In my most recent session of the Peer Supervision Series: Expanding the Therapist’s Interior Landscape, sponsored by Onlinevents, we discussed the inner conversations that occur within the therapy session. Generally there are three types of conversations going on in the room. The first is the literal, external conversation that both parties can hear. The second is the internal conversation which is the dialogue that we have in our own heads- the one that helps us interpret what we are hearing and seeing, and what we are imagining, thinking and feeling in response. And finally, there is the interior conversation- the one that happens in the deepest core of our being.
Thomas Kelly, the famous Quaker educator and mystic, describes this interior place as a “divine Abyss within us all, a holy Infinite Center, a Heart, a Life who speaks in us and through us to the world.” I like to think of this conversation as the inner self going into their own inner sanctum for deep contemplation.
In our session today, I asked everyone to think of a recent client session. I had the group engage in contemplative writing, instructing them to write or type for 5 minutes, whatever came to the surface and not to stop- stream of consciousness- automatic writing.
The first prompt was, “What was my interior conversation about and what did I discern was helpful to say aloud during the session?” and the second prompt was simply, “What issues arose in me that I need to explore further?”
After the writing experiences, they went into breakouts of 3 for 15 minutes to discuss what came up regarding their own interior conversations.
We debriefed. I talked about this exercise being a mirror for the client, realizing the client is having the internal and interior conversations with self as well. We discussed silence as a form of listening. I explained that by engaging intentionally in this experiential exercise, they hold an energetic mirror up to the client, essentially modeling introspective and mindful processes. Even if no words are spoken, we can imagine there is an energetic transfer in the room.
Themes of countertransference came up as this type of exercise can be viewed from a psychodynamic and a psychospiritual lens.
I encouraged participants to utilize this reflective tool with other cases they may want to deconstruct.
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This interior conversations exercise was summarized from:
Diane M. Millis: Silence and the art of conversation and
If you are interested in a more in depth process, consider my 12-month intensive:
Psychospiritual Intensive for Therapists, Coaches and Healers
