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Returning to seeing clients in person (COVID) 

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Eager to be sitting in the same room with people again!! 

Enjoys in person work

Misses people

Waiting for guidelines

Follow the rules

Do 'what's right'

Research, follow the news

Wants to keep everyone safe and comfortable. 

Services to be accessible to all.  

I'm just deciding.  Fed up. Throws hands in air

Scared of being criticized by others or letting them down 

Cut costs if move online 100%.  More efficient

Procrastinate

Avoid making a decision

Sets future deadlines to decide 

Enjoys flexibility of seeing clients online.

Can work from home or office depending on mood

The

Responsible

One

The Social Butterfly

Caretaker

The Ostrich

Little girl

The Accountant

Free Spirit

The F#$K it! Part

Eager to be sitting in the same room with people again!! 

Eager to be sitting in the same room with people again!! 

Eager to be sitting in the same room with people again!! 

Eager to be sitting in the same room with people again!! 

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The Critic 

Positive Intention (what it wants for you)


How it tries to do that: 










What's it afraid would happen if didn't do what it does: 



 

Spend a lot of time making sure things are done perfectly 
Review conversations had through the day to see if screwed up 
Be harsh about errors so I don't repeat them ever again 
Set high standards for myself 
Compare my work, appearance, success etc to others 


 

To be accepted and respected 
 

Rejection, external criticism, being abandoned

Sounds like my dad's voice 

Manager

NERVOUS SYSTEM 

3 Circuits & examples of mixed states

as vagal brake adjusts amount of activation 

Ventral

Sympathetic

Connected

Safe

Mobilized

Fight-Flight

Dorsal

Immobilized 

Collapsed

Sympathetic 

"I must now"

Seeking safety through action

Dorsal

"I can't"

Seeking safety through

disconnection

Ventral

"I can"

Safety, Connection, Presence

Freeze

Combination of

Sympathetic and Dorsal

Stillness

Ventral dominant

with a splash of Dorsal

Play

Ventral dominant

with a splash of Sympathetic

Clinical Considerations

IFS 

Insight work through Self to part connection

Structural dissociation 

Not aware that in state (trait)

Blunted, not responsive

 Dorsal                       Sympathetic                      Ventral   

Blended with a part 

Not able to say "I'm in a part" but can name ANS state

Vagal brake

"What do you need from me to feel safe and connected right now?"

In a dorsal state, and less able to connect with therapist 

Therapist helps to coregulate to resolve dissociation 

What movement can you do? (can’t move often because immobilized) 

What movement do you need from me?

Safe                                                                                                                                                                  Danger

Not Connected                             Connected to therapist

Adapted from Francois Le Doze' Relational Intelligence Model

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Lower Brain 

Upper Brain 

Prefrontal Cortex

Amygadala

Hippocampus

Thalamus
 

Top
Down

Bottom Up
 

Body 
ANS

Brain Stem

Common Threat & Safety Cues 

Internal Cues

Danger

Safety

Environmental Cues

Ventral

Sympathetic

Dorsal 

Connected

Safe

Mobilized

Fight-Flight

Immobilized 

Collapsed

critical self-talk 
shame stories
pain 
suffering 

 

Danger Cues

Safety Cues

move us down the ladder 

move us up

 the ladder 

Relational 

supportive self-talk 
stories of belonging 
pleasure 
extreme weather, overwork, food and housing insecurity, climate stress, systemic oppression, fire, death 
 
clean air and water, safe housing, food security, meaningful work, body autonomy, equal rights 
 
interpersonal violence, shaming, unfair criticism, bullying, gaslighting, rejection, loneliness 
 
acceptance, presumption of competence, emotional validation, compassionate touch, genuine care 
 

All Parts Welcome

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