Abstract: "Fish don't know that they live in water."
Most of us live our lives unaware of the core beliefs and generalizations that govern our behaviors. Basically, we just accept the fact that we are who we are. Yet, a very complex belief structure (including prejudices) governs the way in which we behave in the world. This core belief structure can be divided into three parts: beliefs about self, beliefs about others, and beliefs about the world. I've developed a methodology to uncover limiting (and other) beliefs so the client can then transform them into empowering ones.
The process begins with the identification of undesirable or inappropriate behaviors, and asking the question, "What beliefs are implied about self, others, and the world such that the examined behaviors are consistent with those beliefs?" Then placing oneself on each of a group of behavioral ranges (e.g. towards vis-a-vis away from, sameness vis-a-vis difference, options vis-a-vis procedures, etc.), and asking the same question for each behavior, the client experiences a lifting of the veil between conscious awareness and the core belief structure. Once the limiting beliefs have been discovered, several powerful psycho-kinesthetic techniques for transforming them into empowering ones are explored.
The Workshop:
This workshop is based on both empirical research with clients and previous workshop participants and some "armchair" research on the work of others in the field. It is designed to educate as well as provide some specific, limited counseling/therapy to the participants.
Workshop Objectives:
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to educate the participants about both the subjects and structural forms of beliefs |
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to provide a specific methodology for eliciting core beliefs |
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to provide specific methodologies for transforming limiting core beliefs |
Beliefs:
In order to effectively deal with the plethora of events and data available to us, we must reduce it to more manageable proportions by forming generalizations and beliefs about the world around us. Often these are iconic, or symbolic, and, like a religious icon, they represent a great deal of information in an over-simplified form. Our generalizations, and the beliefs we derive from them, tend to delete variability and variety (diversity) as we strive to deal with information overload in a complex society. Learned preferences in sorting information for meaning can result in unconscious "beliefs" about what is "true" or important. These will be evident in behaviors and responses that reflect the underlying attitudes based on the beliefs, but may not be in conscious awareness. Most of us live our lives unaware of the core beliefs and generalizations that govern our undesirable or inappropriate behaviors. Basically, we accept the fact that we are who we are. Yet, a very complex structure of core beliefs (including prejudices) governs the way in which we behave in the world.
This core belief structure can be divided into three parts: beliefs about self, beliefs about others, and beliefs about the world. Generalizations tend to become organized into hierarchies; those concerning the self are particularly powerful because changing them can affect someone's self-concept and, therefore, their behaviors. Remember, if you believe that you can, or you believe that you can't, you're right!
Once the subject of the belief (self, others, the world) is known, the structure of the belief can be determined. There are three structural types for beliefs: cause-effect (C-E), complex equivalence (CEq), and comparison (COMP). Cause-effect beliefs take the form: A causes B, e.g. "I won't ever get promoted because I'm transgendered." (Transgenderism causes job stagnation.). Complex equivalence beliefs take the form: A implies or means B, e.g. "I can tell by the way he looks at me that he disapproves." (A certain kind of facial expression means disapproval). Comparison beliefs take the form: A is ----er than B, e.g. "She passes much easier than I do." (She is more passable than me).
The Process:
Exercise #1
Examine your undesirable or inappropriate behaviors and ask the questions, "What beliefs are implied about self, others, and the world such that the behaviors are consistent with those beliefs?" What is the structure of the belief(s)?
Exercise #2
Refer to the Meta-Behaviors handout below.
Read through the list of (meta-)behaviors and look for "hits", i.e.
behaviors that are you!
For each "hit" ask the question, "What beliefs are implied about
self, others, and the world such that the behavior is consistent with
those beliefs?" What is the structure of the belief(s)?
Meta-Behaviors (It is very likely that these will be contextual)
1. Direction/Motivation: away from ......................................towards
2. Reason: possibility ..................................... necessity
3. Frame Of Reference: internal (self) ......................... external (others)
4. Convincer Strategy:(Representational) _ see _ hear _ do _ read _ feel 5. Convincer Strategy:
6. Primary Interest:
7. Relationship (matcher/mismatcher):
8. Attention Direction: inside (self) ........................... outside (others)
9. Stress Response: _ thinking _ feeling _ choice _ other (?)
10. Time Storage: _ in/on time (here & now) _ through time (long-range sense)
11. Tasking: options ....................................... procedures
12. World View/Meta-Frame: specific/local .......................... general/global
Exercise #3
Remember a former belief (i.e. one in which you no longer believe) that proved to be limiting or inappropriate in some way. Be aware that somehow you were able to retire that belief and replace it with one that is more empowering or appropriate. Remember, now, how you did that then; what were the steps in this process? What is the sequence?
Belief Change Methodology:
Within the field of Neuro-Linguistics, there are at least three procedures that have been developed to effect belief change: Submodalities Mapping (Bandler & Andreas), Belief Change Pattern (Dilts), and Limiting Belief Outframing (author unknown). Outlines of these three procedures appear below. (For a more thorough description, the reader is referred to Beliefs by Robert Dilts, Tim Hallbom, & Suzi Smith, Metamorphous Press, Portland, Oregon, 1990. Other applicable works are referenced in the Bibliography of Beliefs.)
Ecology Check for Desired or Preferred Beliefs
1. What would happen if you had this new belief?
2. How is it possible that you don't already have it?
3. What might you lose, or how could you be worse off, if you have it?
4. What prevents you from having this belief now?
The Bandler/Andreas Belief Change Pattern:
1. Elicit submodalities for "belief" and "doubt"
2. Map current belief content across into submodalities of doubt (deconstruction) and shrink or fade-out content while preserving submodalities
3. Replace with content of desired or preferred belief
4. Expand or unfade into submodalities of doubt
5. Map preferred belief content back across into submodalities of belief (reconstruction)
6. Test
The Robert Dilts Belief Change Pattern:
1. Place labels for the six steps in the process of belief change:
Current Belief,
Open to Doubt,
Museum of Old Beliefs,
Preferred Belief,
Open to Believing, and
Sacred Place
on the floor in a clockwise direction as though they were place cards around an imaginary dinner table.
2. Using the "former" limiting belief , establish a "location anchor" for each of the positions.
That is, as you physically step into each position, remember that "step" in the original process. Be aware of where in your body each experience resides. "Break state" between each position change.
3. Identify a Current Belief that limits you in some way.
4. Identify what you'd rather believe, i.e. your Desired or Preferred Belief.
5. Now, start at the beginning again. This time, remove the Limiting Belief by gently and carefully walking (the Limiting Belief) directly into 'Open to Doubt' (and let it be transformed) and then directly into the 'Museum of Old Beliefs' (and let it be transformed).
6. Now install the Preferred Belief by gently and carefully walking (the Preferred Belief) directly into 'Open to Believing' (and let it be transformed) and then directly into the 'Sacred Place'(and let it be transformed).
7. Finish by feeling the now-sacred Preferred Belief and stepping directly into 'Current Belief' (and let it be transformed).
8. Test.
The Limiting Belief Outframing Pattern: (author unknown)
1. Lay out a 3x3 matrix on the floor with the resultant squares large enough to stand in
2. Label the rows: 2nd, 1st, and 3rd (perceptual) position and columns: past, present, and future.
3. Associate into the location representing 1st position present.
4. Elicit any limiting belief(s).
5. Leave the limiting belief(s) in the 1st position present location.
6. One by one, associate into each of the surrounding perceptual positions in the following order and perform steps 7. and 8.
1st position future
2nd position future
3rd position future
3rd position present
2nd position present
2nd position past
3rd position past
1st position past
7. From each location, look at the you in the 1st position present location who has the limiting belief(s) and offer a message or belief that would help that you become more open to doubt the limiting belief(s) or more open to believe something new.
8. Then associate back into the you in 1st position present and receive the message from the other perceptual position. From 1st position state what you experience yourself more open to doubt or more open to believe; i.e. "I am open to believing (that) ..."
Repeat steps 7. and 8. until all the surrounding spaces have been entered and processed.
9. Test
He has been a regular presenter at the Interface Foundation in the Boston area since 1989 and has served on the faculties of Purdue, Columbia, and George Washington Universities. Dr. Millen has lectured and presented seminars and workshops internationally. He is a long-time practitioner and teacher of t'ai chi chih, ch'i kung, and Taoism and has been a performing member of Boston Playback Theater, an improvisation company.
Roger is a member of IFGE and a regular presenter and member of the professional staff at Fantasia Fair, held annually in Provincetown, MA. He was an invited presenter at the 1st International Congress on Gender, Cross Dressing and Sex Issues, CSU, Northridge, CA, February 1995 and the 2nd Congress held at Valley Forge, PA, June 1997. Niela Miller, author of Counselors in Genderland acknowledged his contributions to the gender community in her book. He is currently the Director of The Consultancy For Change, an organization which facilitates personal, professional, and organizational growth through counseling, coaching, and training.
Roger N. Millen, PhD, Director
THE CONSULTANCY FOR CHANGE
304 16th Avenue
Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785-2824
(813) 595-8457
DrRNMillen@aol.com