Book excerpt: There is a growing awareness in the counselling and pastoral care professions that the appropriate use of imagery and symbolism in counselling can be a useful tool in helping clients to resolve inner conflicts which they would otherwise find hard to confront. This comprehensive book explores the therapeutic use of imagination and how the use of myths, legends and spontaneous images can clothe feelings with images, and thereby make them easier to work with and control. The book is intended as a working model which takes the reader through the various stages of imagery and symbolism, and is illustrated by many case studies that highlight various principles and topics, and create a bridge between theory and practice. A companion volume Dictionary of Images and Symbols in Counselling provides an 'A-Z' of images and symbols.