Updated October 05, 2015
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guide for human-service providers is under construction.
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This article assumes you're familiar wiith...
This article is for anyone who serves children, teens, and/or adults in
any way other than "mental-health" (clinical) professionals. This
includes
|
Coaches
Consultants
Counselors
Clergy |
Educators
Executives
Family
Friends
|
Legal
Law-enforcement
Marketing
Media |
Medical
Military
Personnel
Social work |
It offers ways to help you
improve your service by introducing the concept of parts work to troubled
people. Tailor the suggestions here to fit your unique personality,
background, and situation.
Typical "troubled people" are currently stressed by things like...
|
depression
financial problems
health
obsessions
compulsions
procrastination
shame and/or guilt
paranoia |
addiction
parenting
affairs
secrets
losses
anxiety
uncertainty
|
relationship
problems
employment problems
social isolation
criminal behavior
failure at
something
hopelessness
feeling "lost" |
Numbering of these "assignments" continues from
this introduction.
__ 12)
Complete all 11 preparation steps in
Part 1. If you haven't done so, you may be controlled by a false
self, and this guide and Web site will probably be of little use to you.
__ 13) Practice
asking yourself in various situations who's guiding you (making your
decisions) - your
or "someone else.''? Proactively continue evolving an effective strategy to
your disabled Self when needed.
__ 14) Reflect, and
write down a summary of your specific current and long-term
professional goals. Then rank order them from most to least important. Does
"alert my clients to the {wounds + awareness] cycle appear among them?
__ 15)
Describe the
people you serve as a group (your "clients") - e.g. "I provide service to
divorcing couples / needy teenagers / my employees / job seekers /
immigrants / disabled people / business executives / military personnel /
spirituality seekers / etc.
__ 16)
check which
of these apply to you now:
__ I believe that inherited
_ psychological wounds and unawareness cause my clients and co-workers
significant personal problems - and that _ they're unaware of this..
__ I believe my clients and
co-workers would benefit significantly from learning about the toxic
[wounds + unawareness] cycle and its effects;
__ I believe I have a moral
duty to inform them of the cycle and its effects now.
If you can't honestly check each of these three, then focus on reducing
your own wounds and protecting your family and friends from inheriting
the cycle..
__ 17)
Train yourself to recognize the
common behavioral traits of significantly
wounded people. These clients and co-workers are the most likely to
benefit from learning about psychological wounds and how to reduce them.
__ 18) Over time,
evaluate the
nurturance level of the
place/s where you work and/or study (low to high). Consider your options for
raising the level within your limits - e.g. thru educating co-workers and
management on more
|
__ 19)
Choose among these
options for alerting people
to the
toxic cycle and its effects, act on your choice, A simple way to do
this is to give clients and co-workers a 1-2 page flyer describing
traits of wounded people and the
cycle, and referring them to more
information (like
here). Notice how you feel about yourself as you do this.
Option
- later, ask people their reaction to your information.
|
__ 20) Consider
alerting other people in your profession to the cycle and it's effects.
Imagine how many thousands of adults and kids that could benefit. That
includes instructors, evaluators, association and licensing officials, and
policy makers. If you don't do this - who will?
__ 21) If you know
or work collegially with mental-health (clinical) human-service providers,
watch for chances to alert them to the [wounds + unawareness] cycle and this
guide.
__ 22) Continue
working at selected lessons on this personal self-improvement
and enjoy the results!
__ 23) Review this
article periodically to (a) refresh your awareness and options, and (b) reflect
on the results of your actions. In particular, be aware of positive benefits
from having your true Self guide you in your life and work.
__ 24) (Add your
own ideas for alerting your clients and professional peers to the lethal
[wounds + unawareness] cycle and improving the quality of your human
service.
|
Part 3) Options for Clinical Providers |
This section covers..:
1) how to use these
options
2) key clinical-service objectives
3) general options for improving your
clinical service
4) working with troubled individuals
5) working with troubled couples
6) working with low-nurturance
("dysfunctional") families
7) common clinical problems
8) selected resources
|
 1)
How to use Part 3
|
These several Web pages cover a wide range of ideas. Some may not apply to
your particular situation. To get the most from the time you invest here...
.
Check to see if your true
Self is
as you read. Overarching goals here are to learn how to recognize
when your Self is disabled, and how to
to guide you. Can you do that yet?
Read
sections 1-3 here, and then decide whether to scan sections 4-8 or read
one or more of them in depth.
Be aware of your
as you study. Some ideas will probably differ from what you believe -
e.g. that normal human personalities are composed of subselves, or that your
Self can dialog with other subselves. If you feel skeptical about or reject
some idea here, notice that, and ask yourself...
-
"Which of my subselves is reacting to this idea?"
Possibilities: your Self, Cynic, Skeptic, Doubter,
Catastrophizer, Worrier, and Scared or Guilty Inner Children.
-
What would it mean if I accept this new idea as true?"
Possibilities...
"I've been wrong about (this idea) so far,
and may have unintentionally provided ineffective service to my clients
Most of my instructors and co-workers are wrong also." or...
"I'm glad to discover this (new idea). I see
how it will help me provide better service;" or....
"I'll experiment with this new idea with an
open mind, and see how it affects the outcome of my work. If my outcomes
improve, then I'll accept this idea as helpful and valid." This
reaction is typical of a true Self.
Consider
finding a study partner or group to discuss these ideas with. You'll learn
about yourselves and these ideas if you do. Stay aware that many of us in
the helping professions are significantly wounded and unaware, so optimal
study partners will be Grown Nurtured Children (GNCs) or GWCs
interested in freeing their Self and reducing any wounds they inherited.
As you study, stay clear on...
-
what
you're trying to fill by being a professional helper;
-
who is ultimately responsible for clients filling their
needs - you, them, or both of you?
-
When you're interacting with typical clients, which of
your subselves are in charge? When clients "resist" your interventions
and suggestions, which subselves guide you?
-
how do you define
What specific criteria do you use to define your professional
"success."?
And as you study this Part, stay clear on...
-
your
attitude about your
clients. Do you see each of them as "damaged and sick," or
"wounded and unaware," or something else? Do you feel (a) empathy and
respect for each person you work with, (b) pity, scorn, and/or
criticism, or (c) something else? Which subselves cause your main
attitudes? As you study and apply your learnings here, notice any shifts
in your attitudes and how that affects your effectiveness, satisfaction, and self
esteem.
|
2)
Clinical Service Objectives
|
Premise:
Effective clinical service occurs when each client and provider...
Your professional effectiveness depends on...
-
the accuracy of your client-problem assessment,
-
your evolving an appropriate treatment plan within local
service limitations,
-
how you implement and adjust your treatment plan, and...
-
the quality of any supervision and consulting you get.
|
Premise: most
non-organic personal, relationship, and family problems are caused
by inherited [psychological wounds + unawareness], ineffective
parenting, and (possibly) incomplete grief If you disagree, this
course will be of little value to you.
|
Lets loof at
these four effectiveness factors one at a time:
a) Client
Assessment
Optimal clinical service must start with each provider involved (you +
supervisors and/or case managers + any consultants) assessing "what's the
problem?" - i.e. diagnosing...:
1)
individual clients' _
woundedness (true-Self disabled or enabled)
and _ knowledge
(inadequate > adequate); and...
2)
clients' _ family structure (functional or not) and _ nurturance level
(low to high); and...
3)
clients' communication skills (ineffective > effective); and...
4)
clients' _ losses (broken bonds) and _ grief policy (healthy
or toxic) and status
(incomplete > complete), and...
5)
treatment constraints, if any, like money, motivation, resistance,
accessibility, etc. .
Typical
clients know nothing of this, so their presenting problems will usually be
surface symptoms of these core stressors. If clinical service is
limited by client woundedness, finances, time, and organizational policies,
it may require triaging professional attention to the most important of
these six related stressors.
A potential
problem may occur if clinicians, supervisors, and any consultants are
unaware of, and/or disagree on, these assessment requisites. Resolution will
depend on woundedness + problem-solving skill of each person involved.
Adequate
assessment of these interactive factors must occur over several client
contacts, overlapping interventions. With practice, you can learn to make
initial diagnoses on each of them in the first several contacts. As your
assessment progresses,
Pause and
compare what you just read to your current way of assessing clients'
problems (needs). Note that to assess these factors, you must know how to
diagnose each of them. Studying lessons 1 thru 6 or 7 can expand your
ability
to assess effectively.
b) Treatment
Planning
Once you assess
In addition to the normal goals you
have for helping your clients, I propose you add these general objectives:
prevent vs yreat
Options - print this study guide and
check off each step you've completed. Don't check a main item ( __ )
until you check all sub-items ( _ ). Consider keeping a log or journal about
your learning process and experience with this model.
Elements of the Clinical Model
This
assessment > intervention model is based on 33 years' clinical research
+ ideas from over 30
veteran mental-health professionals + direct experience with over 1,000 individual,
marital, and family clients and students. It's a unique combination of interrelated concepts
and premises:
-
definitions of young kids'
developmental needs +
+ family
and
these premises...
-
all normal human
personalities are composed of three types of interactive
including a
and...
-
all
non-organic personal "pathology" is caused by
psychological
[wounds + unawareness]; and...
-
all animal behavior is
caused by trying to fill [mental + psychological + physical + spiritual] discomforts
- i.e. needs;
-
needs are hierarchical (surface > intermediate > primary),
and lasting behavioral change requires identifying and filling primary needs; and...
-
all toxic compulsions
(like addictions) are unconscious attempts to self-medicate
caused by psychological wounds + unawareness;
-
''mental illness'' is an outdated term
and concept based on the old Freudian ''medical model''
of human pathology and treatment. A more accurate term is
"psychological wounding";
-
benign
(vs. religion)
promotes personal health and healing;
-
problematic behavior in kids
is always caused by parental [wounds + unawareness]
(family dysfunction), unless there are organic causes;
-
psychological and
legal divorce is caused by
Four are preventable.;
and...
-
permanently reducing
personal "problems" is best achieved through client education +
individual ''parts work'' + family-system therapy;
And this clinical model
includes...
-
a teachable scheme of effective thinking, communicating and problem-solving; and
effective grieving...
-
premises about
early-childhood abandonment and human bonding; and the model
proposes...;
-
the
special needs and functioning of typical divorcing families and
stepfamilies: and ...
-
a progressive sequence of couple
> family > individual (intrapsychic) therapy over time; and...
-
a framework of
client assessment, based on all the elements above.
|
The model's central theme is
helping clients understand and
stop passing on toxic [wounds
+ unawareness] to the next generation. |
Two Core Requisites
To
benefit from this clinical course and educational Web site you must...
-
want
to be
by your
If
you don't know what that means, you'll find out in the Fundamentals
Part of this course.. And you'll need to...
-
be open to evaluating an array of new ideas about people, families, and solving human problems, that may differ
significantly from what you've been taught. One essential new
concept is how to recognize and do effective "parts work" with
The Model in Action
Here's an outline of the key steps in using this clinical model with typical troubled
persons, couples, and families. The course Parts give much more
detail::
Helping a
Troubled Adult
This outline applies to therapists of all types. life-coaches, counselors and family-life
educators should use all these steps except those relating to ''parts work''
(wound reduction). "Troubled" means "experiencing significant local or
chronic psychological + mental discomfort."
The objectives here are to identify and resolve the client's
and teach and motivate the client to avoid and manage such problems on their own.
-
Initial contact > first meeting > learn the presenting problems (surface needs) and client
expectations about therapy;
-
option - draw and discuss the client's genogram;
-
assess
for primary problems...
> psychological wounds (a disabled true Self), and...
> incomplete grief; and...
> past and present
and...
> past and present organic (medical) problems and
medications); and...
> knowledge, awareness, and spirituality; and assess
for...
> early-childhood and current-family nurturance levels
(low to high).
-
with a supervisor (if available), evolve a flexible
treatment plan;
-
provide didactic and experiential
education
(ongoing). Main goals: client understanding and acceptance of
their personality subselves, and motivating them to learn how to
their true Self to guide them;
-
tailor ''parts work'' to fit the client, and teach the client how
to use it to free their Self and permanently reduce their wounds;
-
if the client is addicted; focus on attaining sobriety
(preliminary recovery);
-
help the client identify major life
learn about
healthy grief, and acquire
to finish any
incomplete
mourning; and...
-
help the client learn and use effective
and
skills as appropriate;
-
if the client has a primary partner, evaluate whether
couples work (below) is appropriate. If so, initiate it and repeat the
above steps with the partner as needed.
-
if the client's current family is significantly
dysfunctional (low-nurturance), evaluate and propose family-system
intervention;
-
refer
the client to appropriate wound-reduction (recovery) resources,
and liase with any other involved health providers;
-
with parenting adults, motivate and educate them to
protect dependent kids from inheriting [psychological wounds and
unawareness]; and...
-
encourage the client to identify and pursue their life
purpose, long term; and...
-
if the client terminates before completing this sequence,
be content with "planting seeds," and use these
Otherwise, terminate and follow up as appropriate
How does this scheme compare with your present way of helping troubled
persons? If you work in a clinic or agency, how do it's service guidelines
compare? Part 4 in this online clinical course gives more detail on this
framework.
Helping Troubled Couples
|
Premise - adult relationship
problems are caused by psychological wounds + partners' unawareness
of communication and relationship skills + extended-family dysfunction.
Typical couples seeking help are focused on surface symptoms of these
three root causes. In some cases, a fourth factor is incomplete grief in one
or both people. |
Because they're unaware of these factors, a high percentage of troubled
mates committed to the wrong (e.g. wounded, unaware) people, at the wrong
time (before wound-reduction and education) for the wrong
Where this is true, these wrong decisions can't be corrected unless
both partners are willing to reduce their own wounds, learn to
practice effective communication and relationship skills, and shift their
priorities, boundaries, and expectations with toxic relatives.
So
- the sequential goals of working with troubled couples are (a) teaching
them about psychological wounds and effective communication and relating,
and then (b) coaching and motivating them to use their new knowledge as
teammates. When one or both partners are controlled by a false self, they
may sabotage or quit therapy before accomplishing these goals.
These steps are for couples with no significant stress with existing kids,
relatives, or other third parties. Couples with such stress are covered in
the next ("Family") section.
-
Initial contact > first meeting: learn the presenting problems (surface needs) and the
clients' expectations about therapy. Resolve administrative questions.
-
assess
for primary personal and dyadic problems
> do the same assessments as above for each partner
(over time), and...
> learn how the couple has tried to
resolve their relationship problems, including the outcome of any prior
therapy.
Identify their specific
> option - if the couple lives with other
people, create a
of their home. Use it to assess boundaries, alliances. exclusions, and
group roles;
> assess each partner for abilities to
and
> assess each partner's willingness to accept their
half of current relationship problems (vs. blaming their mate), and
their motivation to change. If either resists, assume they're guided by
a false self.
> inherited [wounds + unawareness], via
explanation, handouts, and referral to
in thus nonprofit Web site; and...
> effective communication skills and
techniques - specially assertion, empathic listening, and win-win
problem-solving. Use explanations, role plays, handouts, worksheets, and
referrals to online Lesson 2. Option: raise their motivation to
learn by using some version of this quiz.
-
Watch for chances to explain how false
selves interfere with harmonious relations and effective
communication. Propose individual parts work to reduce this
interference. If one or both partners are receptive, focus on that via
the steps above. Alternate using one partner as an observer while the
other does parts work.
-
If either partner is working with an
individual counselor, coach, or therapist, inform them of what you're
doing and why. Option - refer them to this Web site and course.
-
Option - consider using a couples
group to accelerate learning and provide accountability and support.
-
Continue individual and joint work as
appropriate until termination. Recap the core problems, the key steps in
the work, and affirm the couple's progress.
How does this scheme compare with your present way of helping troubled
couples? If you work in a clinic or agency, how do it's service guidelines
compare?
Part 4 in this clinical course gives more detail on this assessment >
intervention framework.
Helping a
Troubled Family
This part of the model presumes you understand and have experience with
assessment and treatment. These steps add to those in the prior section:
-
Identify family-members' presenting
(surface) problems, and define the goals of therapy with them.
-
Propose that the purpose of any family is to
fill the evolving developmental and special needs of each member.
Then define surface and primary
"family nurturance level;" and "family functioning,"
Option -
explain the elements of a
-
Explain the concept of the [wounds + unawareness]
and
how it relates to the family's presenting problems. Option
- hand out this article to all adults and
discuss it.
-
Draw a
of the nuclear family, and discuss it with family members. Use it to
identify significant problems like these:
-
family role confusion and conflicts; Who
leads this family?
-
membership inclusions and exclusions
-
levels of
among members (low to high)
-
alliances, coalitions, scapegoats, and
black sheep
-
communication barriers and problems
-
boundary problems within the family
and/or with the outside world
-
addictions and special (e.g. medical or
money) stressors
-
Discuss the family's normal way of trying to
resolve "problems" and how effective it is. (who usually gets their
needs met, and who doesn't?) Compare and contrast their way to win-win
problems-solving:
-
Propose that incomplete grief can be a major family stressor.
Then review the family's timeline and identify major
that significantly affected one or more members. Then assess the
family's ability to grieve well, and identify any incomplete mourning.
Identify what's needed to make the family
and
weave that into the treatment plan. Discuss this as appropriate.
-
If the family is having child-behavior
(parenting) problems, ident5ify the surface and primary problems, and
facilitate more effective parenting. Differentiate marital and parental
problems. Help the adults see the connection between inherited
[psychological wounds and unawareness] and kids' surface "behavioral
problems." Suggest marital and individual (wound-reduction) work (above)
with adults as appropriate.
-
If the family adults are
(psychologically or legally), assess how far along members are in
understanding and adapting to their losses and systemic changes.
Identify any blocks to adjusting, and discuss options for resolving them
over time.
-
If
the family is a stepfamily:
-
assess the adults'
knowledge of stepfamily
realities, and educate them as appropriate.
-
motivate
family adults to learn and discuss stepfamily
norms and
problems - e.g. invite them
to study and discuss
in this Web site.
-
identify and rank-order concurrent
problems, and propose a
prioritized treatment scheme. Include appropriate couples' work
(above);
-
Option - provide an educational
class for several stepfamily clients. Use elements of Lesson 7 as
appropriate.
|
Throughout these steps,
look for chances to grow adults' awareness of (a) their inherited
psychological wounds and (b) how their wounds and unawareness are
promoting their presenting problems.
Motivate wounded adults to
engage in individual
work.
|
+ + +
Note what you're thinking and feeling now. Is your true Self providing your
thoughts, or ''someone else''? Recall - you just read an outline of how the
clinical model in this Web site can be applied to people, couples, and
families. The course for professionals provides more detail and illustrations of this
outline.
|
2) Learn the Requisites for Using the Model |
__7) Review these proposed
requirements for using this model
effectively
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