This paper illustrates the construction, delivery, and processing of therapeutic stimulus metaphors in couple or family therapy. An introduction to the therapeutic metaphor discusses the uses of metaphors in therapy to denote a likeness between a client and another object or person, and to avoid client resistance. The usefulness of metaphors in individual, couple, and family therapy at times when progress has slowed is explained. Six outcome themes of therapeutic metaphors are listed and the technique of providing the client with a metaphoric framework shaped around one or more of these outcome themes is described. The therapeutic process described involves giving the client an incomplete story that includes elements of the conflict being experienced by the client and having the client continue the story by providing possible solutions to or ways of working with the conflict in the stimulus metaphor. Two case reviews are presented which sketch the client's problem, give the metaphor created, and break down the process by framework, problem or issue, metaphorical image, and therapeutic issue. Basic consideration when constructing a therapeutic metaphor, therapeutic considerations in the prescription and delivery of the metaphor, and suggested content areas for metaphor creation are discussed. Opportunities to create stimulus metaphors are provided. (NB)