Step I: Establishing contact

Ask the child:

• When you remember an old unpleasant event, what picture comes to your mind?
• When you remember the worst moment of this event, what do you think about yourself?

Attention! If the child does not want to answer the questions, do not force them. Start creating the story yourself.

Principle: the child has the right to subjective perception of the situation.

Step II: Beginning of the story

Once upon a time there lived a boy. His name was Petya. He did the same things as every day: first he woke up, then had breakfast, and then went to school/kindergarten. Everything was good, and Petya felt safe.

Elements:

• We start with a positive situation to form a sense of safety in the child.
• We choose the main character: in this case, it’s the real boy Petya.
• Identification: the main character has similar traits with the child, but in order for the child to freely distance from the main character, the name should be different.
• We discuss and draw in detail: what the hero sees, hears, feels to the touch; what smells he senses, tastes (what is his favorite treat), bodily sensations (what he feels in the stomach, in the head…)

Step III: Difficult situation

One day Petya with his mother went to visit his grandmother, who lived on the tenth floor of a tall building. Everything was good until they approached the elevator. Suddenly Petya felt a strong fear and did not want to enter the elevator. He remembered an old unpleasant episode when he once got stuck in the elevator for a few minutes.

Step IV: What the hero does

And so, Petya decided not to take the elevator and told his mom. Mom saw his fear and decided to help. They sat on a bench at the entrance, and mom began to tell a story about a magical elevator.

Ask the child: “What opinion did you form?”

Step V: Something goes wrong

However, Petya still felt fear, even after mom’s story. He thought he wouldn’t be able to overcome his fear.

Step VI: Problem solving

Then Petya decided to try to imagine that the elevator is a magical transport, taking him to a fantasy world. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and imagined that he was flying to a magical world where kind fairies and brave knights lived. Petya felt stronger and braver. He dared to enter the elevator together with his mom.

The elevator gently rose, and when the door opened on the tenth floor, Petya came out with a smile together with his mom. He overcame his fear and felt like a real hero.

Ask the child: “What do you think Petya felt at that moment?”

Step VII: Positive ending

Since then Petya always used the elevator, imagining new adventures in the magical world. He was no longer afraid, but on the contrary, waited for new exciting journeys with the magical elevator.

Conclusion:

Our hero learned to overcome his fear by acting actively and imagining positive moments. This helped him feel stronger and more confident.