Abstract: the article reveals the regularities of the fairy-tale text that allow using the fairy-tale as a therapeutic tool that affects the quality of object relations. The significance of the fairy tale as the most effective material corresponding to the peculiarities of symbolic thinking of children in working with them is revealed. Such significant characteristics of the fairy-tale text as “space” and “time” are considered. The main binary oppositions of children’s fairy tales written in the therapeutic mode by children of senior preschool and primary school age are shown, with the beginning of the fairy tale set by the therapist: once upon a time. The definition of the mother’s own fairy tale is given, and examples of using the mother’s own fairy tale are given. The author suggests using the mother’s own fairy tale in order to establish and strengthen the emotional contact between mother and child. The possibility of using the author’s fairy tale by a mother to enhance the functions of containerization and mirroring the child’s feelings and motives is shown.
Keywords: therapeutic function of a fairy tale, mother’s own fairy tale, image of a mother, image of a self-child