from Ed Ford (920525:14:20)
Mary - Thanks for your tip about no seat availability on some flights
getting out of Durango on Sunday. I got the last seat on the Sunday
noon flight out of Durango to Phoenix.
David, et all....
David (920521) says "a difference I've noticed between Ed Ford and
myself in applying HPCT. Ed starts at the systems level and works
downward. I start at a lower level and work upward.
This is not quite true in my case. I see counseling similar to
creative writing. When writing, I watch ideas pop out of my mind, as
if I had little to do with creating them. I just think about the area
where I'm curious or trying to work out a thought and out something
comes. It just pops up and there it is. Bottom line is that I take
advantage of my reorganization system and let it work for me, like
creative people do.
Counseling involves using the reorganization system, the same creative
process. I don't start at systems concepts and work down any more than
I start at a lower level and work up. I begin my session by talking
with my clients (what else is there to do) about what they want, where
they see their problem, a little bit about their life. I have in mind
the major areas of importance in PCT that are applicable, such as
priorities, values and beliefs, standards, decisions, various areas of
perception, our actions, wants and goals, and stuff. Then I watch
myself take certain directions, primarily areas in the clients' lives
where both harmony and conflicts exist.
Actually, David, I think our difference is this: you tend to analyze,
to think things through in a logical way, to be more analytical; I tend
to just watch where I go, to let ideas come out of my mind, not
constrict my mind but to let it creatively seek various paths to take.
When I occasionally find my self uncomfortable with where I am or what
I'm saying, then another idea pops into my mind and if it makes sense
and is compatible with what I want, I go in that direction. That isn't
to say that I don't have an overall structure in the way in which I
work or that I don't think about what I'm saying. I'm thinking all the
time, but it's within the creative process. PCT has given me a
delightful structure, and I've added my own way of understanding and
creative process within the boundaries of PCT.
I basically look for various areas such as where there may be two
incompatible goals, or for goals they've established but over which
they have little or no control accomplishing, and I also have them look
at how they've structured their worlds and get them to evaluate the
structure they've created.
Typical areas of conflict are where a job demands enormous time, a
spouse and children need time, extended members of the family such as
sick or lonely parents, physical activities (time at spa) or
intellectual activities (time on CSG net). Here are all kinds of areas
with interrelated and sometimes highly conflicting standards,
decisions to be made, and the way the various systems have been
prioritized. It is impossible for an outsider to know all the various
areas of importance, their strength and priorities at any one time, the
varying standards and how their all interconnected within the total
network of the person with whom you are dealing. That's why I think
it's best to teach a person how to work out their own internal
conflicts cause only they know what is really going on. All I know is
my own created perceptions of what I think is going on.
I think a big mistake can be made if a person looks at PCT in terms of
an individual area of concern and tries to analyze an area in isolation
from other areas. Again, there's so much going on. I can't think of a
single area of importance to me that isn't tied into lots of other
areas of greater and/or lesser importance. Hester, my children, my
various jobs, my health, my faith, my friends, CSGnet, things around
the house, all kinds of other things as well. These are all very
interrelated areas, all with various priorities, depending on the time
constraints and other areas of importance. To look for the single or
major reason or cause for what people do within their network of
reference levels is rather misleading. There seems to me to be too
much interrelatedness within our structure of our values and beliefs,
how we've prioritized them at any one time, and all the various
standards we've set. Added to this is how all of the above can be
conflicting with various disturbances becomes apparent to us when we
are attempting to control in various areas.
The most important thing I've learned from Control Theory is that I'll
never understand another living control system, and they'll never
understand me. To quote Clint Eastwood (one of my very favorite
actors) "A man has got to know his limitations!" When living control
systems come to me seeking help with various conflicts their having, I
see my goal as a teacher. My job is not to figure out why they do what
they do. Rather, it is to help them build confidence in their ability
to deal with their internal worlds by teaching them effective and
efficient ways of resolving their conflicts and establishing harmony
within their worlds. Control Theory has given me more help in this
area than anything else I've learned.
Rick..
I think that directing a person's awareness to levels (or areas) which
aren't broken can be very productive. Obviously, if people are doing
well in one or more areas, but their belief-in-self system isn't, then
having them reflect on what they're doing well can be most helpful in
rebuilding confidence. It is best to build from strength, not
weakness. Also, sometimes it is best to build more strength in areas
of success before attending to weaker areas. Again, as I was saying
above, you just have to fuss around and help the client determine which
is the best way to go. It isn't best to set hard and fast rules where
you have so much going on.
Ed Ford ATEDF@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU
10209 N. 56th St., Scottsdale, Arizona 85253 Ph.602 991-4860