Was Erickson an Animal Lover?

[John Simon]

Mr. Lankton,

I have noticed that many of the metaphors that are considered to be Ericksonian involve animals in the context of fairy tales. I am sure that children love these types of stories as they are contained in the zeitgeist of our culture. I am wondering how adults relate to these stories? The few stories that I have heard Erickson actually tell involved his perceptions of his own life or learning and did not involve animals. Did I miss his good animal stories or is it just easier for some clinicians to tell animal stories so they this direction? I have not seen you use many stories about animals, although I think you did talk about the growth of a tad pole into a frog at the last Ericksonian conference in Arizona. What’s the story regarding these stories?

John