Power Management

Max Levis <levismax@gmail.com> Fri, Jun 3, 2016 at 10:07 AMDraft

Demographics MTURK ID

Qualtrics ID

Gender Female

Age 28

Ethnicity Caucasian

Sex. Orientation Lesbian

Relational Status Dating

Education Associates Degree

Income Less than $30,000

Email

Date 4/12/2016

Relational Modality Overal Scores The following table shows your overall RMES score profile. The relational modalities correspond to alternative models of resolving conflict, all of which have strengths and weaknesses. Youmight score higher in one or several scales. The highest score reflects your Relational Modality type as one of the four characters of the Wizard of Oz story. The types differ according to themode of pursuing power versus powerlessness qualified as antagonistic/competitive, the Lion and the Tin Man, versus cooperative/collaborative alternatives, Dorothy and the Scarecrow.

Relational Modality Overal Scores

Dominant Cooperative 3.87

Dominant Antagonistic 2.84

Submissive Cooperative 2

Submissive Antagonistic 1.34

Psychic Tension 2.5

Relational Modality Subscores The next charts review in greater detail each of the four relational modalities and the six accompanying sub-­scores. The sub-­scores correspond with more nuanced qualities that characterizethe relational modality. Each of these sub-­scores is characterized by a descriptive label as well as by a position with the Stress, Response, Anxiety, Defense, Reversal, Compromise dialectic.This pattern is a useful template to chart psychological responses to conflict, allowing you to identify specific areas to work on making changes.

a. Dominant Cooperative Scoring Profile

Relational Modality Weighted Average Demanding (Stress)

Leadership (Response)

Competitiveness (Anxiety)

Determination (Defense)

Invulnerability (Reversal)

Outspokenness (Compromise)

Dominant Cooperative 3.87 2.8 4.25 2.33 4.67 2 4.83

b. Dominant Antagonistic Scoring Profile

Relational ModalityWeightedAverage

Irreverence (Stress)

Territorialism (Response)

Explosiveness (Anxiety)

Self-­Righteousness (Defense)

Insubordination (Reversal)

Independence (Compromise)

DominantAntagonistic

2.84 2.17 3.57 1.67 2.91 3.57 4

c. Submissive Cooperative Scoring Profile

Relational ModalityWeightedAverage

Trustworthiness (Stress)

Selflessness (Response)

Flexibility (Anxiety)

Non-­Confrontational (Defense)

Considerateness (Reversal)

Compliance (Compromise)

SubmissiveCooperative

2 2.67 3.25 3 1.37 2.67 1

d. Submissive Antagonistic Scoring Profile

Relational Modality Weighted Average Disinterestedness (Stress)

Hostility (Response)

Passivity (Anxiety)

Privacy (Defense)

Resignation (Reversal)

Self-­Restraint (Compromise)

Submissive Antagonistic 1.34 2.25 1 1 1.37 1 2.25

e. Psychic Tension Scoring Profile

RelationalModality

WeightedAverage

Degree ofConflicts

Duration ofConflicts

Depression Self-­consciousSymptoms

SpecificConditions

Psychic Tension 2.5 2.08 3.43 2.92 2.08 1.33

Creativity Template The following table presents your drawings organized along the six-­step process, each story revealing one of the links in the chain reaction. This table groups you artwork in relation to each other as the set of six emotions. The images integrate the fragments of the personal experiences into one’s conflict resolution pattern encrypted in a symbolic language. The table identifies how your personal pattern fits into a dialectic, evolving from conflict to resolution and progressing from passivity states or emotions to activity states or behaviors.

Emotions Behaviors

Stress

Childhood

Adolescent

Response

Balloon II Mask I

Recent Balloon

Anxiety

Mask II Mask III

Defense

Animal Metaphor Fairy Tale

Reversal

Animal Metaphor II Dream

Compromise

Short Story

Insight Template The following table presents relevant information collected from your responses. The goal of this table is to help you identify your patterns and how they are present in your different stories.

Mask Animal Metaphor Fairy Tale Metaphor Short Story

Identification Truth

The fox;; I try to seethings as they are, andfeel that I have a fairlygood sense of theworld and the way itworks (though I'malways learning). I'moften at odds withothers when I try toexplain myunderstanding;; theyeither refuse to seethe truth, or simplydon't care.

Little Red Riding Hood. I've often hadwhat I thought to be true overturned,and have had to face my demons onmy own terms.

Alaxor;; sometimes I feellike I fall a bit outside of thenorms, and am not alwayscertain whether I'll be ableto really relate to others asa result.

Pattern

The mask is what one might show the world: thebest version of oneself, the kind of defense oneneeds to live their day-­to-­day life. Behind themask is what's really going on in the person'shead: the thoughts and feelings that fight forprominence, that conflict with one another. Theyare chaotic, spun up by their interactions withoutand within, unsure of how to separate themselvesfrom one another or gain a greater kind ofunderstanding. In the heart, though, feelings areno longer at odds;; they're able to exist as theyare, in their truest form, alongside one another.

At a party, I wasrecently discussing thetopic of racism with afriend, which is difficulteven at the best oftimes. She was verystuck in her own frameof mind, and unwillingto consider alternativepossibilities about howothers mightexperience the worlddifferently.

I was recently forced with the choicebetween a job I hated and theuncertainty of striking out on my ownand trying to make a shot at self-­employment. Although I felt securityand a sense of normalcy with mycurrent job, I faced my real feelingsabout my situation head on (I wasn'thappy, and that was unlikely tochange) and decided to confront myown insecurities and fears in order topursue self-­employment.

I was recently at a partywith many new people Ihadn't met before.Although I'm generally asocial, outgoing individual,I sometimes wonder abouthow I'm really beingperceived. I want to havegenuine friendships andgenuine connections withpeople, so it's important tome that I'm accepted forwho I really am.

Pertinence

The person has to do the inner work to resolveconflicts;; the brain can sometimes be tricky, and isdaily filled with so many questions anduncertainties that, in spite of its vibrancy, it can'talways process what's happening on the outside.The mask is merely that: the guise it shows to therest of the world. Only by processing thingsinternally, in the heart, can the person really makesense of their life and their feelings, and come toan understanding both within themselves and withthe rest of the world.

It's relevant to theconflicts I face whentrying to share myperceptions andunderstanding of theworld with others. Thisis sometimes trueeven of members ofmy own family.

The fairy tale represents how we (andspecifically I) reconcile what wethought to be true or wanted to be truewith the reality of the situation.Everyone is confronted by seeminglyinsurmountable obstacles in their ownlives, sometimes of their own making;;here, Little Red Riding Hood has to doas I've done, and figure out a way toget through the situation relativelyunscathed. In this scenario, there isno Huntsman coming to save her.

I think the story reflects thereality of trying to makefriends, or findunderstanding in a worldthat is sometimes harshand difficult. Everyone,including myself, issometimes a little hesitantand uncertain.

Responsibility

This is exactly how I handle conflict. I love the waymy mind works, and how much of the world ittakes in, but there's a lot of ugliness to go alongwith the world's beauty. Sometimes this can behard to process;; it's not something I can thinkthrough, but something I have to sit with, to reallycome to understand and allow to simply be.

I'm willing to be moreunderstanding thatsome people simplywant to understand theworld through the lensof their ownexperiences andbeliefs, but thatdoesn't mean I shouldstop trying.

Whether facing a conflict with anotherperson or my own demons, Isometimes have difficulties reconcilingmy beliefs and what I'd formerlyunderstood to be true with the newreality of the situation. I have to learnto do so in order to determine my bestcourse of action and resolve conflicts.

I'm often a little bit skepticalof others' intentions at first.I can be a little aloof,sometimes to the point ofhaving a superioritycomplex. I want to relate toothers on a deep level, butI'm not always willing tomake the first necessarysteps to do so.

Growth: Suggested Changes Template The following table presents information selected from your responses, identifying your willingness for change and growth. Mask Animal Metaphor Fairy Tale Short Story

PersonalChange

Sometimes I should communicate more ofmy truer feelings even when the mask isfirmly in place. I should allow morevulnerability to show through, and to offerthe world more.

The cat should be more willing to consider thetruth of the world, but the fox should be moreunderstanding of the fact that some animals willalways see things from their limited viewpoints.Ultimately, sometimes the truth matters much lessthan our actual experience of it.

Little Red Riding Hoodshould find a way toovercome the wolf'shunger-­-­she does, bydistracting him, and thenusing a potion againsthim.

I should be morewilling to put myselfin a vulnerableposition in order toreally make themost of myopportunities.

Willingnessfor Change

I want to try to remember to let myself sitwith things, rather than try to think them todeath. Even though I know this is the bestway for me to resolve any conflict, I have atendency to overthink things or try torationalize my way out of it.

I'm willing to be more understanding that somepeople simply want to understand the worldthrough the lens of their own experiences andbeliefs, but that doesn't mean I should stop trying.

I'm willing to acceptdifficulties as they come,and let go of mypreconceptions ofsituations and people.

I'm willing to makemyself morevulnerable and putmyself out theremore.

Letter to your self summary Relational Modality

I definitely think I'm dominant cooperative, and have always related with Dorothy. She's looking for something more out of her world,but ultimately has to find it within herself.

Six-­RoleProcess

Communication has been the big issue throughout my life, and what I have managed to work on most. While my instinct as a child wasto be guarded and keep my emotions carefully internalized, I've learned that the better I communicate with people in my life, thehappier and more effective my relationships are. This is true of my relationship with myself, too: I have to be willing to accept my ownidiosyncrasies and recognize both my strengths and my pitfalls to come to a greater understanding of myself.

Insight I'm more aware than ever about the need for communication and honesty in relationships. I want to be the most authentic version ofmyself possible, which means I have to be honest with the people in my life as well as with myself. I've realized that in many ways I stillstruggle with the same issues that I did as a child, I've just learned to better cope with them.

ChangesI'm willing to be more communicative, especially when it comes to listening to and understanding others. I think I have pretty goodinsight into my own inner world at this point, but I need to learn to appreciate and accept others for exactly who they are. I also need tobe willing to make myself more vulnerable, even when it's difficult to do so.

Feelings

This was a really fascinating learning exercise. I've not often thought about aspects of my personality in the context of my entire life, orwith how I handle conflict. As someone who loves literature and film, it's easy for me to escape into a fictional world, but I think the realdraw for fictional worlds, to me, has always been how they reflect certain aspects of our real lives, and of humanity. These exerciseshave given me not just a better understanding of myself, but of how I process real life situations through the lens of fiction.

Outcome Evaluation

The Power Management Program was informative about the concept of the unconscious as a conflict resolving entity.Strongly

Agree

The Power Management Program provided clear information about relational modalities as wellness categories. Strongly

Agree

I felt the Power Management Program helped me gain understanding about the nature of the unconscious as an orderly conflict resolution

mechanism.

Strongly

Agree

The program was diagnostic. It helped me to identify my relational pattern.Strongly

Agree

Identifying my relational pattern helped me to better understand my self.Strongly

Agree

Which one of the following relational modality type do you identify with? A for Dorothy, dominant cooperative, B for the Lion, dominant

antagonistic, C for the Scare Crow, submissive cooperative, and D for the Tin Man, submissive antagonistic?Type A

The Power Management Program helped me understand the conflict resolution process as a sequence of six emotions: stress, response,

anxiety, defense, reversal and compromise. Agree

This program helped me to identify changes to improve my relational adjustment. Strongly

Agree

I found that the six-­role template, combining images and text, integrated fragments of my life into a meaningful conflict resolution pattern.

Strongly

Agree

Completing the creativity component was an emotional experience.Strongly

Agree

I identified with one or both of the characters in the narrative stories that I created. Strongly

agree

This program offered me new information about myself.Strongly

Agree

I was surprised by the personal relevance of the creativity component. Strongly

Agree

The creativity component was therapeutic;; the metaphors helped me to better understand myself and to also think of making changes.Strongly

Agree

I was surprised by how much insight I gathered. Strongly

Agree

This program helped me identify how to better manage power. Strongly

Agree

I think that this survey would be useful for high school students. Strongly

Agree

I think that this survey would be useful for clinical evaluations. Strongly

Agree

After taking this survey, I feel more motivated to make changes in my life. Strongly

Agree

The program offered me both diagnostic and therapeutic information about myself.Strongly

Agree

The suggested value for taking this program should be: $50

Overview Template AThe following table presents your drawings and writings organized along the six step process. The tasks are associated with specific steps. The first three are present in the first table, and theremaining are present in the second table.

STRESS RESPONSE ANXIETY

ITEMS Childhood Conflict Adolescent Conflict

ITEMS Transparent Mask Feelings Mask What is in the Heart

Image Image

WhatHappened

I was lying on the couch withmy mother, and she wasexplaining that she wasn'tgoing to divorce mystepfather-­-­who I hated-­-­afterall. I was about nine, and hadalready been dealing with theawful man for some years(including lots of fighting,drinking, and frustration). Ididn't want to listen to her. Iwanted to ignore what washappening, and scream andrage that I didn't want to livewith him anymore.

I was a young teenager andin the computer room with mymom. I'd recently started tospend a great deal of time onthe internet, making newfriends and trying to escapereality through writing. Shewas frustrated that I'd becomeeven more withdrawn andunwilling to spend time withfamily, and was worried abouthow attached I was becomingto both the internet and to thepeople I befriended on it. Wefought as a result. A typicalteenager, I didn't want tolisten, was insistent that shewas wrong and had no reasonto worry, and just wanted to beleft alone.

Emotions Pride, passion, exhilirationPassion, excitement, love,sadness, grief, confusion, fear,anger, happiness, joy.

Each color represents adifferent emotion, but theydon't experience the chaoshere, in the heart, that they dobehind the mask, in the mind.Here they are more intensebut somehow calmer, becausethey have a sense ofbelonging, and ofunderstanding with oneanother. Despite theirdifferences, they are not atodds.

Feelings

I loved my mom, but was veryangry that she had decidednot to go through with thedivorce. My mom loved me, wanted thebest for me, and was simplytrying to do her best with abad situation.

Conflicts

The mask is its own protectionagainst the world. Sometimesit encounters things it wouldrather not, and must find away to defend itself. The maskis strong, and can protect itsown. It doesn't have manyfears, and approached theworld head on.

The mask is a riot of emotionsand feelings, and sometimesthese are at odds with oneanother. It feels everything, allat once, and isn't always surehow to understand or copewith these feelings. It has noreal enemies in the outerworld (the mask itself protectsit from that) but it is its ownworst enemy, and unless itkeeps all of these feelingscarefully balanced, it willconstantly be at odds withitself.

Hope, love, passion, regret,sadness, loss, happiness,strength, creativity, harmony,understanding. The heart isnot at conflict with itself.Although one would think thefeelings that reside within itmight antagonize one another,they each have their ownplace, and coexist peacefully.

Conflicts

The conflict between my momand I-­-­me unable tounderstand her point of view.The conflict between mystepfather and I, who I hated.The conflict between my momand stepfather, who hadtreated her badly enough thatshe had considered divorce,then changed her mind.

Resolution

The mask usually doesn'tneed to engage in conflict,because it doesn't stoop topettiness or ugliness. When itdoes have a conflict, itbehaves nobly and fairly.

It has learned to allow itsmany aspects to harmonizewith and complement oneanother. It uses thiscacophony, this chaos, to findmeaning in the world, insteadof to attack itself.

It conveys the absoluteresolution of conflicts, thenotion that different feelingscan coexist without settingsthemselves against oneanother, without contradictionor struggle. The person has to do the innerwork to resolve conflicts;; thebrain can sometimes be tricky,and is daily filled with so manyquestions and uncertaintiesthat, in spite of its vibrancy, itcan't always process what'shappening on the outside. Themask is merely that: the guiseit shows to the rest of theworld. Only by processingthings internally, in the heart,can the person really makesense of their life and their

feelings, and come to anunderstanding both withinthemselves and with the restof the world.

Responsibility

Although the situation itselfwasn't my fault and I couldn'tcomprehend its complexity asa child, I made it more difficultby being unwilling to listen andtalk about how I was reallyfeeling.

Impact

Sometimes with difficultconflicts, I have the desire tointernalize everything and notreact. I don't always act on myintense anger, but I havegenerally learned to handle itbetter as an adult andcommunicate healthily. Yes.

Although I've since learned tomaintain close, healthyrelationships with my familyand real life friends, I neverdid give up my love for theinternet or my attachment towriting there. Now I think Ihave a much healthierapproach, and use it as acreative outlet instead of as anescape from reality, or as areplacement for the events ofmy real life.

SuggestedChanges

Be willing to listen to and tryto understand the otherperson. Try to communicateinstead of internalizing myfrustrations.

Family Balloons Recent Conflict Relationship Balloons ITEMS Mask Analysis

Image

Title Truth

Members

Light yellow -­ Grandma, age75 -­ loving, sweet, comforting,Light blue -­ Grandpa, age 75 -­protective, strong, caring ,Army green -­ David,stepfather, age 49 -­ brave,ridiculous, fun, Dark red -­Mom, age 50 -­ strong, loving,genuine, Pink -­ Nikki, sister,22 -­ crazy, loyal, energetic,Blue -­ me, 28 -­ intelligent,passionate, creative, Red -­Krista, girlfriend/partner, 25 -­brilliant, strong, loving, 4 smallballoons -­ our cats, Smallballoon floating away -­ my catthat passed away a year ago

Blue -­ me, 28 -­ intelligent,passionate, creative, Red -­Krista, 25, girlfriend/partner -­brilliant, strong, loving, Balloon3:, Balloon 4:, Balloon 5:,Balloon 6:, Balloon 7:

Summary

The mask is what one mightshow the world: the bestversion of oneself, the kind ofdefense one needs to live theirday-­to-­day life. Behind themask is what's really going onin the person's head: thethoughts and feelings that fightfor prominence, that conflictwith one another. They arechaotic, spun up by theirinteractions without and within,unsure of how to separatethemselves from one anotheror gain a greater kind ofunderstanding. In the heart,though, feelings are no longerat odds;; they're able to existas they are, in their truestform, alongside one another.

Conversation

We're probably laughing andjoking, telling stories aboutwhat happened during ourweek. We're loud andboisterous, and take cracks ateach other, but are alsosupportive and understanding.

My girlfriend and I had beenout drinking with friends for thenight, and when we camehome we started fighting (forsome reason I don'tremember). I'm typically notgood at handling conflict whenI've been drinking, and justneed space rather than tocontinue the argument;; mygirlfriend, on the other hand,sometimes has a bit of atemper, and wanted to resolvethe conflict there and then.Things escalated, with neitherof us sober enough to handlethe situation in a healthy way. Ibecame frantic, needing spaceand time, but she wouldn'tleave me alone;; I lashed out,and knocked over our

Blue: "How was work?" Red:"Same as ever. What'd you dotoday?" Blue: "Same as ever.Want to watch Survivor?" Red:"Duh."

Conclusions

The person has to do the innerwork to resolve conflicts;; thebrain can sometimes be tricky,and is daily filled with so manyquestions and uncertaintiesthat, in spite of its vibrancy, itcan't always process what'shappening on the outside. Themask is merely that: the guiseit shows to the rest of theworld. Only by processingthings internally, in the heart,can the person really makesense of their life and theirfeelings, and come to anunderstanding both withinthemselves and with the restof the world.

bedroom TV, cracking it.

Title Hot Air Floating Through Life Pertinence

This is exactly how I handleconflict. I love the way mymind works, and how much ofthe world it takes in, butthere's a lot of ugliness to goalong with the world's beauty.Sometimes this can be hard toprocess;; it's not something Ican think through, butsomething I have to sit with, toreally come to understand andallow to simply be.

Conflicts

Very few. Occasionally one ofthe other balloons irritates theblue one, or says somethingthat the blue balloon findsunfair or against its moralcode. At these times it tries toexplain, but isn't always ableto get the point across. Still,they patch things up quickly.

The fight led us to change howwe handle conflict with oneanother, especially if we'vebeen drinking. She's muchmore understanding aboutgiving me space when I needit, and I try not to let myemotions get out of hand.

Not many;; occasionally thered and blue balloon bicker,but usually they see eye toeye, and don't have many realfights. They're good at talkingthrough things, and generallyfloat through life pretty happily.

Ideal Changes

Sometimes I shouldcommunicate more of my truerfeelings even when the maskis firmly in place. I shouldallow more vulnerability toshow through, and to offer theworld more.

Changes

The other balloons shouldmake an attempt to listenbetter, and the blue balloonshould realize that it's ownpoint of view is limited.

The balloons should keepworking on improving theircommunication skills, andmaking sure they're beingopen and honest andconsiderate of the otherballoon.

Realistic Changes

I want to try to remember to letmyself sit with things, ratherthan try to think them to death.Even though I know this is thebest way for me to resolve anyconflict, I have a tendency tooverthink things or try torationalize my way out of it.

Overview Template B

DEFENSE REVERSAL COMPROMISE

Items Animal Metaphor Fairy Tale Metaphor Animal Metaphor 2 Dream Metaphor Short Story Metaphor

Image

Members

Cat It is content, proud, anddaring. There is little it is afraidof, and little that it does notappreciate about its life. Fox It is wily, clever, and curious. Itknows how to handle theworld, but is constantly lookingfor what else it might have instore.

The Big Bad Wolf Devious, angry, intense. Little Red Riding Hood Uncertain, brave, daring.

Tiger 15 Female Fierce, brave, passionate. Squirrel 8 Male Scared, hesitant, timid.

Myself -­ fearful, uncertain, confused.Spiders -­ dangerous, terrifying,unknown.

Alaxor 13 Male Friendly, pleasant, brave. Effy 13 Female Brave, curious, intelligent.

Conversation

#1: The world is flat, like thebench on which I like to lay.#2: The world is round;; itnever stops turning. #1: That'spreposterous. #2: See foryourself. Try to walk from oneside of the world to another;;you can't. It's round. It keepsgoing. #1: I'd rather stay inbed.

#1, Wolf: "I'm going to eatyou!" #2, Red Riding Hood:"But you're on a diet." #1:"...True." #2: "And I don't tastevery good. Too manychemicals." #1: "But maybewith a nice sauce?" #2: "Nah.Tough meat, too." #1: "Ugh,gross." #2: "I know, right?" #1:"Hmm."

#1: "Why are you so scared?"#2: "You're a tiger." #1: "So Iam. But I still don't understandwhy you're so scared." #2: "I'ma squirrel." #1: "So you are."#2: "And you're a tiger." #1:"Yes. Why does it matter?" #2:"...I don't know."

I have a recurring dream at least onceweekly that I'm lying in bed, when Iopen my eyes and see spider-­likecreatures floating in the air, comingtowards me.

The alien descended in a silverspaceship, leaving not a trace ofexhaust in the blue July sky as heput the craft down in a park. Effylooked up from where she wasplaying to regard the spaceshipwith a curious expression: not fear,or hostility, merely interest. Thedoor to the spaceship opened, andAlaxor stepped outside of it. Hewas a handsome boy, aroundEffy's own height, with blue eyesand dark, nearly black hair. He skinwas blue, too, but he otherwiselooked like any other human boy.He saw Effy, and smiled. Effygrinned back at the boy, herexcitement at the prospect ofmeeting a new friend growing."Nice spaceship," she said,gesturing at the vehicle. "Is it anew model?" Alaxor noddedexcitedly. "Just got it for mybirthday." Effy's green eyeswidened in appreciation. "Cool!"

She paused, considering. "Do youwant to play on the swings?"Alaxor nodded once more. "Yes,please!"

Conflicts

The animals are disagreeingabout the ways they perceivethe world. The fox has a bettersense of what the world isreally like, but the cat iscontent to experience theworld as he sees it.

The wolf wants somethingfrom Little Red Riding Hood(specifically, to eat her) andLittle Red Riding Hood isunwilling to give it. The wolf is simply acting as awolf does, and findingsomething to eat. Little RedRiding Hood has had her wolfflipped on its head, finding thatwhat's supposed to be true(her grandma being in herhouse, and being safe fromharm) are no longer so.

The squirrel is scared of thetiger, believing it likely that itwill eat or otherwise hurt him.The tiger is confused as towhy the squirrel assumes this.

My conflict is between myself and thespiders, or perhaps more accurately,between myself and my fear of thespiders.

Alaxor is experiencing theuncertainty of whether or not hewill be regarded as different thanother children. Effy is wonderingwhether or not she'll be able tomake a new friend.

Changes

The cat should be more willingto consider the truth of theworld, but the fox should bemore understanding of the factthat some animals will alwayssee things from their limitedviewpoints. Ultimately,sometimes the truth mattersmuch less than our actualexperience of it.

Little Red Riding Hood shouldfind a way to overcome thewolf's hunger-­-­she does, bydistracting him, and then usinga potion against him.

The squirrel is confronting itslarger fears about the world:that it is a small creature in adangerous place, and likely tobe stomped on. The tiger isconfused at this reality, mostlybecause it's never had areason to be scared, and sodoesn't understand thesquirrel's innate fear.

They should both be moreconfident in their own abilities.

Identification

The fox;; I try to see things asthey are, and feel that I have afairly good sense of the worldand the way it works (thoughI'm always learning). I'm oftenat odds with others when I tryto explain my understanding;;they either refuse to see thetruth, or simply don't care.

Little Red Riding Hood. I'veoften had what I thought to betrue overturned, and have hadto face my demons on my ownterms. Any conflict or situation I'vehad to go up against in which Ididn't know who would be thevictor. The wolf represents thepossibility of failure: completefailure, in this case, asallowing him to overcome herwould result in Little RedRiding Hood's death.

I think the spiders represent my fearsas a whole. I'm not a fan of spiders,but have no remarkable fear of them,so I don't think the spider-­likecreatures are more likely to berepresentative. They might suggest afear of the unknown, or a fear of thingsI'm unable to control.

Alaxor;; sometimes I feel like I fall abit outside of the norms, and amnot always certain whether I'll beable to really relate to others as aresult. Effy reminds me of my best friend,who has been so willing to accepteverything about me withoutquestion or comment.

Pertinence

It's relevant to the conflicts Iface when trying to share myperceptions andunderstanding of the worldwith others. This is sometimestrue even of members of myown family.

The fairy tale represents howwe (and specifically I)reconcile what we thought tobe true or wanted to be truewith the reality of the situation.Everyone is confronted byseemingly insurmountableobstacles in their own lives,sometimes of their ownmaking;; here, Little RedRiding Hood has to do as I'vedone, and figure out a way toget through the situationrelatively unscathed. In thisscenario, there is noHuntsman coming to save her.

I think my dreams suggest both thatI'm looking for something in life andthat I have a desire to exert as muchcontrol over my own life as possible.

I think the story reflects thereality of trying to make friends, orfind understanding in a world thatis sometimes harsh and difficult.Everyone, including myself, issometimes a little hesitant anduncertain.

PersonalChanges

I should probably accept thefact that I won't changeeveryone's minds, but still bewilling to share my ownexperiences and knowledge.

I should be more prepared toface potential obstacles, but(like Little Red Riding Hood)always prepared to deal withthem when they arise.Ignoring conflicts doesn'tmake them go away.

The tiger should be morewilling to see things from thesquirrel's point of view;; thesquirrel has probably facedmany similar conflicts before,and has had to live his life inconstant fear as a result. Thesquirrel should probably try tochallenge his ownunderstanding of the world,and whether or not he'sscared for a real reason, orsimply because that is the wayhe has learned to behave.

I should be more willing to putmyself in a vulnerable position inorder to really make the most ofmy opportunities.

At a party, I was recently

I was recently forced with thechoice between a job I hatedand the uncertainty of strikingout on my own and trying to

I frequently dream that I am flying. I'moften a lucid dreamer, and have someextent of control over my dreams, andam many times aware that I'm asleepand dreaming. Perhaps because Irealize this, my dreams cansometimes be less vivid than theywould be otherwise: for instance, Imight want to be in a castle inmedieval Britain, but in my dreams the I was recently at a party with many

Pattern

discussing the topic of racismwith a friend, which is difficulteven at the best of times. Shewas very stuck in her ownframe of mind, and unwilling toconsider alternativepossibilities about how othersmight experience the worlddifferently.

make a shot at self-­employment. Although I feltsecurity and a sense ofnormalcy with my current job, Ifaced my real feelings aboutmy situation head on (I wasn'thappy, and that was unlikely tochange) and decided toconfront my own insecuritiesand fears in order to pursueself-­employment.

surrounding countryside still haspower lines and modern buildings, andthe castle itself is more like a set,smaller than it should be and made ofwood instead of stone. I think becauseI realize it is just a dream, mysubconscious has a tendency toproject reality into them, so that I'm leftwith a mix of my dreams and how theworld truly exists. In many, many of mydreams I am looking for someone (thisperson sometimes changes, and is notalways actually a person I really know)and in many others, the world iscoming to an end or some greatdisaster is about to befall, and I haveto try to find and protect my friendsand family.

new people I hadn't met before.Although I'm generally a social,outgoing individual, I sometimeswonder about how I'm really beingperceived. I want to have genuinefriendships and genuineconnections with people, so it'simportant to me that I'm acceptedfor who I really am.

Responsibility

I am sometimes over confidentof my own opinions, and takethem for granted. This can befrustrating when I come upagainst opposition. I don'tmind having a healthy debatewith someone, but it's irritatingto me when someone refusesto even consider alternativepoints of view.

Whether facing a conflict withanother person or my owndemons, I sometimes havedifficulties reconciling mybeliefs and what I'd formerlyunderstood to be true with thenew reality of the situation. Ihave to learn to do so in orderto determine my best courseof action and resolve conflicts.

I'm often a little bit skeptical ofothers' intentions at first. I can be alittle aloof, sometimes to the pointof having a superiority complex. Iwant to relate to others on a deeplevel, but I'm not always willing tomake the first necessary steps todo so.

Willingnessfor Changes

I'm willing to be moreunderstanding that somepeople simply want tounderstand the world throughthe lens of their ownexperiences and beliefs, butthat doesn't mean I shouldstop trying.

I'm willing to accept difficultiesas they come, and let go of mypreconceptions of situationsand people.

I'm willing to make myself morevulnerable and put myself out theremore.