Black box: the use of metaphors to treat gentle themes

Abstract

Context: In a plane crash the opening of the Black Box is fundamental to clarify what happened. Similarly, the opening of the metaphorical Black Box, proposed in this report, deals with the complementarity of delicate, challenging and disturbing themes in a lucid and reflexive articulation.

Objective: The objective is to encourage reflection on sensitive issues in a sensitive, creative, non-taxing way. Methods: The idea of Opening the Black Box is to offer a sequence of animated and metaphorical images, associated with some keywords, inviting a reflexive interaction on delicate subjects, especially the fragility and terminality of life. In the first moment images and words are presented that bring a negative emotional charge, which is placed inside a virtual box and this becomes heavy and closes. In the second moment are shown images and words complementary to the subjects treated, suggesting lightness and a new facing the challenges of life.

Results: Our experience with this approach has brought significant results, which have helped people successfully address their difficulties in dealing with sensitive issues, as demonstrated in the post-participation statements.

Conclusion: It seems to us that the use of metaphors, organized in the proposed form, is of great value, as an adjunct to the process of elaboration of disorders secondary to emotional trauma.