...He imagines it like this: As soon as I try on the jacket, I’ll believe in your love again... No matter how wrong it is. Such an eccentric... (Bulat Okudzhava) I am not an image maker. For me, “image therapy” is, first of all, THERAPY. Image therapy. A modern direction in practical psychotherapy (created by the St. Petersburg fairytale therapist and psychodramatist A.V. Gnezdilov). And the best example of a brilliant image maker is not even the Fairy from the fairy tale “Cinderella”, but the Wizard of the Emerald City. The first one only helped the goddaughter to “shape”, find an appropriate “frame” for her beauty, and the second one helped the fairy tale heroes to see in themselves, to “discover” socially necessary qualities. For me, image therapy, first of all, “pulls out” a person something that is in it, but is deeply hidden. It allows you to discover new resources in yourself, something that a person did not even suspect... But before you change anything, you need to understand what your usual image is. You always want to look at yourself from the outside. Maybe that’s why people look at themselves with such interest in the mirror, in photos, videos, and listen to the recording of their voice. And almost always they don’t recognize themselves...Other people are also a “mirror.” “My light is a mirror!” Tell me and report the whole truth: Am I the sweetest in the world, the most ruddy and whiter of all? It doesn’t cost anything to mislead him: a turn of the head, a pair of strands of hair, a squint and a smile - and the simpleton is already squealing: “Prettier than everyone else, rosy, whiter!” (V. Pavlova) This is where working in a therapeutic group is useful. In a (relatively) safe environment. Here you can see your usual “suit” (image), decide to “expand” it, and find some other resource roles. Let them live, allow them to be present in life. You can work in different ways. You can simply ask to make a “portrait of another person,” but working with metaphor is best for receiving feedback. Ask group members to come up with a metaphorical description of the other (after all, we are more interested in the “internal”). For example, imagine him in the image of a literary, historical or... fairy-tale character that he could play. And here in front of you are the most accurate portraits. “Kolobok”? Is a person a “tumbleweed”? “Rolls” freely through life, without burdening himself with obligations and serious relationships (“I left my grandmother, I left my grandfather”). He never plans or thinks through anything in advance, often changes partners, in pursuit of new sensations... Koloboks, As a rule, they are sociable, funny and spontaneous... They often actually have very rounded shapes. They are eclectic in clothing (as a rule, they prefer bright colors). You could say that they have no style at all. Their wardrobe contains only fashionable things, but more often they are so heterogeneous that they do not leave any possibility for a harmonious combination, so Koloboks can easily slide into bad taste... “Puss in Boots”? Perhaps what is most striking in a person’s behavior is his enterprise and ingenuity, his ability to manipulate others, etc. He is a gambler, a creative person who knows how to make dreams come true, create the right image (for himself, he was an ordinary cat, he became “Puss in Boots” (“Give me boots for respectability...”) and for the other owner, who was a poor man, he became the Marquis). He may well be a professional image maker). The cat knows how to guess and offer a person exactly what he needs, weaves intrigues, plays tricks on his ears, is not afraid to go all-in and often hits the jackpot. Obviously refers to people who believe that in order to achieve a goal, all means are good, even deception, delicately plays on the feelings of others: vanity, pride and arrogance. “Lures” the enemy to his field, forcing him to play by his own rules. He is very careful about his appearance... There is something cat-like in his speech and movement: he steps softly, turns smoothly, purrs... “Little Red Riding Hood”? "Dynamo" that wanders arounddangerous places in search of his Wolf?...Has a magnetic talent for getting into trouble, especially of an erotic nature. She tempts men with her frank behavior, not really thinking about the consequences... Smiling, chatty and curious (“Why are yours so big...”, etc., etc.)... Even at forty years old Little Red Riding Hood does not abandon the habits of a little and slightly spoiled girl. And there is hardly a person who can convince an auntie who has fallen into childhood that short skirts and blouses with frivolous frills and lace, funny curls and huge hairpins on the head and too bright makeup, platform shoes and funny accessories (if the handbag - then in the form of a basket or bag; if a hat - then only with wide brims and some incredible colors, plus gloves and stockings) are more suitable for first-graders... Eternal Cinderella... Or a noticeably aged Sleeping Beauty... Locked in a tower of Rapunzel's own complexes...The sacrificial, silent Little Mermaid...Or the consumer of poisoned apples Snow White...Or maybe the cunning fox Alice...Or the insidious Stepmother? Don't forget to find out what the participants actually had in mind))). After all, each person develops his own, individual image of a fairy-tale character. For example, some people associate the image of Vasilisa the Wise with an intelligent, sensible beauty who can help in any difficult situation, while others associate it with a boring, self-confident proud woman. Another reason for different perceptions of the same fairy-tale character is the way he is played out with the help of movies, cartoons, etc., and the director’s vision of the hero can differ significantly from the classical one. Of course, a person in the image of another first of all sees himself, and many the statements of the participants say more about them than about the objects (subjects) of the discussion, but if many people “see” something similar in you, it is difficult (and there is no need) to ignore... “It makes no sense to ask whether the image is reality or appearance. He is both at the same time" (P. Selfing). Questions for discussion: - Did anything in the statements of the participants surprise you? - Does the impression of you coincide with the one you would like to make? - How does this relate to your life ? Etc. What to do next? Image is destiny? No, of course. Remember the fairy tale “Evil Fate” (see Part 1. Image therapy: “the art of cutting and sewing”). Fate may be cruel, unfair and evil towards us, but in our own hands we hold weapons with which we can overcome our fate. No one is saying it will be easy. You may need a lot of patience, strength, calm, courage, and endurance. And most importantly, there must be a frantic and persistent desire to overcome problems that sometimes seem insoluble. You can start with something simple - do the dressing exercise. Call it whatever you want: working with resources, with subpersonalities, with shadow aspects of personality... The point is to find a character (this could be a historical figure, a hero of a myth or fairy tale, etc.) who has that quality in abundance , which you are missing. The character itself does not even have to be cute, does not have to be liked, it just has to be a bearer of the quality the “user” needs. For example, “Witch”. Each of us has a fantasy of what this character looks like or behaves. And no one has the right to tell us. I do what I want. Having chosen a character, you need to become one. In the presenter’s closet there are many details of props - shawls, objects, weapons, “horns and hooves”, masks, fans... is it really necessary to get used to the symbolic reality? Of course, just get dressed (for example, "Aphrodite") is not enough. Having reincarnated, you need to interact with other participants (from the role), in accordance with the chosen role (image). Think about how the chosen character moves (how he “carries” himself through life, after all, the “Snow Queen” cannot waddle!), how he speaks (after all, “Catherine the Great” definitely does not whisper or mumble), how he generally builds interaction with others? And then decide: “What», 2001.