APNC 3.2 (Summer/Fall 18) C4

[jgotts60]

Plan for a possible client:

1. I’d meet with the client to see what is up for them, what they’d like to work on or what issues are holding them back from being where they want to be in life. I’d do this with the understanding that this is a springboard and the pressing issue may change as they do this work or things evolve in life. As part of this initial discussion, I start them thinking on some intentions they’d like to set. One principle that I would definitely want to convey is the idea that we do this work in nature not only to remove ourselves from our regular lives and stresses, but also because nature is a teacher herself.

2. I’d start the work and progress through it much like the course progressed. That is, I’d introduce them to the sensory awareness. I think this is a very powerful process to begin with because it seems so much of this work is aimed at expanding awareness internally and externally. That along is a significant step in moving forward. I might help prompt the client a bit while starting this awareness exercise, e.g., “What do you hear on your left? What’s the farthest sound?…” etc. I would sit with the client for a bit and see what if anything came up in doing this. I’d then do this on a walk, again asking them just to notice but to point out what they may be noticing if they’re motivated to share.

3. I’d introduce the concepts of a wander and do the wander, but I’d introduce the prep and integration phases too bringing in some of the intentions from the early conversations

4. I’d go to the 7 surrender breath exercise and guide the client in pulling out the salient sensations and what may be learned from them.

5. I’d probably start going to the techniques to identifying resistance to change at this point, but I’d want to do it in a way that doesn’t lead to beating oneself up. As Michael said, it’s good to be honest but I could see how this might lead to self-flagellation which would not be healthy.

6. In regard to 5, my reaction to the 7 steps when I first did it was something that’s integral to my spiritual (Jewish) foundation. That is, that the soul is inherently good (“pure” as it were), so this may be a worthwhile technique during or before the Kegan and Lahey exercise.

This would probably be the first few months.

7. I’d then start using these techniques “for real.” What can a wander tell the client about what they want to change. I’d start looking for those steps to making the change real and lasting that may arise out of the wander and other exercises. So I’d do them with a particular focus on the question of what needs to be changed. Out of this would come the particular goals. This might take a few sessions to make this concrete, but I’d work toward each session identifying specific steps or goals to change for the next session. I’d start each subsequent session with a check in on how the goals have progressed.