chapter 4 · 2021. 2. 12. · beeleaf contemporary psychotherapy in practice – chapter 4 ......

BeeLeaf Contemporary Psychotherapy in Practice – Chapter 4

© Copyright Pamela Gawler-Wright and BeeLeaf 1997-2021

71

Chapter 4 Quests, Questions,

Models and Maps

Constructing

our Own Reality



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A second quality of a concept is

that it is static whereas reality is in flux.

The moment you put things into a

concept,

they stop flowing; they become static,

dead.

A frozen wave is not a wave.

A wave is essentially movement, action;

when you freeze it, it is not a wave.

Concepts are always frozen.

Reality flows.

Finally, if we are to believe the mystics,

reality is whole,

but words and concepts fragment reality.

Anthony de Mello



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The Position of Constructs and ‘Modelling’ in The Continuous Becoming Frame

Merge – Constructs of Efficiency Constructed-over-time systems of belief, competency, values, relationships, rules, conditioned responses, body patterns that we take for granted as “just being so”.

Demands less attention. This is how things are when life works. Life is this. My identity is this.

Dirge – Constructs of Deficiency Constructed-over-time beliefs, rules and competencies do not ‘work’ when applied in these contexts. Repeated and increased patterns of failure, difficult relationships, unowned triggers, limits, stresses, dependencies, dissatisfactions.

Demands more attention This keeps happening no matter how hard I try. Resources stuck in pattern that requires more and more time and energy. Keep applying the same competencies and rules to keep it just good enough.

Splurge – Deficiency of Construct Applying previous constructs has resulted in a threshold of tension that destabilises the whole system. Overwhelm of experiences and conditions that fully expose the limits of the constructs that have been lived by till now.

Breaks attention patterns and structures “Losing my religion”. Pinnacles of intense thinking and feeling as previous constraints can no longer hold the system in place. Opening to previously denied connections and information.

Urge – Sufficiency in Construct Previously denied and unacceptable discomfort or incongruence becomes embraced as guiding needs, wants, potential. Opening to new experience with “not-knowing”.

Re-Patterns Attention Interesting and useful instead of “right” “Problem” becomes opportunity and teacher Decisions made on “first best step” rather than expectation of full control

EMERGE New openings for different questions and

revised filters. Revelation of what was

excluded from previous constructs

SUBMERGE At a point of limitation where

current construct does not

match challenges

SCOURGE Construct of what is dangerous, impossible and to be either avoided or defeated.

When I encounter this I experience crisis of belief, powerlessness in face of loss.

FORGE – Building New Constructs and Patterns Honing attention in a specific area for learning and improving competency through

repetitions and adaptations across a range of meaning-full contexts. Developing

harmonious connection with challenges that were previously avoided or fought



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Revising the Old Acronyms for Questing (An example of Continuous Becoming!)

These acronyms are constructs. They are made up. Even though they are made up constructs, they are formed by attempting to map experience and process. Any useful construct must be subject to revision and flexible adaptation or eventually it loses accuracy and usefulness. So, by changing the acronyms we are not changing the process of your quest, we are just getting funkier and clearer about what that process is.

Stage 1 – Identify the recurrent or pressing experience of

Awesomely

Resourceful

Stuck

Energy

Stage 2

Befriend

Experience

Contextualise and Conceptualise

Opportunity

Map and Model

Experiment

Stage 3

Befriend

Experience

Construct

Operation

Monitor

Integrate

Navigate

Gains



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Modelling for Client Process “Modelling” in the therapeutic context refers to tracking and mapping the complex system of a client’s processes and patterns. It is one of the keys to being able to practice the core competencies of Contemporary Psychotherapy and any psychotherapy that has as part of its goal the client’s increased “phenomenological control”. That new term, right there, is the latest one in Hypno-Psychotherapy for describing this tracking, mapping and adapting of our reality. In Contemporary Psychotherapy, modelling refers to the application of our developed skills to turn highly tuned observation and questioning to TRACK (go into the territory), MAP (code the significant features into a useable representation of the territory) and then MODEL (adjust old or learn new patterns of interacting with our territory towards a desired interaction with it).

These patterns and processes that come under attention may be of many interactions of self and all-that-is-not-self. They may be patterns of the person’s inner relationship between their sense of identity and their neurological experience (Vertical Axis). Or how they hold their patterning may be constructed in their life narrative, over their past, present and in the future (Horizontal Axis). It may be that we must focus on how they have patterns of connecting and relating to significant others. Or how they access and apply resources in relation to particular contexts and challenges.

MAP

Code and Sketch in Sensory Terms the Replicable Pattern with its

"landmarks", operations (behaviours) and destinations

(values and purpose)

MODEL

Describe as a recognisable and

repeated system of concept and

sequence

(may include metaphor)

TRACK

Into the Field

Associate in Time

Slow Motion Sensing of Pattern



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Modelling and Model-Making

“Modelling” is a term that has gained a level of mystique and complexity in Neuro Linguistic Programming and has become as suspiciously interminable as analysis and interpretation has in Psychoanalysis. Basically, it refers to the intentional pattern-finding in unconscious processes that achieve certain results so that those patterns can be replicated at will. In NLP this ability to know and be able to operate these patterns can be used to transfer these previously unconscious skills into other contexts or to share these skills with others.

In Contemporary Psychotherapy we use these skills to be able to gain better access to and relationship with the “problem” experience so that new constructs, patterns and competencies can organically develop from within the person and in their use of people and other resources around them.

In therapeutic modelling we apply highly skilled observation and tracking of unconscious patterns that may be experienced now as problematic but which at one point served an undeniable and essential purpose. This high precision and respect of the problematic pattern as serving value and purpose, and utilising and focusing intelligence and resources, allows us to work ecologically as we bring about therapeutic transformation that issues organically from within the client’s system. We do not wish to “ditch” the problematic pattern, but work with it to enable transformation while sustaining the enduring values and structures that the “problem” has historically upheld.

Modelling is a form of research. It is an endeavour that starts with asking questions and collecting data - mapping. From this point we must sort the data we have received into useful categories and from there filter for patterns and select that data which is useful to us. This in turn, informs the formation of new questions. A mapping and modelling process will probably go through this cycle several times before a model is completed.

Information Collection

Information Categorisation

Question Formation

Information Selection and

Pattern Finding



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Modelling in Case Formulation The following criteria are taken from the College of Outcome Oriented and Hypno-Psychotherapie’s Proficiencies. Formulate the therapeutic task a) Emerging relevant patterns and themes in the client’s life are identified and related to the client’s presenting situation b) Possible source and probable underlying structure and processes of presenting problem are framed within an appropriate theoretical framework c) At appropriate stages client is offered an account of the possible source, structure and processes of client’s problems which conveys sufficient information to make sense to the client and to offer informed choice about potential ways forward d) Client is directly or indirectly familiarised with the notion of tuning into unconscious process and learning the means by which unconscious process can be invoked and allowed to overcome the problem e) Mode of operation and specific intervention techniques are adapted which are compatible with or positively complementary to the client’s natural modes.



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PAST /PRESENT

/FUTURE Experience

Current Priority Expectation

TOOLS/EQUIPMENT Saddle, Reins Camera, Filter, Film Paint, Canvas, Light Manuals, Exercises Processes, Questions

IDENTITY/MISSION SUBJECT Dressage Champion/ Grace and Oneness Horse

Journalist Photographer/ Show the facts Refugee Camp Retired Person/, Pleasure, Connecting Subject of Painting Facilitator/ Facilitate Natural Ability Trainees Healer/ To Support Positive Change Client

EXEMPLAR Rider

Photographer Painter Trainer

Therapist

Modelling Complexity and Dynamics Moving Focus of Attention

Congruence in a model (or a construct that we have nicely stored in our MERGE) can be helpfully put to use to connect both client and therapist to the enduring values of a person’s life and their easily accessed strengths, motivations and abilities. We don’t often explore these patterns of excellent functioning that we have learned to effortlessly or joyously apply. That’s such a waste because they are rich, dynamic and multi-levelled sources for how we have patterned our attention and interactions with the world to gain good results. For a model to align with actual real-life experience and application it is important for us to include the moving focus of attention that is created by the relationships and interaction between the components in the system. Judith DeLozier, particularly reknowned for her cultural modelling, modelling in the arts and “somatic modelling” offers a good model for exploring this aspect of what really enables excellence in any complex area of relationship at behavioural, cognitive and emotional levels. Here is an adaptation of Judy’s model of systemic modelling.

SOME SYSTEMIC RELATIONSHIPS –

Moving Centre of Attention

ACTIVITY Horse-riding Photography

Painting Training Therapy



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Exercise: Focus of Attention During MERGE Activity

In Pairs 1. Decide who is to be Exemplar and who is to be Modeller. Exemplar thinks of an activity that

they do quite well for the Modeller to investigate. Let's say it's wind-surfing. 2. Modeller elicits from Exemplar an identification of the Exemplar's dynamic relationships when

doing this activity. Past or Level of Experience/ Current Priority/ Future Expectation (briefly) Equipment and Tools Identity and Mission Subject

Let's say they are identified as: 7 weekend courses and a few solo expeditions Currently want to get better at gaining speed Getting better all the time until other demands stop me going so often Windsurf board, sail, wet-suit, sail handle A person happiest in nature and learning through my body Connectedness, Agility, Flow

Sea, Wind, My Body 3. Modeller now elicits the steps of wind-surfing in terms of when the Exemplar is most merging

through the activity and when they are challenged during the activity. How do they flexibily apply their attention to address this challenge. Questions might be:

"When you first decide to go wind-surfing, what aspect do you think of first?" "When you have decided the next challenge where does your thinking go to next?" "Where does your attention go then?" "At what point does your attention move from your surf-board to your body?" "When you have "Connectedness" what elements are connected?" "What happens just before those elements become connected?" "So when "My body and the board are all one" where does your attention go then?" “What would be a challenge to you while doing this? How could it ‘go wrong’?” "What do you become aware of just before you "fall off"?" "As you recover and remount what's the first thing you give your attention to? "Then where do you put your attention?" "How do you give attention to the falling off? Where do you put that?" "When you are "flow" where is your attention?" "Is there anything else you give attention to that we haven't identified?"

4. The Exemplar is invited to help the Modeller to draw a diagram of the changing relationships. 5. Can the Exemplar find a metaphor to describe this dynamic?

6. Together the Exemplar and the Modeller create a clear sequence of sensory steps that the

Exemplar uses to attend and address the moment of challenge.



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Consider how the systemic modeling model that is offered by modeling movement of attention can help form ongoing structure to the evolving therapeutic process. This helps you to confirm the client’s functioning system, increases their sense of unconscious process and helps to them to understand the task of identifying at what point in the system a new step or change would begin release from old repetitions of pain or difficulty.

Focus of Attention During SCOURGE Patterns

PAST /PRESENT

/FUTURE Experience

Current Priority Expectation

Resources, Inner and Outer Outing, Laughter Compassion, Courage Colleagues, Past Success Safety Anchors, Imagination, Relaxation

IDENTITY/OUTCOME ORIENTATION SUBJECT Parent/ Model of Openness and Trust My Children

Wronged Person/Rebalance Fairness Strong, Difficult Feeling Professional Role/ Recognised Achievement Work Project Survivor/ Safety without Bitterness Re-occurring Memories

Client Parent

Sensate Being with Feelings Worker

Person with a Past

Context or Challenge Talking to my children

Dealing with anger Gaining Confidence in Work

Healing Trauma



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Four Corners of Reality Construction Gawler-Wright, 1997

CONCEPTUAL Meaning, Values,

Distinctions, Labels, Associations

Skills and Principles PURPOSE/OUTCOME

CRITERIA MAP OF INVESTIGATION MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVE

LINGUISTIC VEHICLES PATTERNING

Trophies VALUES BELIEFS

CRITERIA IDENTIFICATION

PROCESSING FILTERS

SENSORY Sensed Experience,

Location, Intensity, Quality

Skills and Principles SENSORY ACUITY

SENSORY ELICITATION PHYSIOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY

SOMATIC INFORMATION

Trophies PHYSIOLOGY

INTERNAL REPRESENTATIONS EYESCAN PATTERNS

CENTRE OF ATTENTION STRATEGY

TEMPORAL

Related in or by Time Duration, Frequency, Cycles

Synchronised and Linear Events

Of Pattern CONTEXT TRIGGERS

ENTER/EXIT SYNTAX OF COMPONENTS

Of Person RELEVANT HISTORY

FUTURE EXPECTATIONS EVOLUTIONARY FACTORS VARIETY OF OCCASIONS

DURATION FREQUENCY

SYNCHRONISED EVENTS TOTES

SYMBOLIC Metaphorical and Archetypal,

Different Entities related by Patterns, Sameness and Symmetry

Current and Emergent

METAPHORS SIMILES

ARCHETYPES STORIES MYTHS

MENTORS QUEST

ANGELS AND DEMONS TERRITORY SHADOW

ROLE COSMOLOGY

MODELLING



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Examples of Mapping Different Forms of Experience

Conceptual

Statements include nominalisations, comparative deletions, complex equivalence, modal operators, presuppositions, generalisations, Evaluative language (better, worse, useless, harsh).

"It's pretty important" "I believe that it's part of who I am to do this like this." "I'm not interested in that. This is what I need to focus on." "It's all about consistency/reliability/integrity."

Questions that help elicit conceptual information focus on values, beliefs, meanings, criteria (chunking up language).

"What's most important to you when you are doing this?" "What has this got to do with your sense of yourself and your beliefs about who you are and how others perceive you?" "What is most important to focus on? What is not so important to give your attention to?" "What do you do this for? What makes it worthwhile for you?"

Sensory

Statements include sensory specific language, eyescan patterns, possibly gestures into the body and around the head. Posture, breathing and muscle tension and physical action. Internal representations and inner processes such as strategies.

"I tell my self/ I look into it/ I grab onto that idea/ something goes ping!" "That's well……(shakes head) that's….(hands clasp together while breathing out)….I mean, it's really like that." "Ummm….." Eyes go down and then scan upward. "I look at it from all angles and get a feeling of which approach I like best."

Questions that help to elicit sensory information draw attention to physical movements such as gestures, eyescans, changes in tone and rhythm and pinpoint sensory processes in descriptive language (a chunking down process).

" When you tell yourself that, where does it come from, left, right, around you, in front of you?" "How do you grab onto that idea? What's it like for you when you do that?" "So …. (shaking head) when it's really like that (clasp hands, breathing out), what's that really like?" "When you look up there, as you just did, can you look up there again? What do you become aware of as you do that?" "From what angles do you look at it? How many angles? What is the difference between those angles?" "What's the feeling like/where is the feeling that let's you know which you like best?"



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Temporal Statements that give temporal form to information are concerned with time - frequency, duration, sequence of events, triggers and completions, TOTES. Language used may include cause-and-effect, terms such as 'when', 'whenever', 'then', 'before that', 'yet', 'at the same time'.

"Whenever I'm aware of some inevitable, undesirable consequences." "I learned that ages ago. I've known that since I was kid." "I wouldn't do that before I knew all the facts." "Then I just bum around in the office for a while and forget about it."

Questions that help to elicit temporal information are structured to discover unconscious or conscious TOTEs. They pinpoint the before, during and after sequences and trigger and completion events (a chunking down and sequencing process). "just before", "during", "at what moment", "How do you know when….?", "What sequence of events…?, "What follows…?"

"How are you aware of those consequences? In what order would they happen?" "Where does what you learned ages ago, that you've known since you were a kid come from?" "When exactly did you learn that? How old were you? What was happening at the time?" "What do you do before that to know all the facts? When you have all the facts, what is the next thing that happens?" "What happens just before you start/ stop bumming around?" "What happens between starting to bum around and forgetting about it?" "When do you know it's time to bum around? While you bum around, what are you doing? How long do you bum around for? When do you know it's time to stop bumming around and do something else?"

Symbolic Statements that indicate that information is held in symbolic form compare something to something else, "It's like…", or actually describe it as something similar but different (chunking to the side).

"It's like I get the wake-up call." "You just push on through till you get there." "If I fall out of my faith bubble, I know I have to stop and re-connect before I can continue in this space with the client." "I just tap into gravity and say 'you be my counter balance till the wind changes direction'."

Questions that elicit metaphors lead the speaker into comparisons with other things and invite descriptions by finding patterns and likeness (sideways chunking).

"When you get that wake-up call, what kind of wake-up call is that?" " 'Push through' from where?" “What do you ‘push through’?” "What kind of 'faith bubble' is that 'faith bubble'?" "When you 'tap into', what’s that 'tap into' like?"

For more on the specific model of “Symbolic Modelling“ see ‘Metaphors in Mind’ by James Lawley and Penny Tompkins.



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Question Formation using Four Corner Construction

In groups take a few sheets of paper and maybe some coloured pens to record and utilise your results as you go about this exploration. Let some one in the group identify the SPECIFIC MOMENT of “Awesomely Resourceful Stuck Energy” (ARSE), that is a problem state, behaviour or pattern for them that keeps repeating and gets much of their attention, even though it doesn’t bring them the results they want or which may even have negative consequences. If it is connected to their Personal Quest, even better.

1. Refer to Four Corner Reality Construction.

2. As a group design questions that help TRACK, go into the territory, that is elicit and describe, (associated) 1st position and (meta) 3rd position exploration of specific experience(s), following the sequence of the pattern.

3. Together MAP the pattern, that is, create codes that make it possible to repeat the cycle of events in sensory terms without needing to stay in the association of the specific experience.

4. MODEL (contextualise in terms of trigger contexts, behaviours and consequences/outcomes) the Awesomely Resourceful Stuck Energy (ARSE).

5. Make use of the Four Corners Construction model to get some ideas of what kinds of

questions would take you into useful information gathering.

6. Check that your questions are “clean”, that is they do not presuppose or suggest too much that would distract this person from their authentic inner process.

7. Do any particular questions seem to be connected to particular logical levels? At what

level(s) does this potential quest seem to be?



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Categorising Information using Logical Levels

In the same groups 1. In your group decide on ONE piece of the client’s ARSE pattern. Choose a piece that seems

awesomely resourceful in its stuckness, maybe because it is cleanly repetitive, or spans several logical levels, or holds the structure of a particular story, association or belief, or maybe has a strong sensory experience that is beyond words.

2. Refer to Logical Levels of Environment, Behaviour, Resources, Beliefs, Values, Identity and Spirit/Wider System

3. As a group identify and note information gathered about the exemplar’s ARSE. Categorise

this information according to logical levels.

4. Note how some pieces of information span more than one logical level. The map is not the territory and the levels are not always separated out so clearly in life. Does integration of or connection between the different levels offer any additional information?

5. Bear in mind how this process might inform the earlier stages of client assessment, rapport

building and case formulation. Discuss any ideas that come up.



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Models of Modelling

Modelling is a wild and whacky discipline that has gone through many evolutions and hotly contested ways of doing and describing what “modelling” is. The key field of origin is Neuro-Linguistic Programming which started as “the study of subjective experience”. Robert Dilts is widely considered to be the most prolific and original contributor to the field, while others such as Wyatt Woodsmall insist Dilts got it “wrong”. Woodsmall’s Advanced Behavioural Modelling has had many disciples in the business sector during the late 20th Century and claims to transfer mastery of complex skills to people without the need of long experiential learning that the exemplars have had to do to have achieved their mastery. Other forms of modelling include Symbollic Modelling developed by Penny Tompkins and James Lawley, based on the work of the late David Grove, and somatic and systemic modelling from Judith DeLozier.

Penny and James’ Template Stage 1 - Preparation Stage 2 - Gather Information Stage 3 - Model Construction Stage 4 - Model Testing Stage 5 - Acquisition

One of Judith DeLozier’s Templates (Adapted)

ENGAGE MODEL Rapport

Mutual Benefit Boundaries Ownership

GATHER INFORMATION

Multiple Perspectives Strategy Elicitation

Four Corners Construction

Logical Levels

FILTER for

PATTERNS Chunking

Comparing Wider Connections Pinpoint Definitions

ORGANISE PATTERNS

Reveal Structure Identify Components

Identify Syntax Understand Exception

REDUCE Component of

Greatest Potential Benefit or Interest

Elegant Criteria

TRANSFER Required Existing

Skills and Knowledge

Develop Code Congruence

Discover Systemic Compatibility

TEST Find the Edge

Where does it not Work?

What got Left Behind?

What is not attempted within Model?



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Between Now and When We Meet Again……

Finish your essay to hand in by the next module.

Start to muse upon the findings of your quest so far.

Is your title changing?

Are you able to chunk down even further to the piece of the process

that is the specific trophy you need?

Who have you or can you identify as exemplars for the model you are

questing for?

What new questions can you formulate to take to your exemplars to

journey even deeper into your quest?

What beliefs or internal experiences do they have access to which you

do not yet have access to?

Elicit with them the specific moment of accessing this belief or internal experience and use the models of modelling we have used this

module to gain even more information about your emergent trophy

(new model) from mapping their territory.

chapter 4 · 2021. 2. 12. · beeleaf contemporary psychotherapy in practice – chapter 4 ......

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