The authors review the concept of 'interpretation within the metaphor', introduced in 1956 by Ekstein and Wallerstein. While they acknowledge the usefulness of such interpretations with borderline children who need to maintain psychological distance from the therapist, they caution that these interpretations, by their very nature communications on a regressed level, if improperly used may lead to further regression. Moreover, such interpretations are useful only when a relationship of 'some durability' has already been established. They further caution against the continued use of this type of intervention when the child has outgrown it, permitting its defensive use by the child who may enjoy 'puzzle-like talk and adult cleverness'.