Metaphora International specializes in Story Mediation, Collaborative Storytelling and CRAFT solutions to support inclusion, well-being, and sustainability in personal stories, workplaces, and communities.

Our areas of expertize are applied to Adult Education, Training and Coaching.

We focus on Storytelling with Purpose.

• We Offer:

  • Personal Development & Leadership Training: Empowering individuals through story-driven growth strategies.

  • Coaching & Consulting: Tailored support for navigating change and fostering authentic leadership.

  • Workshops & Online Courses: Engaging, reflective learning experiences rooted in storytelling practices.

  • Inclusion, Well-being & Sustainability Projects: Creating spaces where diverse voices are heard, and communities thrive.

  Your story matters.

  
  At Metaphora International, we believe in the transformative power of stories. We help people find their voice, honor their authenticity, and work better together.

  Your Story. Your Purpose. Our Help.

What Is Story Mediation?

Story mediation is a collaborative practice applied through activities and projects that support dialogue, learning, and transformation.

Story Mediation is associated with a role that can be embodied by story practitioners, educators, facilitators, interventionists, coaches and leaders.

Story Mediation relies on sensemaking through the interplay among theory, practice, external narratives, and one’s own story.

In our practice, Story Mediation is contextualised within an activity (or project) and intends to address what you want to achieve or what you aspire to become at a particular moment, place or role.

Whether in leadership development, diversity and inclusion initiatives, or conflict resolution, it helps people:

• Reflect on personal and shared experiences

• Reframe challenging narratives

• Build connections across diverse perspectives

• Co-create new possibilities for growth and action

Through Story Mediation we acknowledge that STORY is a powerful living force. We know that STORY matters and understanding our internal scripts through MEDIATION can help us live more authentically and intentionally.

Through the lens of Collaborative Storytelling Activity (CSA), Story Mediators actively listen to how you live your story in relation to an activity that matters to you.

We support you to externalize authentic stories that may be hidden in your day-to-day mindset. In our role we identify themes, patterns, and metaphors within your narrative.

The objective is not only document sensemaking process but also validate the direction you want your story to go.

Story Mediation is for individuals, teams, and communities seeking transformative change through the power of storytelling. It benefits:

• Leaders & Professionals: To enhance self-awareness, navigate change, and foster authentic leadership.

• Organizations & Teams: To improve collaboration, resolve conflicts, and build inclusive, purpose-driven cultures.

• Educators & Facilitators: To create engaging learning environments rooted in meaningful narratives.

• Communities & Social Groups: To strengthen connections, promote well-being, and support sustainable development.

• Individuals in Transition: To reflect on personal growth, overcome challenges, and realign with their purpose.

At Metaphora International, Story Mediation helps anyone looking to reclaim their story, build resilience, and create positive change.

The "Collaborative Story Craft Method" is a process where a group of people work together to build a narrative, often used in organizational change contexts, by sharing their individual stories and experiences to create a collective understanding and vision through collaborative storytelling and analysis; essentially, it involves externalizing multiple perspectives to construct a shared narrative that reflects the diverse viewpoints within a group. 

Collaborative Story Craft is also a qualitative research method.

Collaborative Story Craft (CSC) was a methodology initiated by Paulo de Tarso Fonseca Silva in 2012. His exploration and work led to the foundation of Metaphora International in Finland in 2015. CSC was further developed with Tricia Cleland Silva.

In 2019, Paulo and Tricia published a case study for the first time, applying Collaborative Story Craft as a research method.

The Collaborative Story Craft method allows researchers to serve as a Story Mediators and incorporate various voices during strategic alignment and structural change. The method was designed to foster collaboration and inclusion of individual experiences to validated consent when co-creating a common story.

No. At Metaphora International, story mediation is not therapy. While it can foster self-awareness, emotional insight, and personal growth, its primary purpose is to help individuals and organizations navigate change, resolve conflicts, and create meaningful narratives—all within the context of specific activities, workshops, and projects.

How Does It Differ from Therapy?

• Purpose:

  • Story Mediation fosters dialogue, inclusion, and personal or organizational growth through narrative practices.

  • Therapy focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions.

• Approach:

  • Story Mediation uses storytelling and reflection as tools for growth within specific activities and projects.

  • Therapy employs clinical techniques led by mental health professionals.

• Context:

  • Story Mediation is applied in leadership training, education, conflict resolution, and community engagement.

  • Therapy occurs in healthcare or counseling settings focused on personal well-being.

Why It Feels Therapeutic:

Story mediation creates safe, reflective spaces where people feel heard, understood, and empowered. It fosters resilience, insight, and growth—but it’s not designed as therapy.

In Summary:

“While story mediation at Metaphora International can feel therapeutic, it’s not therapy. It’s a dynamic, narrative-based process embedded within activities and projects that support self-leadership, inclusion, conflict transformation, and meaningful change.”