do not know what to choose, you can use the cards yourself.

Formulate a question for yourself, tune in to it. It is important that the question is open-ended, that is, it implies a detailed answer, and not “yes” or “no”.

An example of an incorrect question is: “Will this solution be useful for me?” (The answer is "yes" or "no".)

An example of a well-formulated question: “What are the advantages of this solution?” (It is supposed to search for the advantages of the solution.)

Focus on the question and choose a card. Cards can be chosen face down (face down) or face up. You can draw several cards, formulating different requests for a problem situation. For example:

What is the problem (what is now)?
How do I want to solve this problem?
What obstacles can be encountered in the process of solving the problem?
What can help overcome obstacles?
What steps need to be taken to resolve the situation?

And then you look at the cards and ask yourself questions about each one, in sequence. Sample questions:

What do I see in the picture?

How does this picture make me feel?

What does it take to improve the situation if I don't like it?

What happened before the moment shown in the picture?

How will the situation develop in the next moment?

Do you need to change something?

If so, what exactly would I change in the picture?

How does this reflect what is happening in my life?

How does this answer my question?

Resolving Conflicts with Portrait Metaphor Cards

An example of working with cards to resolve a conflict at work. A portrait deck is suitable for such work - a deck in which a portrait is depicted on each card.

Choose an open card that reflects you in this conflict. Choose a card representing the character you are in conflict with. Is anyone else involved in the conflict? Choose cards that represent these people.

Then arrange the cards on the table so that their arrangement reflects the essence of the conflict for you. Look at the card that represents you. Describe the person on the card. What does he want to say to the other characters? What does he feel? How does he want to resolve this situation?

After you feel that the flow of answers has dried up, draw another card and answer the same questions:

What kind of person is in the picture?

How does he perceive conflict?

What does he want to say to his counterpart and other characters?

What emotions and feelings does he experience?

What does he want to do in this situation?

So review and answer questions on all selected cards. After that, again take the card symbolizing you.

What changed?

What new feelings and emotions appeared?

What do you want to say to other characters now?

Look also at the cards symbolizing other participants in the conflict. What would you like to add to them? What is changing? What else would you like to say to the characters that are depicted on them?

Keep working until you feel that your attitude has changed. Perhaps the conflict will exhaust itself, perhaps you will see ways to resolve it in reality - what exactly needs to be said or done.

After that, thank yourself for the work you have done.

If you have a deck of metaphorical or associative cards, you can always use it to explore your inner world, to find answers in problem situations. And at any time you can ask for advice from a wise adviser - your unconscious.

Editorial

Exploring your inner world is an interesting topic, but sometimes you really don’t want to look deep into yourself because of the fear of facing the monsters sitting there. What monsters and ghosts do we unknowingly create and cherish? Let's deal with psychologist Elena Areshchenko - .

A deck of Metaphorical cards is a set of pictures, with various plots or abstract color spots, sometimes with words. This is a direct and relatively easy road to the unconscious.

When a person draws a card for himself, he immediately has a whole set of thoughts, associations, memories, fantasies. Sometimes there are insights. There are no right or wrong interpretations here. Everyone sees something of their own, purely personal. Moreover, in different periods of life, the associations of the same person will be different.

Metaphorical associative maps are a relatively new tool in psychotherapy related to projective techniques. Projective Methods based on the identification of various associations (projections) with their subsequent interpretation.

History of Metaphorical Cards

The invention of metaphorical cards can be traced back to 1975. The first deck was released by Eli Raman, a Canadian art historian. The purpose of the deck was not psychology, but the cultural enlightenment of the masses.

Later, an approach was developed in which metaphorical cards could be used in practice. Such cards were called Oh, because people, seeing the picture that fell out, often exclaimed “Oh!” in surprise, this picture accurately reflected what worries them most.

The first Oh cards for working with the subconscious appeared in Germany in 1985. Eli Raman and Moritz Egetmeyer first introduced the games to the public in Essen when there were game days. Psychotherapist Joe Schlichter developed rules and principles for using cards as a psychological tool. This was done in the original, therapeutic-associative format: cards were drawn out blindly - one with a picture, the other with text, and it was necessary to comment on what spontaneous feelings, thoughts and associations arose at the same time. Working and interacting with the cards and the people who use them stimulated and contributed to the emergence of new card concepts and, accordingly, new decks.

Working with Metaphorical Cards

Metaphorical associative cards can be used in individual psychotherapy, in trainings, in work with family systems. They provide an opportunity to see a picture of any interpersonal relationships, internal contradictions, and even relationships with any object (for example, with money). Working with maps allows you to explore and simulate any processes, both in the present and in the past, and, importantly, in the future.

Metaphorical mind maps launch internal processes self-healing and search for an individual way out of the crisis. This quality cannot be overestimated.

This is not fortune telling

Metaphorical associative cards are often compared to Tarot. But these are different things related to different egregors (energy information systems). Although they do have a lot in common. In and with Metaphorical cards, similar layouts are used, where a certain meaningful position is assigned to each card. For example, three cards are laid out in the positions “How I see myself”, “How others see me” and “What I really am”. Some techniques for working with such layouts are also used in both systems. Only if in Tarot it is called "magic", then in working with metaphorical cards - "work with the subconscious."

Both there and there, Jung's theory of synchronicity works flawlessly, almost never failing. Jung described synchronicity as a creative principle constantly operating in nature, ordering events in a "non-physical" (non-causal) way, only on the basis of their meaning and regardless of time and space. If you translate everything into simple language: "Accidents are not accidental." The client always pulls out exactly the card that he needs. That is why metaphorical cards are called Oh-cards. The word "Oh" is translated into Russian as an interjection "Oh", "Oh!" or "Ah."

Application area

The scope of Metaphorical cards is extensive and inexhaustible. Cards create an atmosphere of security and trust. They help to understand psychological reasons events happening to a person and find a solution for difficult situations. The ease of use of the cards allows you to use them without special education for personal growth, interesting family leisure, playing in a friendly company.

Interpersonal relationships (personal, friendship, family, etc.)
Conflict resolution (external or internal)
Study of family systems, building a genogram
Modeling and research of any processes in the past and future
Working out positive thinking
Introspection and self-development
Personal growth
elaboration psychological trauma
Overcoming stress
Working with fears
and much more

Projective (metaphorical, associative) cards - new and extremely effective tool practical psychology and psychotherapy, successfully used in the work of leading trainings, coaches, teachers. Cards are a real miracle, an unwritten book that can be re-created an infinite number of times in the company of loved ones or alone. This edition provides an overview of the most commonly used decks projective maps and areas of their application, techniques and exercises, various training programs, as well as cases of individual counseling are described.

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The following excerpt from the book The world of projective maps. Review of decks, exercises, trainings (Eva Morozovskaya, 2014) provided by our book partner - the company LitRes.

Projective cards. A new tool for a practical psychologist

« ABOUT!”- this is the name of the very first deck of projective cards that was released. Anyone who has felt the power of its impact breathes out this exclamation of surprise and insight! This is what helped the authors to choose a name for a new instrument of practical psychology, which later became an independent genre called "projective maps".

What are projective maps?

At first glance, this is just a set of pictures the size of playing card or postcard. In fact, this is an art therapy tool used by psychologists of various therapeutic schools in individual, family and group work with clients of any age, any level of education, without restrictions on national and religious grounds. This tool is used for projective psychodiagnostics, counseling and psychocorrection.

What are they like?

Cards can contain only an image or an image with an inscription - a word or a phrase. Sometimes the inscription is located on the front side of the cards, sometimes on the back. Often a deck contains two sets of cards: one with pictures, the other with inscriptions. An inscription without an image is a very rare option, but there are some.

The pictures depict landscapes, people, animals, situations from life, objects, objects, sometimes abstract paintings or collages.

Projective cards are created by a psychologist in accordance with one or another idea that he develops, and this lays the structural basis of the deck. The psychologist then finds an artist or photographer who can create illustrations for each card they have in mind. Currently most of of the existing projective cards in the world was developed in Israel (more than sixty decks). Usually Israeli decks are highly specialized: “Duet” by Itzik Shmulevich is designed to work with couples, “Anibi” - for working with children and the inner child, “Key Figure” by Tamar Ston and “In the Rhythm of the Heart” by Dr. Iris Barkoz - for children with ADHD, Inbal Eisenberg's Self-Coaching cards and Points of You, Efrat Shani and Yaron Golan's Picture, Word and Question cards for coaching, etc.

The first decks of projective cards in the CIS were issued in Ukraine by the Institute of Metaphoric Associative Cards. These are cards for working with children and adolescents "Yozhkina's Tales" and portrait cards " Family album”, coaching decks “42”, “Heroes and Villains”, “Be. Act. Possess" and "Be. Do. Have", "Hasidic Wisdom" cards, " Dark side”,“ Little joys ”,“ Life is like a miracle ”.

Methodologically, projective maps refer to expressive therapy as a subclass of creative therapy, which in turn is a class of art therapy.

Projective maps as a tool for projective psychodiagnostics

The prototype of projective maps in the field of psychodiagnostics can be considered the Rorschach test, the Szondi test and the TAT. We can use most decks as sets of stimulus material for projective diagnosis, using the principles we know from the Thematic Apperception Test and its many variations. To conduct the test, several cards should be selected, the subject of the images of which is similar to the topic being studied. Cards are offered to the client one at a time with a request to compose a story on the card, including answers to next questions:

- Who are they - characters shown in the picture?

- What's happening?

- What led to this situation, what happened before?

How do the characters feel?

What are the characters thinking about?

Recall the basic assumptions on which the interpretation of TAT is based. They wear enough general character and practically do not depend on the interpretation scheme used. The primary assumption is that by completing or structuring an unfinished or unstructured situation, the client is exposing his aspirations, dispositions, and conflicts. The following assumptions are related to the definition of diagnostically informative fragments of the history composed on the map.

When writing stories and fairy tales, the phenomenon of identification works: the narrator subconsciously identifies himself with the hero. At the same time, the desires, conflicts, motives and values of the hero can reflect the desires, conflicts, motives and values of the narrator.

Desires, conflicts, motives of the hero can be present in a symbolic form.

Not all histories have the same diagnostic value: some contain a lot of important diagnostic material, others may be almost absent.

Themes that are not clearly derived from the stimulus material usually have more diagnostic value than those that are obviously related to it.

If a theme is repeated over and over again, runs like a red thread, it most likely reflects the conflicts and impulses of the narrator.

Stories can reflect both stable dispositions and conflicts, and current, related to the current situation.

The stories may contain themes and plots that reflect what happened not with the narrator, but with someone else, or known to him from literature or cinema. However, the very choice of such a development of the plot allows us to conclude that this topic is relevant for the narrator.

Together with personal attitudes and values, social attitudes and values are often found in the stories.

The dispositions and conflicts that we find in the story may not be recognized by the narrator and not manifest in his behavior.

Projective maps as a corrective tool

There are many forms of work and techniques for using projective maps, the psychologist chooses one or another depending on the goals. The common point of all techniques is that the psychologist raises questions related to the topic relevant to the client, and the client looks for answers to these questions in the image that accidentally fell out of the deck or purposefully chosen by him. In the case when the card contains an inscription, the image is interpreted first, then the words. If there are two types of cards in the deck: only with images and only with words, a random collision of two cards is interpreted as complementing each other and illuminating the same topic from different angles.

Combining a picture with an inscription when working with cards “kills two birds with one stone”: the image refers to the right hemisphere of the human brain, which produces associations based on visual-sensory representations, while the inscription appeals to the left hemisphere, which works with the semantic and grammatical design of the representation. Thus, the map stimulates the consolidation of the work of both hemispheres of the brain, which leads to the emergence of new ways of thinking about the old situation and the emergence of insights. In working with projective maps, a person experiences insight, a feeling of insight and finds answers to his questions.

How to get answers to your questions with the help of projective maps?

To begin with, the client chooses a question that worries him, a topic about which he would like to gain clarity (let's call it a problem to distinguish it from interrogative maxims, which will be discussed later). To find a solution to the problem, the client will be asked questions in accordance with the scheme of the selected technique. To find the answer to each question and move from stage to stage, one or more cards are drawn. There are two ways to draw a card: “blindly” - the cards are face down, and “open” - the cards are face up. A number of techniques combine these methods, offering first to make an open choice - this is a person’s “conscious” opinion about his problem, and then draw a few more cards blindly and then give free rein to the unconscious, initiating a transderivational search for an answer to your question. There is no right or wrong way to draw cards, the difference is that when choosing cards in open man feels more secure in the face of the unfamiliar. Blind picking is always a challenge to creativity, and it is this way of drawing cards that produces truly stunning discoveries.

Consider the selected card better.

If the picture shows a person - who is he? What is he thinking about? In what period of life do we observe it? What is his character? What is his mood? What would he say to you in terms of his experience on the topic you have chosen? If this person is your inner part, what is it? What does this part of your personality want to convey to you? What is her point of view on the problem?

If the picture shows the interaction of people - which of these people are you? Who are the other people depicted? What's happening? What will be the development of events? In what area of your life is this interaction taking place? If there is an animal in the picture, who or what (character trait, behavioral style, etc.) does it symbolize?

If the picture shows a landscape - where is this place? Through whose eyes do we see this landscape? What brought this person there? Where is he aiming? What is driving him? What happens outside the visible in the picture?

If there are various objects in the picture, what are they for? How could you apply them in the context of the chosen topic? Where in your life is there a place for such things? With what state of mind are these objects and things associated?

Why did you get this card? What does she want to tell you about your life? What lesson should you learn?

The next exercise with the dropped card will be "scale change". It consists of two parts: enlargement and detailing. Enlargement is the idea that your map is only the visible part of some larger picture. What's left behind the scenes? Who is behind the scenes? You can always put the card you got on a sheet of paper and draw a whole picture around it, and then remove the card and sketch the part of the sheet previously occupied by it. Detailing is, on the contrary, a deepening into details, into trifles, a search in the image for a significant part, at first glance small and imperceptible. This can be a concentration on any part of the image, or taking into account some form, line, color.

If the map has words, they can be associated with the topic in several ways: either directly (for example, when the word “conflict” falls out when studying the topic of divorce, the connection is seen as direct and literal), or indirectly (for example, when a card with the word “prosperity” falls out when studying the same topic). , there are interpretations both according to the type “the reason for the divorce is the lack of prosperity in the family”, and according to the type “it’s enough for me”), or according to the antonym (for example, the card “community”, “communication”, “proximity” falls out - this is just what partners in a failing marriage lack is unmet needs, and the lack of this in a marriage may just point to the reasons that led to a situation of divorce).

It is the same with pictures: they can reflect what is present in the situation under study in an explicit form; be associated with it implicitly, indirectly; portray what is missing in the situation.

Advantages of projective maps as a tool practical work psychologist

Projective cards create an environment conducive to truly deep, sincere communication between people, their self-expression, disclosure and reflection. In addition, their advantages include: - feelings of trust and security that arise in the client, who himself chooses how deeply he is ready to open up in this moment;

- creating a common context for the psychologist and the client, a common metaphorical language when discussing a particular situation from the client's life;

- the ability to solve problems at a symbolic level, the ability to attract unconscious resources of the psyche;

- development creativity;

- stimulation of the development of thinking, skills of cooperation and discussions (in group work);

- ease of mastering the methodology by a psychologist - no long-term training is required, basic techniques can be dealt with according to the instructions for any deck;

- flexible rules of use, the ability to develop new authoring techniques and adapt existing techniques to the requirements of the current situation, a wide field for safe experiments and manifestations of creativity;

– the attractiveness of the technique for the client: people of any age like bright color pictures and evoke pleasant emotions. The fact that work with projective maps takes place in the form of a game has a special influence - adults rarely get the opportunity to play, and such an opportunity is very attractive for them.

The traditional scheme of psychological counseling with the help of projective maps

Stage 1. "Hello!" We get to know the client with the help of a card. Having laid out the cards with the image up, the psychologist pulls out a card with which he considers it appropriate to introduce himself to the client, emphasizing one or another of his features. Having taught the client in this way to formulate projections, the psychologist suggests that the client also introduce himself with the help of a map. To consolidate this stage, you can repeat the procedure, illustrating the situation of this consultation meeting with a map and asking the client to do the same.

Stage 2. "What's the problem?" We ask the client to openly choose 1–3 cards that would describe the problematic situation as he sees it, and comment on his choice.

Stage 3. "What do you want to achieve?" Please select 1-3 cards to show the desired outcome of the problem situation, and then lay out a "bridge" of several cards from the group of cards depicting the problem to the cards depicting the desired outcome. "Bridge" can be built by picking up cards both openly and blindly. It is desirable to interpret each card that makes up the "bridge", but sometimes you can do without interpretation, it is enough to solve the problem at the symbolic level.

Stage 4. "What else can be done about this?" We ask the client to draw 3-5 cards blindly, which symbolize additional opportunities on the way to solving his problem. Perhaps it is something that had never occurred to him before, or something that he had not paid attention to before. Give the client enough time to reflect on the cards drawn.

Stage 5. "Will you do it?" We ask you to blindly draw two cards. They will symbolize the difficulties or doubts that the client may have on the way to solving his problem. After understanding these cards, we ask you to draw two more cards - they will show resources that will help you cope with obstacles. To consolidate a positive attitude and increase motivation, “joining the future”, we ask you to draw one more card - perhaps from the portrait decks “Family Album”, “Mibi”, “Persona” or from the “Yozhkina Tales” deck, made up of portraits of different fairy creatures- she will convey the mood, the facial expression that the client will have after the successful resolution of his difficult situation.

Projective maps in pedagogy

The use of maps in the classroom adds variety to the learning process. You can ask students to draw cards from the deck - this technique can be used to choose the topic of the next lesson, topics for independent work and homework. In a public school, cards are used in classes related to more to arts than sciences: lessons in music, literature, a foreign language, drawing. Students compose poems, stories and fairy tales, individually or in small groups, invent new sayings, make descriptions of the map on the studied foreign language while learning new words. They draw pictures and sculpt figurines related to the map they got. Do theatrical performances according to the story they invented around one or more cards. Listen, discuss musical works associated with the selected cards. They compose melodies that the characters depicted on the card could sing. Options for using projective maps in educational process many, the choice (or invention) of a method depends on the specific tasks, on the preferences of the presenter and on the specifics of the class.

Projective cards in coaching

Projective maps are used at all stages of coaching. They are used to diagnose the client’s level of satisfaction with life, life balance and harmony, self-realization, identify values, vision, set goals in accordance with the client’s values and his life plan, help the client overcome “internal sabotage” (“taming Gremlins” in the vocabulary of coactive practitioners). coaching), to increase motivation, improve the ability to rely on oneself, develop strong-willed qualities. In addition, with the help of maps, correction is carried out emotional states that hinder the client's self-realization, the search for successful action strategies, finding a way out of complex and ambiguous situations encountered in the process of development and change.

Projective cards in training

You can include projective map exercises in all structural elements socio-psychological or business training: they can be carried out at the stage of acquaintance, as "icebreakers", to develop and illustrate the rules of the group, to identify the expectations of participants, their idea of themselves, status and role in the group, for educational games, demonstrations, brainstorming assault, search for creative solutions, collection feedback and completion of the training. In socio-psychological training, you can use a number of exercises with portrait or narrative decks (“Hedgehog's Tales”, “42”, “Hasidic Wisdom”) to develop skills related to emotional intelligence.

Group work should adhere to a certain etiquette. Card games are subject to all the normal rules of the group, such as talking one at a time, not interrupting the narrator. In addition, there are a couple more rules:

"The owner of the map is the owner of the story". Whoever pulled out the card, he interprets it. The rest do not interfere in his story with their associations, do not impose their point of view and, God forbid, do not dispute the words of the owner of the card. "Truth is in the eye of the beholder". It doesn't matter to us at all what is actually shown on the map. There is no "really" in working with projective maps. The only thing that matters is what the person holding the card sees at the moment.

Metaphorical associative cards - what is it and how to work with them?

Metaphorical associative cards (MACs) are gaining more and more popularity among psychologists, coaches, and trainers. They are interested in teachers and social workers. So what is this tool, why is it so popular, what is it intended for?

MAC are a set of images of people, events, nature, abstract images or words, united by one theme and the author's idea. Each deck contains instructions with a description and recommendations for work.

Metaphorical cards are over 40 years old. The first deck was created by Canadian art historian and artist Eli Raman in 1975 to popularize art. These cards became a psychological tool only in 1983 thanks to the psychotherapist Moritz Egetmeyer, who first used them in work with patients. So the first deck appeared and in 1985 a publishing house was created. Oh Verlag. Today, decks from Germany from this publishing house are widely known:, and others.

Gradually, methods of working with metaphorical cards appeared and developed, new decks were created. In Russia, translated decks were the first to appear, and then domestic ones began to be actively created. Now there is a huge selection of maps from Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Baltic, Israeli and other authors.

Metaphorical cards are a wonderful tool in the work of psychologists, coaches, trainers, consultants. They are actively used in transformational games, trainings and educational programs. The cards have performed well individual work, as well as in the group. With their help, it is easy to organize acquaintance, establish interaction, and interest participants. MAC can also be used in Everyday life: for decision-making, development of creative abilities, search for new ideas, communication and games.

The mechanism of work of metaphorical cards is based on several well-known psychological phenomena.

One of them is the projection law, first described by Z. Freud. In fact, the cards are a stimulus that causes a stream of associations containing information about the inner world of a person; the object on which the projected material is superimposed.

The second is the law of dissociation, as a result of the operation of this mechanism, a person begins to perceive what is happening to him as if it is happening not to him, but to someone else. The client looks at the events, as if from the outside.

The third phenomenon underlying MAC is metaphor. This is a figurative way of describing the situation, a figurative comparison that helps to see new meanings through the picture.

Methods of working with MAC are constantly being expanded, improved and, accordingly, new opportunities for their use appear. Around the maps gradually form various myths, which will be discussed below.

With the help of MAC, specialists can help clients in solving a number of problems:

Relationship Difficulties:

and others…

Working with generic scripts:

and others…

Search for internal resources:

and others…

Dealing with fears

and others…

Finding your self, your own identity.

(Archetypes of Personality)

(Inner Active Cards) Production: Backwoods Press, USA.

and others…

Questions of self-determination and choice of profession

and others…

Decision making and strategy selection

and others…

Dealing with trauma and grief.

and others…

Dealing with Addiction

and others…

Working with child-parent relationships

Developer: Training Center for Practical Psychology "SENTIO".

and others…

Dealing with eating disorders

and others…

Working with feelings

and others…

Very often, the same deck allows you to work with a number of problems. There are universal decks. Sometimes, it is most productive to work with several decks within the same session. The scope is also constantly expanding, the above list is only a small part of the topics in which MACs are successfully used.

Metaphorical cards help a specialist:

Establish contact with the client initial stage, create a safe space, an atmosphere of trust.
Bypass the barriers and protections of the client, which allows you to freely talk about feelings and experiences, open up and voice problems that were previously deeply hidden.
Reach out to the client's subconscious. In the process of studying the cards, metaphorical images are born, feelings come, discoveries occur that significantly expand the boundaries of the ordinary.
Identify a problem for the client. As a rule, in various artistic images a person captures exactly what is consonant with his current state and is of decisive importance today.
Find or model new behavioral strategies and possible solutions Problems.
Open internal and external resources to overcome obstacles and achieve what you want.

Metaphorical cards allow you to choose different strategies work, depending on the tasks. Since cards can contain only an image, only a verbal description (text), or a mixture of both, there are many options.

Cards with images or words are chosen blindly. The client does not see the image. On the one hand, in this case, an element of the game, chance is introduced, and on the other hand, this method opens the way to the subconscious, allows you to think metaphorically.
Cards with images are selected blindly, and words are selected openly. Thus, it is possible to use both metaphorical thinking and the client's habitual views at the same time. You can do the opposite, it all depends on the specific situation.
Cards with images and words are chosen randomly, the client examines, reads and makes a choice. As a rule, with this method, the client is less worried and is happy to get acquainted with the deck.

For successful work with metaphorical cards, it is advisable to follow some rules:

In the process of work, each specialist forms his own list of rules and methods of working with MAC, reflecting his personality and personal style, but it is important to always remember about the client's safety.

Metaphorical cards entered our lives relatively recently, but around them immediately began to appear myths. It's time to talk about some of them.

The first myth is the mystical interaction between the deck and the client, the ability to look into the future or the past. Reality - cards reflect only existing internal processes, they are not fortune-telling. MACs are a tool in the hands of a specialist.

The second myth is the MAC, which is a type of tarot card. Reality - The Tarot deck is clearly structured, each card has its own meaning. Metaphorical cards have no set meaning. The client describes the card based on personal experience, representations and fantasies. The objectives of these decks are usually different.

The third myth is a psychological tool used only by a narrow circle of specialists. Reality - metaphorical cards appeared thanks to the artist and can be applied in different fields of activity. In psychology, the MAC is one of many tools aimed at helping.

The fourth myth is that the cards themselves can magically solve all problems. Reality - cards do not solve human problems. But they can help see true reason current situation and find opportunities for change.

But no matter what myths arise, in what areas metaphorical cards are not used, it is already obvious that they have entered the practice of working with people and have wide possibilities.