One needs to remember, sometimes, to listen to our own bodies when working with people. Think, for example of a situation in which a rapist is coming to you for help. If you find his acts repugnant, you can be sure that you are not the only one, and that your revulsion is probably reflected by most people who come into contact with this man. Isn't it obvious to assume then, that this person has become excluded? Think further, and know that excluded people must be angry people.
How, then, can one balance the feelings? Think, in therapy, of ways of balancing the feelings in the room. Think of ways of trying to share the problem between members of the family sitting in front of you. Let's say the father is an alcoholic, and is either absent, or beats up family members. However, during the session, the small child cannot sit still. Perhaps one could shift the focus and work on ways in which the parents could improve the child's concentration. The alcoholic issue will come up, when the time is right.
Tom Andersen, a renowned narrative therapist, but originally a medical doctor, always tries hard to listen to what the patient presents. He may know about a horrific situation which occurred in the patient's life, but until the patient actually tells him about it, he works only with what he is given. Often this is something physical. He believes that all muscles in the body balance one another out, and unless we are using our muscles correctly, we will be unable to breathe properly. We need to be able to breathe both in and out easily. We have both flexor and extensor muscles – but these need to work simultaneously for us to be "balanced". If our muscles are too "bent", too flexed, we need to stretch out, to open ourselves up, to become liberated. So, when working with people, a therapist might look at how they are standing, in order to try to improve their posture, thus helping to correct a physical imbalance. We are connected in so many ways, and corrective action in one area of the body is likely to have some effect on another area. Bringing back movement, may also bring back words.
