"In many fields there are constructive organizations that aim to create beneficial change in people. Such change usually happens only at a deeper level of inward attention. Most organizations don't know how to contact that level in people. Their main aim is often defeated because of this lack. Focusing reaches "there" in people, where what each field aims at can actually happen. That is why Focusing is a crucial addition in so many fields". (Gendlin, The Folio: Tribute Issue, 2008)
Gendlin encourages practitioners of various disciplines to incorporate Focusing into their specific field. He says Focusing in itself is not a fruitful approach; it needs to be used in combination with other disciplines.
I find Focusing especially helpful for many clients who otherwise would struggle reaching the level of sensation that we, homeopaths need in order to come to a curative remedy.
If you are a practitioner of the Sensation method, I would love to hear your memorable stories with clients who find it hard to access their bodily felt sensations. What are the ways you have found useful to reach a shift with them, to make the leap from the level they are comfortable with?
For those who do not necessarily understand what I mean, please read on. These are two short excerpts from my book Sensations that explain the level of sensations:
Levels of Experience
The key to the Sensation Method lies in the structure of the initial interview. When we conduct a homeopathic interview we take the client by the hand and walk them through their inner reality step by step, guiding them deeper into the levels of experience. The first level people usually start telling their story at is by naming their ailment. The next step is when they describe the symptoms in detail: conditions, how their ailment appears or improves, the location, the severity of those and other descriptions. One level deeper, people talk about feelings - the emotions these symptoms evoke or are born into. At this level people tend to take a broader route and relate their experience in more general terms from the emotional perspective. Most people have strong emotional reactions and are quite aware of them, so this is a level of experience people can talk freely about. One step beyond this is the level of images - the situations the person relates to. This is the first level that we do not tend to go to easily in casual conversation. It can be a stretch for many people to realize that underneath our emotional reactions there are fixed images that we unconsciously believe in. This is the layer people draw from when describing their situation in metaphors.
Once this level is well described, we go further into the realm of sensations. At this level people relate to the physical sensation a certain image, dream or situation brings forth. This level correlates to the local sensations and brings out the global sensation that manifests everywhere in the person. Without reaching this level we cannot be sure of the core sensation that feeds the images, the emotions, the symptoms and the ailment the person is suffering from.
Flow of Interview
There is no fixed pattern of case-taking, no set questions we need to ask our clients. Nevertheless, we want to touch upon all the Levels of Experience as discussed earlier. There is a natural flow that takes people through their story. In the beginning of the interview we ask about the nature of the complaint. Once that is described, we further question specific aspects of it. Nowadays, health care consumers are very well informed. With the widespread use of the Internet, information is just a click away. Consequently, people tend to know a great deal about their condition. However, this does not replace the actual symptoms one experiences. These symptoms are more personal than the average, general description of an illness. People can go into minute details about their pains and discomforts. This is important terrain for the homeopath, who can then dive deeper into even more personal experience of these symptoms. This is the starting points from which people then usually describe their emotional circumstances of their complaints. Once they are talking about the emotions it is just one step further to understand their beliefs that those emotions are based on.
This is a depth which typical conversation seldom reaches. It’s the level at which we need to encourage our patients to go ahead and describe their inner reality, however absurd or unreasonable it might sound. For some, it is as senseless as dreams. It has vague relation to reality but they are not sure what the connection is. They do not act as predictably as they usually do in their waking life. Indeed, at this level people talk about their dreams, pictures, images of their daydreams, the goals they want to achieve, hobbies they enjoy, favorite movies, books, stories and heroes. Once a person is talking about these things they experience certain sensations. There is a reason we feel good at the sight of an awe-inspiring piece of art or scenery. There is a reason we engage in a particular sport or activity. Once we can tackle that sensation the activity brings up, we are in a very different realm than describing symptoms of a disease. In this realm we can navigate through with ease; there are no norms we have to comply with. At this level it is also easy to name the sensation and the opposite of it, which brings on unpleasant associations. Often two polarities can be elicited here, and that can secure our understanding of the vital sensation. We arrive at the root of the problem, the key to healing.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Power of Silent Listening
Since publishing the book Sensations I have been introduced to Dr Eugene Gendlin's approach called Focusing (see an earlier post about some aspects of Focusing). In Focusing we are looking for a bodily felt sense that is in the background of emotions and behaviors. If you are listening quietly to your body or maybe even have the good fortune someone guiding you into it, you will explore this whole world of bodily felt inner experiencing. Dr Gendlin's work operates on this level. I believe there are many connections between the Sensation Method's vital sensation and Focusing's felt sense.
An interesting point I want to bring up now is regarding hand gestures. If you read my book, you know that working with the Sensation Method we pay special attention to one's hand gestures. As Dr Sankaran noted, often, during the interview, when we encourage someone to enter the sensation level, they pause. They are silent for a while. Then.... as they want to tell us what they found there... they motion with their hands. No sound is leaving their lips - unpronounced words hover there without being born into a voiced utterance. This is the moment that is the birth of the implicit into explicit. The inner sensation, the bodily felt sense is being formed into an uttarable unit. In his book Focusing (on page 97) Gendlin gives an example of a golfer to describe what the felt sense is like. He says that when golfers sense that they are ready to swing is not something they ask consciously; they feel it in their body. It is a whole body experience that translates into the swing. Right before the swing it is a felt sense. A something that is an implicit unit within the person's inner experience, waiting to be expressed. In homeopathic inquiry we are always looking for the inner experience. We are waiting to hear from our clients reference to something important in their experience that can be explored to a deeper degree. We are at the "edge" of the known, the expressed, the discussed and the lived experience where it meets the unknown, the unexpressed, the un-discussed, the not-yet-lived aspects of the same. The "edge" is also an expression used by Gendlin. It describes very well the place of inquiry that is so familiar to us in Sensation Method inquiry. We do not have much use for the explored, the understood aspects of one's inner experience, we can only find meaningful and helpful hints for our growth and better understanding of ourselves in the unexplored territories. And the pivot point in finding that edge is in those few seconds and moments when the implicit is forming into an utterance. This is the quiet zone, the time for silent listening inward. If we further stretch these moments, we find those precious moments of bringing up the implicit is followed by the bodily expressions, in most instances of the therapeutic setting when clients are sittin down, these form hand gestures. They show us the energy of the implicit meaning. In the Sensation Method we view this level of "energy" as the level that is feeding the sensations, their expression is not yet formed but only having shape, color, direction... The body is capable of expressing it with gestures, while the mind, the words still cannot formulate. Once the body has expressed the energy of the implicit, the language, the mind catches up ... and after that hand gesture the words come.
The process does not stop here, we have a lot to do with those words... but that is another story.
An interesting point I want to bring up now is regarding hand gestures. If you read my book, you know that working with the Sensation Method we pay special attention to one's hand gestures. As Dr Sankaran noted, often, during the interview, when we encourage someone to enter the sensation level, they pause. They are silent for a while. Then.... as they want to tell us what they found there... they motion with their hands. No sound is leaving their lips - unpronounced words hover there without being born into a voiced utterance. This is the moment that is the birth of the implicit into explicit. The inner sensation, the bodily felt sense is being formed into an uttarable unit. In his book Focusing (on page 97) Gendlin gives an example of a golfer to describe what the felt sense is like. He says that when golfers sense that they are ready to swing is not something they ask consciously; they feel it in their body. It is a whole body experience that translates into the swing. Right before the swing it is a felt sense. A something that is an implicit unit within the person's inner experience, waiting to be expressed. In homeopathic inquiry we are always looking for the inner experience. We are waiting to hear from our clients reference to something important in their experience that can be explored to a deeper degree. We are at the "edge" of the known, the expressed, the discussed and the lived experience where it meets the unknown, the unexpressed, the un-discussed, the not-yet-lived aspects of the same. The "edge" is also an expression used by Gendlin. It describes very well the place of inquiry that is so familiar to us in Sensation Method inquiry. We do not have much use for the explored, the understood aspects of one's inner experience, we can only find meaningful and helpful hints for our growth and better understanding of ourselves in the unexplored territories. And the pivot point in finding that edge is in those few seconds and moments when the implicit is forming into an utterance. This is the quiet zone, the time for silent listening inward. If we further stretch these moments, we find those precious moments of bringing up the implicit is followed by the bodily expressions, in most instances of the therapeutic setting when clients are sittin down, these form hand gestures. They show us the energy of the implicit meaning. In the Sensation Method we view this level of "energy" as the level that is feeding the sensations, their expression is not yet formed but only having shape, color, direction... The body is capable of expressing it with gestures, while the mind, the words still cannot formulate. Once the body has expressed the energy of the implicit, the language, the mind catches up ... and after that hand gesture the words come.
The process does not stop here, we have a lot to do with those words... but that is another story.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Ask Questions
While this is a good place to give your comments and ask questions and I enjoy the blogging atmosphere, I would like to encourage you to visit the Forum on the website of Minimum Price Homeopathic Bookstore. I am among the authors there that have their Q&A sections. On one hand I would like to populate my forum there but also it might be interesting for you to visit other homeopathic authors' Q&A sections.
The link is: http://www.minimum.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=70
Enjoy your exploration!
Ildiko
The link is: http://www.minimum.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=70
Enjoy your exploration!
Ildiko
Processing the Vital Sensation
This is a continuation of some thoughts from my previous "client-centered" post
Vital Process is when we process the Vital Sensation
The Vital Sensation is the core bodily felt sense that is at the root of our innermost processes. My recent observations show me that clients need to be part of the exploration of these processes instead of being the source of information for the homeopath. Instead of offering a remedy based on the underlying story I discover as the main source of disease in the client, I want to offer this process of exploration as a source of inspiration and self-discovery for my clients.
This is why I place emphasis on the process as opposed to the remedy.
Following my previous post inspired by Carl Rogers, I am adding now this idea of the process called exploring the vital sensation. This process is born out of the vital sensation and followed through as a map to one's inner world.
Moreover among other benefits of client-centered therapy Rogers describes an "incorporation of previously denied experience into the self-structure" (On Becoming a Person, p. 75). I believe that when we explore the Vital Sensation and its manifestations, clients are able to bring it to their awareness, and as a positive effect of this exploration they will be able to include this experience into their "self structure", creating a richer experience of life, a more vital and individual immersion in it. This way we can use the Sensation method not only to find the disturbance in one's health but to enhance our experience in ways that we are prone to. We can turn our weakness into strength. Through the remedy we can achieve healing from the exaggeration of what Sankaran calls the "Other Song" but through conscious use of our familiarity with this Song to use it to enhancing our inner experience.
Vital Process is when we process the Vital Sensation
The Vital Sensation is the core bodily felt sense that is at the root of our innermost processes. My recent observations show me that clients need to be part of the exploration of these processes instead of being the source of information for the homeopath. Instead of offering a remedy based on the underlying story I discover as the main source of disease in the client, I want to offer this process of exploration as a source of inspiration and self-discovery for my clients.
This is why I place emphasis on the process as opposed to the remedy.
Following my previous post inspired by Carl Rogers, I am adding now this idea of the process called exploring the vital sensation. This process is born out of the vital sensation and followed through as a map to one's inner world.
Moreover among other benefits of client-centered therapy Rogers describes an "incorporation of previously denied experience into the self-structure" (On Becoming a Person, p. 75). I believe that when we explore the Vital Sensation and its manifestations, clients are able to bring it to their awareness, and as a positive effect of this exploration they will be able to include this experience into their "self structure", creating a richer experience of life, a more vital and individual immersion in it. This way we can use the Sensation method not only to find the disturbance in one's health but to enhance our experience in ways that we are prone to. We can turn our weakness into strength. Through the remedy we can achieve healing from the exaggeration of what Sankaran calls the "Other Song" but through conscious use of our familiarity with this Song to use it to enhancing our inner experience.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Client-centered therapy
As I start looking into combining psychotherapy and homeopathy I have been reading texts of various authors, watching interviews with key figures of psychology and thinking about the relevance of the vast work, research and ideas that have gone into the practice of psychology to the work I am doing. I find deeply rooted connection between my work as a homeopathic practitioner and some of the thinkers of psychology. I would like to quote here from Carl Rogers’ book On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy. Rogers' so called client-centered approach is definitely very close to what I experience as the authentic relationship between therapist and client. As Rogers points it out it can be any relationship between two humans, where at least one of them has the goal of growing towards self-actualization, in simple terms becoming a person he/she seeks to be. I am taking this quote from him because his words remind me of the multi-layered work we do with our clients. Establishing a healing relationship is the heart of what we do. Therefore we can look for the results of our work at the same place: in this relationship. This is the fertile soil homeopathic inquiry will sow its seeds.
Here is Rogers:
"If I can create a relationship characterized on my part:
by a genuineness and transparency, in which I am my real feelings;
by a warm acceptance of and prizing of the other person as a separate individual;
by a sensitive ability to see his world and himself as he sees them;
Then the other individual in the relationship:
will experience and understand aspects of himself which previously he has repressed;
will find himself become better integrated, more able to function effectively;
will become more similar to the person he would like to be;
will be more self-directing and self-confident;
will become more of a person, more unique and more self-expressive;
will be more understanding, more acceptant of others;
will be able to cope with the problems of life more adequately and more comfortably". (Rogers, 1961, p. 37)
I find it intriguing that Rogers’ statements regarding what “will” happen are very close to what I expect to happen as a result of homeopathic treatment. I understand that the style of inquiry and the spread of issues we address are very different, but nevertheless it is interesting to consider the similarities and learn from the other.
By giving a special kind of attention, Rogers becomes the source of healing. The relationship is what is the central point to healing, the pivot point where clients finds the energy for and direction to healing. In the Sensation Method I (the homeopath) identify the issue, the “aspects the person repressed” without the conscious participation of the client. Recently I have been leaning towards moving the process of self-discovery and subsequent self-actualization to become the conscious endeavor of client as well as the practitioner. I think it is more humanistic, more approachable and therapeutic, and helps to fill the gap where the limitations of homeopathy would stop us. If we share the responsibility of the process and outcome with the client, we will not lose the case because of outside circumstances. We will have the ability to keep the healing going even without a remedy, while still progressing in the direction the homeopathic inquiry brings us.
Here is Rogers:
"If I can create a relationship characterized on my part:
by a genuineness and transparency, in which I am my real feelings;
by a warm acceptance of and prizing of the other person as a separate individual;
by a sensitive ability to see his world and himself as he sees them;
Then the other individual in the relationship:
will experience and understand aspects of himself which previously he has repressed;
will find himself become better integrated, more able to function effectively;
will become more similar to the person he would like to be;
will be more self-directing and self-confident;
will become more of a person, more unique and more self-expressive;
will be more understanding, more acceptant of others;
will be able to cope with the problems of life more adequately and more comfortably". (Rogers, 1961, p. 37)
I find it intriguing that Rogers’ statements regarding what “will” happen are very close to what I expect to happen as a result of homeopathic treatment. I understand that the style of inquiry and the spread of issues we address are very different, but nevertheless it is interesting to consider the similarities and learn from the other.
By giving a special kind of attention, Rogers becomes the source of healing. The relationship is what is the central point to healing, the pivot point where clients finds the energy for and direction to healing. In the Sensation Method I (the homeopath) identify the issue, the “aspects the person repressed” without the conscious participation of the client. Recently I have been leaning towards moving the process of self-discovery and subsequent self-actualization to become the conscious endeavor of client as well as the practitioner. I think it is more humanistic, more approachable and therapeutic, and helps to fill the gap where the limitations of homeopathy would stop us. If we share the responsibility of the process and outcome with the client, we will not lose the case because of outside circumstances. We will have the ability to keep the healing going even without a remedy, while still progressing in the direction the homeopathic inquiry brings us.
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