THE PERSONAL GROWTH OF THE (ERICKSONIAN) THERAPIST PSYCHOAEROBICSM Exercises

© 1992, Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D. (rev.11/13/95)

EXERCISE ONE Clinician Posture to Develop: The Set of Indirection; “Orienting Toward” Format: Dyads. Paper and pencil needed. Roles: Person A is the “Receiver”; Person B is the “Pitcher.” Do not reverse roles. Roles will reverse in Exercise Two. Method: The job of the Receiver is to ask the Pitcher five simple questions to which the Pitcher can answer “yes,” “no,” or “sometimes,” e.g., Do you like movies? It is advisable to write all of the questions on paper prior to sequentially asking them. Do not ask questions that have obvious answers. The job of the Pitcher is to tell a brief (three-minute maximum) story that means “yes,” “no,” or “sometimes.” Tell the story in slow, measured tones, with a “hypnotic” voice, attending to the Receiver as completely as possible as you speak. The story can be quite simple, e g about breakfast; it need not be profound or complex. The Pitcher is to keep his/her body still when telling the story to avoid providing information through gestures. The Receiver should look at the Pitcher’s shoulder with a “soft focus” to discern the essential message by accessing the state of experiential empathy. The Pitcher will attend the Receiver’s body clues, e.g., does the Receiver’s head subtly nod or shake during the story. The Pitcher should continue the story until a noticeable body clue occurs in the Receiver. Variations: 1. After each story, the Receiver can write down the message (“yes,” “no,” or sometimes”) that was implicitly

gift wrapped in the story. The Pitcher should not indicate whether or not the Receiver is correct until all five questions have been answered. In fact, in this exercise, it is unnecessary to compare answers.

2. Tell the story subvocally or in gibberish. 3. Use tones instead of stories. 4. Have the participants reverse roles and repeat the exercise. Attitude: The Receiver must interpret the Pitcher’s indirect message and define experientially what it is like to extract meaning from an indirect message (i.e., enter the “gift unwrapping” state). The Pitcher must compose the indirect message and define experientially what it is like to compose and deliver an indirect message (i.e., enter the “orienting toward” or “gift wrapping” state). At the end of the exercise, each should describe to the other specifics of the experiential state of pitching or receiving. In order to help the Pitcher consolidate ‘the “gift wrapping” state, the Receiver can offer feedback to the Pitcher as to what the Pitcher looked like when he/she was most effectively orienting toward. The Pitcher can do the same for the Receiver in regard to the “gift unwrapping” state. Also, discuss the affect of telling the story with enhanced contact and “hypnotic” style, and why it is unnecessary to compare answers. Note: As with any experiential exercise, only do those that are comfortable to you. *PSYCHOAEROBICSM is the service mark of Jeffrey K. Zeig, Ph.D., for a personal development system for health professionals.