Generative Psychotherapy: The art of creating new realities Stephen Gilligan Ph.D.

Generative Psychotherapy Creativity is the most important issue in psychotherapy: How to create a positive and fulfilling life. Psychotherapy has lost its original spirit as a creative, transformational force in society, is now often a part of the problem (and not the solution). The error-correction error: Problems are an integral focus in psychotherapy, but they should not be the primary focus. Generative psychotherapy is a framework and a practical step by step method for actualizing life creativity in psychotherapy

Three application domains for creativity Professional life (future goal, work relationships, relationship to money/time/etc.) Personal relationships (family, intimacy relationship, children, friends, etc.) Relationship with self (body, future self, past self, cognitive pattern, “negative” self pattern, etc.)

Theoretical Overview

Premise 1: Reality is created from a conversation between different worlds Reality is constructed by consciousness This conversation is between the creative unconscious (quantum) and the conscious (classical) worlds The creative unconscious is a holographic wave field containing “infinite possibilities” The conscious mind “collapses the quantum wave” to create one reality Creativity moves between these two worlds; each completes the other

Tercer Módulo - Cert. Int. Coaching Generativo Third Module - Int. Cert. Generative Coaching Premise 2: This reality construction is mediated by filters/brain maps Filters translate quantum imagination into classical reality Three general types of filters: Somatic, Cognitive, and Field All we know is what our filters produce: Our maps are our reality We can generatively work with our filters

Premise 3: Filters are held by human consciousness: “Mindless” or “Mindful” 1. When held mindlessly with neuromuscular lock-- fight, flight, freeze, or fold--problems develop and repeat themselves 2. When held mindfully with creative flow, solutions and new learnings are possible

The Underlying Context of Symptoms The CRASH State The Underlying Context of Symptoms Contracted Reactive Analysis Paralysis Separated Hurting/Hating/Hitting

CRASH as “neuromuscular lock” The Four F’s of Neuromuscular Lock Fight Freeze Flight Fold

The Basis for Creative Change The COACH State The Basis for Creative Change Centered Open Aware Connected Holding

The dual levels of the COACH state: The mindful whole and the creative parts The COACH state has two levels: The performance self (the internal and external expressions of each moment) The mindful self that can observe, sponsor, guide, and intentionally organize experience in each moment The relational integration of these two selves gives a generative quality of “self-Coach” or “self- leadership”

This plays out as the two levels of generative trance The trance experience and processes The mindful observer self (the Erickson function) that holds, witnesses, and creatively guides the process. This process integrates meditation and trance traditions. The observer must develop a special state to mindfully guide

Premise 4: For sustainable creative change, develop and maintain a generative state Create COACH field in Therapist, Client, and Therapeutic Connection. Identify goals/intention. Bring all relevant patterns into the COACH field to achieve creative goals. Track dual levels (underlying state, performance activity) simultaneously, always giving priority to state.

Three Levels of Generative System Generative Presence (limbic attunement, Coach field) Generative State (Positive Intention, Centering, Resources) Creative action (movement towards generative goal, transformation of negative states)

6 Steps in Generative Change Open a COACH field Set Intention/Goals Develop a generative state Take action Transform Obstacles Deepening the Changes

Step 1 Open the COACH field: Relax, release, ground, center, open

Opening the Vertical Channel Settle in, settle down Relax and breathe Inhalation: breathe up spine to “heaven”, sense positive energy (water, sun, energy) Exhalation: Let “heaven energy” move through body, purifying and opening Repeat until open state is developed

COACH state through “ki” principles Attune to “one point” in center. “Total relaxation” Weight on the undersides “Extend ki” (allow energy to open into field) (Once done, add somatic model of intention and slowly move through it.)

Revivifying client’s COACH experiences Settle in, settle down Set intention to open COACH field Ask Client to identify COACH experiences in personal life (e.g., peaceful place, deep connection), or an imaginary place. Ask client to slowly describe sensory elements of experience, alternating with silence/breathing through body. Coach limbically attunes and uses/feeds back Client’s description to unfold parallel state Use self-rating (1-10) to identify when deep Coach state has been developed

Step 2: Goals/Intention What is it that you most want to create in your life?

Three ways to represent intention Verbal statement (positive, succinct, five words or less, resonant) Visual image (color, literal or symbolic) Somatic model (posture and movement)

Exercise: Speaking intention Client: What I most want to create in my life is (verbal statement) --The image that goes with that is _____ --And the somatic model of that is (show movement) Coach: feedback 3 statements and adds: And I send you much support for making that real!! (Partners switch back and forth, 3-4 times)

Step 3: Develop a Generative State “Your reality is a function of your state”

The three positive connections: The platform for creative systems Positive intention/goal (succinct: 5 words or less; resonant) What do you most want to create in your life? Mindbody center (experiences of well-being) Where do you most deeply feel the connection in your body? Positive resources (people, places, things, skills, ancestors, etc.) What connections would best help you achieve your goal

The relation of the 3 positive connections to trance experience When the positive connections are at high levels, trances are positive and generative When the positive connections are at low levels, creativity is low and negative experiences are more likely

Preparation Step: Attuning to 3 positive connections Settle in, COACH state. Set general intention for session (Verbal statement, visual images, somatic model): This is what I want to create.... Attune to somatic center (heart, belly) and touch with resonance: To do so, I stay connected with my center.... Attune to general resources (guides, protectors, friends, nature places, etc.) ...and also to all that supports me... Find slow, graceful movement between three connections to develop generative trance. Maintain and renew these connections throughout trance work.

“A goal without a date is just a dream.” Step 4: Take Action “A goal without a date is just a dream.” Milton Erickson, M.D.

Developing and maintaining the generative state with the 3 positive connections Develop COACH field, open timeline to future. Identify goal and somatically model towards future. Scale to optimal level. Holding goal, sense somatic center. Scale to optimal level. Identify and situate resources in spatial field. Scale to optimal level. Walk slowly on timeline toward goal, tracing and maintaining optimal level of 3 connections. Review, note learnings, vows, notes.

Step 5: Transform Obstacles: Change problems into resources

Core experiences as problems or solutions: Two level theory of reality construction At the primary (quantum) level of the creative unconscious, patterns are archetypal deep structures that have infinite possible forms/meanings/values At the secondary (classical) level of the conscious world, these deep structures “collapse” into a particular “surface structure” with specific forms, values, and meanings A pattern become negative or positive, depending on the human presence connecting with it. (COACH vs. CRASH) Thus, a negative experience is an archetypal resource that has been held with negative human presence. To transform a negative experience into a positive resource, bring skillful, positive human presence (COACH/ generative trance) to it

Problem or Resource: Depends on Human Connection/Context Archetypal (core) pattern + CRASH = Problem (“negative trance”) Archetypal (core) pattern + COACH = Resource (“generative trance”) Problem + COACH = Resource

Problems as parts of solution paths: When I move towards X, Y shows up I want to complete this important project, but I end up procrastinating I want to live a healthy life, but I end up drinking alcohol every night. I want to be a good father, but I lose my temper with my children I want to present my ideas to others, but I end up feeling scared and panicky

Trance-formation of conflicting parts via somatic centering in generative trance Develop COACH, generative state. Identify conflict: I want X, but Y stops me Attune to X: Sense center, sponsor, self-scale Attune to Y: Sense center, sponsor, self-scale Optimize X and Y intensity levels, then move into generative trance to develop energy flow between them Elaborate and deepen in generative trance. Future orient: See positive changes, note learnings, vows, gratitude.

Step 6: Homework and Generative Practices Feedback to Therapist Negotiated homework Mindfulness Practices

Thank You..... And May the Force be with you! Stephen Gilligan, Ph.D. www.StephenGilligan.com 3535