ABSTRACT
In the first three sessions, the Tree of Life methodology is used. This means that a large focus in these sessions is on the young person’s strengths and their hopes and dreams for the future. This helps to establish positive relationships, where the young person knows that the professional working with them understands more about them, what they are good at and what they would like in the future. The use of metaphors can offer the young person a way of thinking about difficult and sensitive experiences and feelings. There is evidence that using a narrative approach helps to improve current relationships and helps young people understand more about why they feel and behave in certain ways now. The tree of life metaphor is a useful overall mind map or framework to refer back to, from which the young person can understand and locate all the life story work that is being carried out with them.
