The study presents a methodological opportunity made possible by adapting the “two chairs” coaching technique, which can be used to support the experience of narrative‑based work, kick‑start non‑routine case discussion groups, and foster the development of professional identity. Drawing on experiences from practical social work and training, the author describes how the technique can be applied in a short‑story based role‑play exercise: parallel to the helper’s two ego states, group members also explore their own feelings and professional responses while embodying the roles of the foster parent and the placed child. Alongside a practical description of the method, the study outlines typical impasses that emerge in the process (such as literary analysis, taking on fictional roles, talking about rather than to the other characters, and a weakening sense of safety) and the facilitator’s responses, highlighting that these “re‑centering” interventions are best understood not as failures of the process, but as learning points.