RHETORICAL THEORY AND FAMILY-THERAPY PRACTICE

The study found that a connection exists between rhetoric and therapy because both fields are interested in using language as a tool for gen erating change. Persuasion is viewed as inherent in human communicatio n, even though people do not necessarily intentionally attempt to pers uade others. Following a brief (but detailed) explanation of the theor etical stance which informs the implementation of rhetorical technique s in therapy, three pragmatic exemplars are offered to demonstrate the employment of two classical rhetorical concepts, the parastasis catal ogue and syncrisis.