How We Begin Together

I want to share a bit about what happens when we begin working together.   The first question I ask in pretty much every session is “What do you want most for yourself today?” I ask you this so you can set an intention for yourself during our time together.  You might want to feel more at ease or less anxious.  You might want a more satisfying relationship or to feel more joy and fulfillment in your life.  Once you name what you want, I will lead you through a process that helps you get even clearer and deeper about what you mean.  I might ask you what you mean by “ease” or “fulfillment.”  Then we agree to explore what’s getting in the way of you creating what you most want for yourself.

Why Set An Intention?

Imagine for a moment you want to go see a movie.  You go to the theater and a buy a ticket but at this theater, the movie you will see is a surprise.  You don’t get to choose what movie you see.  You have no idea if it will be a comedy, a drama or a horror flick.  Would you go?  Probably not.  You want to choose.  You know what sort of experience you want for yourself.  So why not be clear when it comes to your personal work?  By identifying your intention, together we decide how we will focus our time and what you hope to have happen for yourself. The intention gives us a thread for the session.  Otherwise, a session can wander all over the place with no clear direction. Just like in life, when we wander aimlessly in session, something good might happen or it might not.  So together we increase your chance of success by clarifying your intention from the beginning.  There’s always room to change it if you get clear that something else is more important.

Intentions: A Couple More Reasons

Here are a couple more reasons why we clarify your intention for yourself in every session.  When you choose our direction, you feel a sense of ownership and empowerment over where we go and that really matters to me.  This supports your sense of “I can” in your life, that ability to take action on your own behalf to create something you want or prevent something you don’t want. This step creates a different structure inside the client/coach relationship, erasing the notion that I know what’s best for you, where to start or what you need. I don’t know. You’re the expert on you. As a facilitator, I provide the space for you to learn deeply about yourself and create the shifts you want.

Additionally, setting an intention keeps us working in present time, the here and now where you have choice and personal power.  The NARM process is really different than telling a bunch of musty old stories from childhood, at time when you didn’t have the power and choices available to you that you have today.  Recycling the past doesn’t change it.  You just feel like you are going in circles.  The past belongs in the past. You can only change in the present.

What’s Your Intention?

Right now, if you were to imagine yourself beginning a session with me, what would you most want for yourself?  This is the beginning of the journey.  When you set an intention, you let yourself matter as much as everyone else in your life, a move towards more balance and well-being.  Need help with this?  Let’s talk.