Postures of tranquility
Postures of mobilisation
Figure 2. Some of my own internal weather
embodied (attending to all realms of emotional communication, including the body)
Method: “Preparing the self for the therapeutic relationship” (Fredman, 2007), (attending to the emotional postures present in one’s body before and during a clinical encounter). Technique: The internal weather report (using a specific mindfulness technique to bring awareness to one’s emotional postures). Thus, my strange loop has unwound
itself leaving me with a sense of coherence in my practice. I now use this technique frequently throughout my working week, regardless of whether I am preparing myself for an encounter with a family, a multi-disciplinary meeting, or my own supervision. In fact, I have spent some time collecting images of different types of weather that I frequently experience internally, categorising them into what seem like postures of mobilisation and tranquillity. These images are on the wall of my office as a reminder to check in with my internal weather before I go to an appointment (see Figure 2). When I have spoken with others
about how I have been using the internal weather report, I have been met with
Context 170, August 2020
enthusiasm for such a straightforward technique that powerfully enables a helpful aspect of systemic practice. People seem drawn to the weather metaphor for emotions, perhaps harking back to a time in our shared cultural and evolutionary history when we had a closer and more direct relationship with the elements. One particularly fascinating development of the technique that has been suggested by a number of people is to extend the technique beyond the individual and consider broader patterns (“weather systems”) in groups such as families or teams – perhaps an activity for the team away day next year?
References Barnett Pearce, W. (2007) Making Social Worlds: A Communication Perspective. Oxford: Blackwell. Bownas, J. & Fredman, G. (2017) Working with Embodiment in Supervision: A Systemic Approach. Oxford: Routledge. Burnham, J. (1992) Approach, method, technique: Making distinctions and creating connections. Human Systems, 3: 3-27. Cronen, V., Johnson, K. & Lannamann, J. (1982) Paradoxes, double binds and reflexive loops: An alternative theoretical perspective. Family Process, 21: 91-112. Fredman, G. (2007) Preparing our selves for the therapeutic relationship: Revisiting ‘hypothesizing revisited’. Human Systems: The Journal of Systemic Consultation & Management, 18: 44-59. Griffith, J.L. & Elliott Griffth, M. (1994) The Body
Speaks: Therapeutic Dialogues for Mind-body Problems. New York: Basic Books. Snel, E. (2013) Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents). Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications.
Davy Evans works as a clinical psychologist at Health in Mind, the paediatric psychology service for Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and on the neonatal unit at Birmingham Women’s Hospital. He has an interest in systemic and other relational ways of working. He can be contacted on
davy.evans@nhs.net
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Dr Strangeloop or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Mindfulness
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