Evidence of learning

Therapy 'on the hoof'

FOR therapy to be most effective, we need to be in a calm, relaxed state, in which we are open to and can absorb new ideas and perspectives. I might usually induce this calm by inviting people to close their eyes and relax and enjoy some guided imagery, at a beach, a lake or somewhere they find it pleasant to be. But very many of the young people we work with are initially reluctant to give up control in this way. They don't even like to shut their eyes, as they are so used to being on hyper-alert for danger. This means that I have had to learn to be ready to work in a much less structured way.

On one occasion, for instance, when young Colin came to the Centre, he said he didn't want to talk about 'stuff' in the therapy rooms and would much rather look at the training room instead. He was intrigued by the large screen, used for PowerPoint presentations, so while he was absorbed in examining it, I said, "Wouldn't it be great if you could sort out this business about flying off the handle?" He nodded distractedly. "Just imagine if that screen, instead of being blank, had a film showing now," I suggested. "What would it be?" "A football match," he replied, without hesitation.

So, I encouraged him to enjoy the football match and to note how confident the footballers were, and how they played as a team, with controlled actions. Then I said, "Imagine if it were a film of one of those difficult times with your brother [with whom he could be seriously aggressive]. Imagine it is going backwards, rewinding really fast..." He looked at me, puzzled. "Whaaat?" "Can you do that, run it backwards?" I asked. Intrigued, he nodded. And then we were effortlessly into the rewind procedure, although it was done conversationally, not only with eyes wide open but occasional direct eye contact between us!

After running relevant scenes back and forth a number of times, I was able to encourage him to see himself as calmer and more confident and controlled and to imagine playing with his brother as if they were on the same team.

Once, at Fellside, I saw Andy absorbed in a PlayStation game. On impulse, I squatted down beside him and said, "All right to have a chat while yourre playing, mate?" He nodded, busy. So I suggested that one part of his mind could continue playing and the other could pay attention to my words and choose to see a different scene on the screen. As Andy was anxious about leaving Fellside shortly to start college, I was able to help him 'detraumatise' his imagined fears of starting college through the rewind technique, and rehearse his next life-step, seeing himself starting out keenly and confidently — yet all the time continuing to play his PlayStation game.

A particularly effective time to make an 'on the hoof' intervention is when a child has had an upset. On one occasion, a staff member and I sat on the sofa on either side of Vanessa, my hand gently resting on her forearm to stop her getting up and harming herself, as she had been doing and was threatening to do so again. As she panted and muttered in a trance-like world of her own, I lowered my voice, deepened it and started to talk of future positives and past successes — what she could look forward to doing when calm again, and how quickly she had been able to recover before. I also used 'paradoxical' embedded commands; reassuring her she "didn't have to feel more calm and relaxed unless she was ready", and that "no one would make her want to feel more comfortable and in control", etc. In no time at all, she was in a deep trance, and we could rehearse more positive ways to deal with such an upset the next time.

I call this 'carpe diem' therapy — although it is not just 'seize the day', but every moment.

Mike Beard

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© Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell 2006

This article first appeared in Volume 13, No, 1 (2006) of the Human Givens journal

FRED GRIST is principal of TheSPACE, which he founded in 2000 along with senior administrator, (and partner) Jane Leeson. He has nearly 30 years' teaching experience,the latter half spent teaching, or, as a head, in residential special schools in the North West. For a number of years, he was Chair of the Cumbria Registration and Inspection Unit. He holds the Human Givens Diploma.

MIKE BEARD became director of therapeutic services for TheSPACE in September 2004. He previouslly worked within Devon Local Education Authority, where his work focused on the development and delivery of training for health and education professionals working with vulnerable young children. He has also worked for the Criminal Justice Service and at a strategic level within ther Connexions service. He holds the Human Givens Diploma.

> More information, including all references, can be found in the following book, by Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell

Human Givens: A new approach to emotional health and clear thinking

> You can find out more on the issues raised in this article at the following MindFields College workshops:

Effective interventions with young offenders

'Every child does matter' - How to transforms the lives of challenging children and adolescents