Self-Image Statement: Seeking approval, wanting to please people
and be assured of their approval, trying to avoid disapproval.
How Statement: Trying to anticipate what people want, repressing
my own wants to avoid conflict, becoming invisible if necessary
to avoid disapproval.
Why Statement: Disapproval equated with withholding of love in my
childhood. Approval was rarely expressed by my parents, but they
tolerated my presence as long as I behaved as they wanted. No
attention is better than negative attention.
Contrast Statement: Not caring what other people(important people
to me) think about what I do or say.
After Method of levels Discussion: I'm not as in touch with my
own feelings and desires as I should be because I've repressed
myself in an effort to gain love. This was extreme in my
childhood, more moderate now.
Instructions for generating self-image statement: Imagine that
you are talking to an actor/actress who will play you in a movie
of your life. You are to give him/her general instructions on how
to be/behave like you. The instructions can take one of two
forms: Be the kind of person who ____________. Don't be the kind
of person who ________________.
My thinking about this instruction is that it results in a person
tuning into perceptions about him/herself approximately at the
principle level of perceiving.
Instructions for how statement: Give some examples of how the
actor/actress can be/behave like the person described in the
self-image statement.
Instructions for why statemnt: Explain to the actor/actress what
is accmoplished by being/behaving in the way described by the
self-image statement.
Instructions for contrast statement: What is the opposite or
contrast to being/behaving like the self-image statement.
Instructions for the after method of levels discussion statement:
What is your personal opinion/reactions to being/behaving like
the self-image statment? What is good and bad about
behaving/being this way?
If any of the people on the CSGnet do this exericse, I would
appreciate hearing from you about it.
···
To: Rick Marken, Mary Powers, other interested CSGnet people
From: David Goldstein
Subject: exercises to help a person explore levels
Date: 05-16-92
Rick asked me if I knew of any exercise a person could use to
help a person explore his/her own levels by means of the method
of levels.
My first reaction was--No, the only way I know about is to enter
into a conversation with another person who already knows how to
do it. This is the way that I learned with Bill Powers help. Just
like learning to relax with biofeedback equipment, the person
learning the method of levels receives some questions/comments
from the other person which helps him/her know if he/she is
moving in the right direction.
Upon further reflection, I think that the Self-Image Exercise
which I have developed may help a person explore his/her own
levels. Recently, during one session, I gave a patient the Self-
Image Exercise Sheet. The next session she came back with 11
exercise sheets completed. She shared with me her conclusions
that as a result of the exercise she discovered three self-
images. One she calls Mother, one Child, and one anti-Nancy.
Nancy is the name of her mother. The last self-image was a
surprise to her. The other two she has recognized from therapy
discussions we have had.
I plan to take the information in the 11 exercise sheets and
create a set of items which can be used in a Q methodology study
with her. It will be interesting to see what results emerge from
this study.
Here is the outline of the exercise sheet with one example from
her:
Name:__________________________________
Date: 5/9/92