Fairy tales have been described as vehicles for the human psyche, lending themselves more to universality than depicting any one culture or social attitude. Where fables, folktales, and myths tend to have a lesson to be taught (very entrenched in social values and cultural influence), fairy tales represent the wishes, fears, hopes, and dreams of humans across cultures.
There may be many different versions of a fairy tale, with each culture making slight changes to fit their experiences and customs, yet the themes tend to stay the same, suggesting a deeper influence than culture – in short, the human experience.
Many authors (including drama therapists) believe that fairy tale and story may provide a useful framework for therapy. Bettelheim postulates that in fairy tales, “internal processes are externalized and become comprehensible.†Stories may be used in the therapeutic process for their symbolic and metaphoric value, encouraging clients to relate their experiences as stories.
“The nearer we work to a person’s own life … the more limitations we impose on our exploration of their life story. The greater the dramatic distance we create, the greater the range of therapeutic choices available.†– Sue Jennings
