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The Healing Ways of Old Man
Old Man at Petford Geoff
Guest Petford Camp Posted
30 July 2000. Last Update Sept, 2014. Healing Ways Material for Youth Camp
Enablers Each morning at the Salem Youth Camp
Geoff Guest the Aboriginal Elder of the Camp provides healing opportunities
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth. The following material is
based on Geoff's healing and co-learning processes. GEOFF
GUEST'S MORNING THERAPY SESSION DISCUSSION
Discuss and identify therapeutic
patterns implied in the following: Geoff Guest's therapy sessions with
the Petford youth take place every morning shortly after 6:00 AM and last
from between 30 to 45 minutes depending on the energy and interest level of
the youths. In the colder weather the youths are typically sleepy and sit
together on a large sofa and other chairs to keep warm. In the colder months
the session takes place indoors in a large space in front of the cooking
area. In the warmer months the sessions are under the veranda in the eating
area. At times Geoff gets the youths very actively involved in physical
challenges and role plays. DISCUSSION
POINTS Therapeutic Elements: o
being
sleepy o
being
close together o
always
at the same time o
relatively
early o
always
at the same place o
at
the start of the day o
matching
duration, content and process to youth receptivity o
altering
energy levels from very sleepy to super alert Being
Sleepy This is akin to a naturally
occurring trance state where the mind's critical and judgmental aspects are
dulled. Geoff creatively uses these moments with the youths when they are
particularly open to new possibilities. When sleepy the youth have a tendency
to stay in the same place and are not restless. Often the whole group remains
where they are after Geoff finishes and only get up when breakfast is ready.
Youth do pay attention. Ask them about what they heard and learnt that
morning and they can reel off a long list. Being
close together When the youth sit down close
together they are literally supporting each other. (On this aspect show the
trainees the Salem Video 'Ringer' segment where all the boys are supporting
the smaller boy (the one who has the 'fit') on the blanket. Geoff could have
easily carried the boy back to Norma, but instead this smaller boy
experiences being totally and literally supported - probably for the first
time in his life. Importantly, he is being supported
by the complete youth community at the Camp, many of whom, up to that moment,
had been his tormentors. The other youths, in carrying the young one,
experience being a caring, supporting, community together - powerful change
stuff! This is a beautiful and elegant example of the holistic nature of
Geoff's work. Ideas and behaviours are linked to profound physical
experience. Keeping each other warm further
fosters 'togetherness' and community. Always
at the same time The youth habitually take their
place and sit waiting for Geoff to start. They develop a 'self-regulation'
component. Geoff never misses holding this session at Salem. This fosters in
the youth (i) a preparedness to follow rules, (ii) self discipline and (iii)
a spirit of cooperation; all critical in developing a work ethic. In fact 'being cooperative' is a
'critical and central behaviour' that Geoff endeavours to install in every
youth in his program. Being cooperative is central to personal effectiveness
in every aspect of a fruitful life in community with others. It is linked to
holding down a Job, keeping a marriage and family in a close bond and
developing a 'community' that communes together. When youth arrive at Salem
they tend to have non-cooperation as an entrenched behaviour. The transcript of Geoff's therapy
session later in this page highlights some of the micro-processors that Geoff
uses to sustain cooperative behaviour. Relatively
early Youth develop self discipline in: o
starting
the day early o
reporting
for work o
doing
something even if on some days they don't feel like doing it. Always
at the same place The place becomes an 'anchor'. Each
morning when they sit down in the same place it anchors them back to prior
learning. They can link new learning with prior ones. Because of all of these
associated learning it becomes a place of special power. The location is also
where food preparation and eating takes place and that has a good feel about
it. It is in the very centre of community life with dogs barking and pots and
pans and Norma's booming voice adding to the richness of what's going on. All
this binds the learning to this community experience. At
the start of the day Each day starts with communal
learning and reinforces that this is a learning place. It allows further
processing of 'yesterday's unfinished business' after just finishing
'sleeping on it'. Matching
duration, content and process to youth receptivity Geoff works with the youth while
they are receptive. If receptivity and cooperation wanes, Geoff either opts
to increase receptivity and cooperation, or closes the session. DISCUSSION
Discuss and identify therapeutic
patterns implied in the following: Geoff's morning session is a central
component of the change work done at Salem. Geoff's therapy processes are
very spontaneous, creative and intuitive. Geoff regularly incorporates
'unfinished business from the previous day' into the session. DISCUSSION
This may be: something general that applies to
all of the youth something that happened between two
or more youths, or some issue relating to a particular
youth. Quite often when Geoff is doing
therapeutic work with a particular youth, the youth concerned does not know
this is the case. In this way Geoff can by-pass resistance. Geoff checks
whether he has got a particular outcome and if not, does further work until
he does get it. DISCUSSION
Discuss and identify therapeutic
patterns implied in the following: During sessions, Geoff is also
running simultaneous and concurrent specific therapy programs tailored to
each youth in the program. Examples are: o
youth
A - aggressive behaviour o
youth
B - selfishness, self-centredness, and attention seeking o
youth
C - bullying and teasing DISCUSSION
Discuss and identify therapeutic
patterns implied in the following: Each session tends to have a central
theme and a number of parallel minor themes that cover three areas, namely: o
ideas
o
behaviour
o
feelings
and emotions o
For
example, later on this page there is a transcript of a small segment of one
of Geoff Guest's morning therapy sessions with the Salem youth. This session
had the major theme 'married life' Under the ideas heading Geoff had
the youths, amongst other things, think about: o
marriage
o
being
married o
how
many children they would have o
that
marriages have good and bad times o
the
destructive consequences of alcohol abuse on family life o
behaviours
that keep a family together o
handling
money in a family o
owning
your own home o
characteristics
of a: o
good
wife o
good
husband o
good
father Under the behaviours category Geoff
had the youths role-play (amongst other things): o
giving
recognition to a son o
disciplining
a son Under the emotions and feelings
category Geoff introduced the idea that it is possible for anyone to learn to
quickly change their mood states whenever they want to by changing: o
what
they are thinking about o
what
they are imagining o
their
time focus between past, present or future o
their
body posture He then had them experience changes
in their own emotions, feelings and mood states. These experiences were then
linked to the theme 'married life'. He would have them imagine a future where
they are married and then have them live out different scenarios so that they
were 'embodying' the feelings and behaviours. As is typical, during the session
Geoff also followed up unfinished business from the previous day and wove in
specific therapy work with a number of the youth. All of this was packed into
half an hour and yet the pace seemed almost sleepy and leisurely. Geoff also weaves multiple stories
together and then has the youth role-play characters in the stories. There is
an extensive literature on the therapeutic use of stories and an excellent
introductory text is David Gordon's book 'Therapeutic Metaphors'. A basic pattern is to have the
various elements in the story almost exactly the same as those happening in
the clients life, that is, the same ideas, behaviours and feelings. The
stories contain possibilities for the resolving of the issues concerned. To use one of Geoff's simple stories
as an example: 'Two youths who both want
the same new horse riding equipment' become, in the story, 'two youths who
both want the same orange'. 'The supervisor that
tells these youths that neither of them can use the new equipment' becomes
'the father that takes the orange from the two youths and eats it himself'. The new behavioural, conceptual, and
emotional possibilities are contained in a second ending to the little story.
In this new ending the father asks one of the youths why he wants the orange
and the youth replies 'mum asked me to get some orange rind to make a cake'.
The other youth wanted to eat the orange. So the father peels the orange and
gives the orange to the youth who wanted to eat it and the rind to the other
youth to give to his mother. Geoff went on to link this story to
something that happened the day before and to his main theme for that
particular day which was 'working for supervisors that may not be very good
at their job'. This orange story also embodies a
basic underlying belief of Geoff, namely that it is always best to seek
outcomes where everybody's needs are met. GEOFF
GUEST IN ACTION The following is a segment of
Geoff's storytelling. 'So the fellow that put
his earnings from Salem into a land investment ended up married and owning
his own home. The other fellow spent all of his money on buying alcohol and
drinking it with his friends. The first fellow and his wife and children
liked living in their own home. The other fellow had none of his Salem
earnings left. Who was the smartest?' (Geoff leaves the question hanging
in the air unanswered.) 'Now here's a smart young
fellow.' (Geoff selects, walks towards, and
stands in front of a youth who prides himself on being smart.) 'When you get married
(pause) would you like one, two or three children?' 'Two' 'And would you like a
brick house or a wood one?' 'A brick house.' 'And who would bring up
the children - you or your wife?' 'My wife.' 'Would you have any say
in what they did?' 'We both would have a
say.' 'Good (Geoff mentions youth's
name)! You know what you want!' (Geoff repeats this form
of questioning with two other youths.) 'And you know (pause)
brains are marvellous things (pause) and we can recall good things and
imagine marvellous things and change ourselves with our brains and (Geoff
moves in front of a youth who had been in some trouble the day before)
(mentions youth's name) have you ever had something happen that was not very
good?' (The youth nods and is very pensive)
(Geoff walks over and addresses
another youth.) 'And when you came off
the horse yesterday that was not very good was it?' (Geoff is very gentle and caring as
he says this. The boy looks uncomfortable and embarrassed and shakes his head
in negative agreement.) (A dog barks and begins to tussle
with another dog not far from Geoff.) 'And even dogs don't
always get on with one another, do they? Get outside both of you (pause)
please.' (Geoff chases the two dogs outside.)
'And (pause) thinking
back on these times can make us feel miserable, right? (pause) and we can
(pause) feel real low.' (As he says the last three words
Geoff moves his body so that he is hunched up and hung over with eyes caste
down to the right. He looks miserable. All the boys are looking at him.) (Bill is behind the bench helping
Norma (Geoff's wife) make the breakfast toast. Bill is also watching and
listening to Geoff as well. Geoff stands up straight and looks towards Bill.)
'And Bill (pause) there's
been times in your life when (pause) you have been (pause) very sad, right?' (Geoff knows that Bill's wife
committed suicide in horrific circumstances. Bill is caught unawares by
Geoff's remark and says with wavering voice 'I sure have!') ‘'And thinking about that
(pause) upsets you now (pause) doesn't it, Bill?' (Geoff is very gentle as he says
this. Bill's face has become ashen. His body shrinks and he nods in
agreement.) 'And (pause) there has
been a time (pause) that you can go to right now (pause) when you feel really
good (pause) right? (pause) and you can (pause) go there NOW (pause) right?' (Bill's face lights up, his body
lengthens, he takes a deep breath and his whole demeanour changes immediately
and Bill says the following: 'Yes! Making toast for
Norma!' (Geoff points to Bill and addresses
the boys.) 'Did you notice how Bill
changed then, first he was sad and then a moment later he was happy again and
(pause) your brain can (pause) do that any time you want (pause) and that's
marvellous isn't it.' THERAPY
MODELLING - A MICRO-PROCESS ANALYSIS OF THE GEOFF GUEST TRANSCRIPT The following is a bit-by-bit
analysis of the preceding transcript. The transcript segments are printed in
capitals. Typically, Geoff uses many therapy
processes in every sentence. Most of these processes, or variations of them,
are well documented in the psycho-linguistic modelling literature and have
been demonstrated to lead to behaviour change. It is problematic that any of the
particular micro-processors mentioned in these notes WILL have a specific
outcome. As Geoff has his therapy sessions with the Salem youth every day,
Geoff notes the unfolding outcomes he is getting and works on a specific
issue until that issue IS resolved. 'SO THE FELLOW THAT PUT
HIS EARNINGS FROM SALEM INTO A LAND INVESTMENT ENDED UP MARRIED AND OWNING
HIS OWN HOME. THE OTHER FELLOW SPENT ALL OF HIS MONEY ON BUYING ALCOHOL AND
DRINKING IT WITH HIS FRIENDS. THE FIRST FELLOW AND HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN
LIKED LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOME. THE OTHER FELLOW HAD NONE OF HIS SALEM
EARNINGS LEFT. WHO WAS THE SMARTEST?' (GEOFF LEAVES THE
QUESTION HANGING IN THE AIR UNANSWERED.) Geoff uses his own past experience
as a source of stories. Often Geoff makes stories up on the spot and says
something like 'A friend of mine knew a bloke who ...' Milton Erickson called
this the 'my friend John' process. The above story fits the pattern
mentioned previously. Ideas, behaviours and emotions are interwoven. Geoff tends to start sentences with
conjunctions or 'joining' words. William O'Hanlon in his book 'Taproots' analyses
many of the therapeutic micro-processes that effective therapists have used
throughout the ages. O'Hanlon calls this pattern of therapeutically using
conjunctions 'Linking' ('linking', O'Hanlon, Page 127, 1987). In the above
segment Geoff started with 'SO'. This pattern links the sentence to the one
before it. Other joining words and expressions are 'And', 'So that',
'Because'. The brain tends to chunk things
together when they are linked with these joining words. A more advanced
'joining' pattern that Geoff uses is: o
something
obviously true o
conjunction
o
something
obviously true o
conjunction
o
something
obviously true o
conjunction
o
suggestion What tends to happen is that the
listener lumps everything together as true and the suggestion is accepted
along with what has gone before. There is an example of this pattern later in
the above transcript. Can you find it? 'NOW HERE'S A SMART YOUNG
FELLOW.' (GEOFF SELECTS, WALKS TOWARDS, AND
STANDS IN FRONT OF A YOUTH WHO PRIDES HIMSELF ON BEING SMART.) All of the youths listening to this
story had 'being smart' as something they valued highly. They could easily
identify with 'being smart'. It is possible that the youths could less easily
identify with the idea of 'being married.' Geoff's non-verbal behaviours signal
to the boy that he will be involved. Geoff is totally 'congruent' about
getting the boy's cooperation. That is, every aspect of Geoff's verbal and
nonverbal behaviour supports Geoff's implied presupposition that the boy will
cooperate ('presupposition', O'Hanlon, Pages 87-90, 121-122, 143, 1987). This
tends to be irresistible. Note that there is an implied presupposition of
cooperation. Being totally congruent about what
he does is a vitally important part of Geoff's work. In this he mirrors
Christ healing. In talking about Jesus, someone said words to effect 'We
haven't heard anyone speak like him before!'' It is likely that an important
aspect of what this person was talking about was Christ's congruence. Every
aspect of Christ's speaking body would be totally consistent. Jesus on one occasion said to a
person who could not walk: 'Pick up your bed and
Walk!' Notice that these are two simple
direct commands joined by a conjunction ('Direct commands', O'Hanlon, Pages
151, 1987). Jesus would have said these commands in a way that presupposed
(presupposition) and implied ('Implication', O'Hanlon, Pages 87-94, 139,
1987) that the person would definitely be able to pick up his bed and walk. Geoff also makes use of the same
processes in his healing work, namely: o
direct
commands o
conjunctions
o
presuppositions
o
implication
o
being
congruent 'NOW HERE'S A....' In the story Geoff has placed the
youths in a story reality in a 'past' time. He then placed them in
'non-specific' time where they could personally identify with a 'smart' role
model. Geoff now reorients everyone back to the present time by starting the
next sentence with the word 'now'. Geoff is continually reorienting the
youth in past, present and future time to get specific therapeutic outcomes
('reorientation in time', O'Hanlon, Page 137 - 138, 1987) 'NOW HERE'S A ...' The word 'here's' is a phonetic
ambiguity ('ambiguity', O'Hanlon, Page 103 - 108 & 142, 1987). The
expression 'hears' and 'here's' sound identical. Research shows that the
brain is constantly making 'meaning searches' as we listen to speech. We
consciously pick up the most likely meaning of an expression from the context
of what's going on. However at a brain function level we do pick-up other
meanings. These other meanings can be used therapeutically. In the above
sentence the alternative meaning 'Now HEARS a smart young fellow.' implies
'Pay attention.' This second meaning fits Geoff's presupposition of
cooperation. 'A SMART YOUNG FELLOW' Geoff invariably gives a simple
compliment prior to asking for cooperation. For example, on another occasion
before asking Bill to use his watch to time a boy climbing over a rafter in
the roof, Geoff said, 'Now whose got good eyesight? Bill! Will you help us?'
After that introduction/implication, Bill, who wears bifocals couldn't
refuse! Note that in the story he had just
finished Geoff had highlighted 'being smart'. Geoff selected a person who: o
had
'being smart' as a very strongly held personal belief, o
was
likely to cooperate and hence be a role model for other less cooperative
youth. This belief about being a smart
person: o
adds
great weight to the compliment o
helps
link the boy to the 'married thrifty youth' in the story o
links
the boy to the 'being married theme', and o
points
to 'being married' as a likely focus of the coming interaction. The number of these links is also
likely to be too many to be consciously processed by the boy. This limits
resistance ('Overload - Confusion', O'Hanlon, Pages 51, 104-8, 112, 125, 135,
1987). (GEOFF SELECTS, WALKS TOWARDS, AND
STANDS IN FRONT OF A YOUTH WHO PRIDES HIMSELF ON BEING SMART.) Geoff's non-verbals all support the
above linguistic processes. 'WHEN YOU GET MARRIED
(PAUSE) WOULD YOU LIKE ONE, TWO OR THREE CHILDREN?' Geoff uses reference to time as one
pattern to set up 'presuppositions'. In this case Geoff uses the word 'When' to
set up the presupposition that the boy 'IS going to get married'. Other references to time that can be
used to set up presuppositions are: o
before
o
during
o
while
o
after Geoff pauses to have the youth
settle into a future time frame in his imagination - a frame in which the
youth is married. Geoff gives the boy three choices
each of which again imply that the boy will have some children ('Illusion of
alternatives', O'Hanlon, Pages 90, 1987). This is another pre-supposition
pattern based on making a choice from a number of presupposed items. For
example, 'Would you like one or two eggs in your milk-shake?' presupposes you
will have at least one egg in it. 'TWO' From his tone the youth appeared
quite definite about wanting two children; that is, he was not saying
something just to please Geoff. 'AND WOULD YOU LIKE A
BRICK HOUSE OR A WOOD ONE?' 'A BRICK HOUSE.' 'AND WHO WOULD BRING UP
THE CHILDREN - YOU OR YOUR WIFE?' 'MY WIFE.' 'WOULD YOU HAVE ANY SAY
IN WHAT THEY DID?' 'WE BOTH WOULD HAVE A
SAY.' Again Geoff uses the 'choice' or
'illusion of alternatives' pattern - by using the word 'or' - to set up the
presuppositions of 'owning a home' and 'that his children would be cared
for'. 'GOOD (GEOFF MENTIONS YOUTH'S NAME)!
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT!' Geoff gives recognition and sincere
compliments continually in his work and the youth love it. Often spontaneous
remarks are not remembered by the person who makes them. Geoff, in drawing
the youth's attention to what the youth had just said, increases the
likelihood that the 'possible futures' that the youth had just described - of
being married, owning a brick home and jointly caring for two children while
caring for two children will be remembered. (GEOFF REPEATS THIS FORM OF
QUESTIONING WITH TWO OTHER YOUTHS.) Having this first boy as a
cooperative role model sets the scene for others to also cooperate. 'AND YOU KNOW (PAUSE)
BRAINS ARE MARVELOUS THINGS (PAUSE)' Geoff starts with a conjunction
linking the new topic to what has just been happening. 'AND YOU KNOW (PAUSE)' Here Geoff implies that they already
know what he is about to say. Hence the idea he is about to introduce is
readily accepted. The pause can arouse curiosity and
interest in what is to come - both ideal learning states. 'AND YOU KNOW (PAUSE)
BRAINS ARE MARVELOUS THINGS (PAUSE)' Geoff uses 'generalisations' in many
ways to obtain therapeutic effect ('generalisations', O'Hanlon, Pages 97,
141, 1987). Here describing brains as 'marvellous things' does not tell us
what he is getting at. The following pause invokes further curiosity. Geoff
is very adept at creating and changing 'states' in others. Examples of states
are: o
curiosity
o
pride
o
wellbeing
o
puzzlement
o
fascination 'AND YOU KNOW (PAUSE)
BRAINS ARE MARVELOUS THINGS (PAUSE) AND WE CAN RECALL GOOD THINGS...' Geoff uses a conjunction to link up
the next piece. 'AND WE CAN RECALL GOOD
THINGS AND IMAGINE MARVELOUS THINGS' Geoff here uses a pattern that
Milton Erickson also used, that of the 'embedded command' ('Embedded
commands', O'Hanlon, Page 142, 1987). Notice that embedded in this sentence
are two commands, namely, 'RECALL GOOD THINGS' as well as 'IMAGINE MARVELOUS
THINGS'. The general pattern that Geoff uses is 'We can 'X'', where X is the
command in question. Other examples occur in the transcript. Note that the
word 'things' in the sentence fragment 'recall good things', is another
example of using a generalisation. The word 'things' allows hearers the
possibility of coming up with their own specific memories and imaginings. In having these hidden commands and
suggestions in this sentence Geoff is warming the youth up for using their
brains to both recall things and imagine things in a few moments. 'AND YOU KNOW (PAUSE)
BRAINS ARE MARVELOUS THINGS (PAUSE) AND WE CAN RECALL GOOD THINGS AND IMAGINE
MARVELOUS THINGS AND CHANGE OURSELVES WITH OUR BRAINS, AND ...' This is where Geoff uses the
'obviously true' pattern mentioned earlier, namely: o
conjunction
o
something
obviously true o
conjunction
o
something
obviously true o
conjunction
o
something
obviously true o
conjunction
o
suggestion o
and
o
you
know (pause) brains are marvellous things o
(pause)
and o
we
can recall good things o
and
o
imagine
marvellous things o
and
o
change
ourselves with our brains and The first couple of sentence
fragments are obviously true. These statements are then linked to the bold
suggestion 'we can change ourselves'. (GEOFF MOVES IN FRONT OF A YOUTH WHO
HAD BEEN IN SOME TROUBLE THE DAY BEFORE) (MENTIONS YOUTH'S NAME) 'HAVE YOU EVER HAD
SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT WAS NOT VERY GOOD?' (THE YOUTH NODS AND IS VERY
PENSIVE.) Both the boy and Geoff know what
Geoff is referring to and in recalling this situation a specific
neuro-psychological state is fired off inside the boy. (GEOFF WALKS OVER AND ADDRESSES
ANOTHER YOUTH.) 'AND WHEN YOU CAME OFF
THE HORSE YESTERDAY, THAT WAS NOT VERY GOOD WAS IT.' (GEOFF IS VERY GENTLE AND CARING AS
HE SAYS THIS. THE BOY LOOKS UNCOMFORTABLE AND EMBARRASSED AND SHAKES HIS HEAD
IN NEGATIVE AGREEMENT) Geoff conveys to the boy by voice
tone that he understands how the boy felt yesterday and how he feels now. Geoff, in suddenly having the youth
recall the particular situation, has a particular neuro-psychological state
firing off in the boy. (A DOG BARKS AND BEGINS TO TUSSLE
WITH ANOTHER DOG NOT FAR FROM GEOFF.) 'AND EVEN DOGS DON'T
ALWAYS GET ON WITH ONE ANOTHER, DO THEY? GET OUTSIDE BOTH OF YOU (PAUSE)
PLEASE.' (GEOFF CHASES THE TWO DOGS OUTSIDE.) Geoff 'incorporates' a possible
distraction into what he is doing and in this way it ceases to be a
distraction ('incorporation', O'Hanlon, Page 127-28, 1987). 'GET OUTSIDE BOTH OF YOU
(PAUSE) PLEASE.' Geoff has a very special way of
saying 'please' at the end of his requests. It is very compelling and aids
Geoff to get cooperation, even with the animals! 'AND (PAUSE) THINKING
BACK ON THESE TIMES CAN MAKE US FEEL MISERABLE, RIGHT? (PAUSE) AND WE CAN
(PAUSE) FEEL REAL LOW.' Geoff uses the linking conjunction
'and' again. This conjunction pattern can be very hypnotic. Again Geoff uses the embedded
suggestion/command pattern to set up shifts in states. '... can make us feel miserable...'
'... we can (pause) feel real low.' 'RIGHT? (PAUSE)' Geoff checks for non-verbal signs of
agreement. (AS HE SAYS THE LAST THREE WORDS
GEOFF MOVES HIS BODY SO THAT HE IS HUNCHED UP AND HUNG OVER WITH EYES CASTE
DOWN TO THE RIGHT. HE LOOKS MISERABLE. ALL THE BOYS ARE LOOKING AT HIM.) It is a common experience that
miserable people look miserable. They get into typical postures. They tend to
have eyes cast down and to the right. They typically have muscles rather than
bone and cartilage supporting the body against gravity. Muscles under load,
tire very quickly. Bones and cartilage do not. This is why people in the
posture of misery are also fatigued. Geoff embodies all of these
understandings visually as a visual therapeutic metaphor. 'Stand like this
and you'll soon feel awful!' (BILL IS BEHIND THE BENCH HELPING
NORMA (GEOFF'S WIFE) MAKE THE BREAKFAST TOAST. BILL IS ALSO WATCHING AND
LISTENING TO GEOFF AS WELL. GEOFF STANDS UP STRAIGHT AND LOOKS TOWARDS BILL.)
'AND BILL (PAUSE) THERE'S
BEEN TIMES IN YOUR LIFE WHEN (PAUSE) YOU HAVE BEEN (PAUSE)
VERY SAD, RIGHT?' (GEOFF KNOWS THAT BILL'S WIFE
COMMITTED SUICIDE IN HORRIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES. BILL IS CAUGHT UNAWARES BY
GEOFF'S REMARK AND SAYS WITH QUAVERING VOICE 'I SURE HAVE!') Geoff's behaviour has a devastating
effect on Bill, and Geoff knows this. 'AND THINKING ABOUT THAT
(PAUSE) UPSETS YOU NOW (PAUSE) DOESN'T IT, BILL?' (GEOFF IS VERY GENTLE AS HE SAYS
THIS. BILL'S FACE HAS BECOME ASHEN. HIS BODY SHRINKS AND HE NODS IN
AGREEMENT.) Geoff is fully present to Bill and
acknowledges Bill's grief and supports Bill at a tonal level (Geoff is very
gentle as he says this.) 'AND (PAUSE) THERE HAS
BEEN A TIME (PAUSE) THAT YOU CAN GO TO RIGHT NOW (PAUSE) WHEN YOU FEEL REALLY
GOOD (PAUSE) RIGHT? (PAUSE) AND YOU CAN (PAUSE) GO THERE NOW (PAUSE) RIGHT?' Here Geoff again uses: o
conjunction
o
presupposition
o
generalisation
o
presupposition
o
embedded
command o
time
pattern o
switch
time focus o
suggestion
o
presupposition
o
command o
conjunctions:
o
and
(pause) o
presuppositions:
o
There
has been a time (pause) o
that
you can go to right now (pause) o
when
you feel really good (pause) o
right?
o
generalisations:
o
a
time o
good o
embedded
commands: o
go
to right now ; o
feel
really good o
go
there now o
switch
in time focus: o
has
been a time o
go
there now (BILL' S FACE LIGHTS UP, HIS BODY LENGTHENS,
HE TAKES A DEEP BREATH AND HIS WHOLE DEMEANOUR CHANGES IMMEDIATELY AND BILL
SAYS THE FOLLOWING: 'YES! MAKING TOAST FOR
NORMA!' (GEOFF POINTS TO BILL AND ADDRESSES
THE BOYS. 'DID YOU NOTICE HOW BILL
CHANGED THEN, FIRST HE WAS SAD AND THEN A MOMENT LATER HE WAS HAPPY AGAIN.' Moments before Geoff had
deliberately moved his body into 'problematic physiology' - being hunched up
and hung over, etc. Bill spontaneously shifted into much the same posture of
despair that Geoff had assumed. Moments later, Geoff has Bill switch from
profound grief to pleasure in a few seconds. '... AND (PAUSE) YOUR
BRAIN CAN (PAUSE) DO THAT ANY TIME YOU WANT (PAUSE) AND THAT'S MARVELOUS
ISN'T IT.' Geoff again uses conjunctions,
presuppositions, and embedded commands Tapping
into the Process Throughout all time special people
have been able to have profound capacities to reconnect people to
wholesomeness; to being whole, to being together with themselves and being
together with friends. And these special people have always
been somehow different, and it is this 'difference' that makes the
difference. The few pages that we have just shared gives us an introduction
to this difference and these new knowings can make a difference to us as
well. The youth at Salem Aboriginal
Training Farm are profoundly changed during their short stay. Most of Salem's
youth arrive with problematic backgrounds, including strife with the
authorities, alcohol and substance abuse, and possess little in the way of
literacy, numeracy and vocational skills. Most live with the presupposition
that their life is worthless. After a few months at Salem they are
extremely focused about what they want from life. The majority leave to take
up jobs in the rural sector. In large part this behaviour change is initiated
during Geoff's morning sessions with the Salem Youth. Geoff works spontaneously and
intuitively, and the therapy patterns are continually interwoven into what he
does. Geoff is a special person and has a unique way of healing, and experience
has shown that once the underlying healing patterns a person is using are
identified, others of the right heart and mind can easily learn to follow
that way. Further information about Geoff's healing ways may be obtained at: Geoff Guest - Petford Youth Camp
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