Sidney Rosen’s My Voice Will Go with You: The Teaching Tales of Milton H. Erickson is a collection of over 100 of these "teaching tales". It’s a fascinating look at how Erickson used humor, surprise, and metaphor to help people change their lives without them even realizing it was happening. Key Themes from the Tales
: Erickson believed we all have a "storehouse" of ideas and experiences within us. His stories often nudged listeners to rely on their unconscious mind for solutions rather than trying to over-analyze every problem.
: Sometimes, Erickson prescribed "ordeals" to break a bad habit. He once told an overweight man he could keep eating and drinking whatever he wanted—as long as he bought everything from a shop at least a mile away. The forced exercise made the man reconsider his habits far more effectively than a lecture ever could.