David Grove conducted the following intervention with a 46-year-old female who was undergoing intensive chemotherapy for cancer at the time. This intervention is a good example of how gentle yet effective David's work can be. Please note as well that the therapist has a 'co-therapist' in the process itself. Instead of having to be clever or presumptuous and come up with all the answers for the person, David asks questions that elicit responses directly from the client's own experience to provide a solution that is just right for the given situation.
The client is then asked to map (rough sketch) her metaphors. Mapping the metaphors does a number of things:
Grovian Therapy is very clean in the sense that it does little to nothing to 'contaminate' the client's experience. Questions are carefully selected so that they elicit the client's own metaphors. While developing information with the client the Grovian Therapist strives to not impose any of his or her own ideas or assumptions on the client.
Grovian Therapy greatly reduces the risk of re-traumatizing the client. By being asked questions that convert information into metaphor, a person can be much more at ease when dealing with difficult life experiences. The participant doesn't have to give exact descriptive detail of unpleasant experiences. Creating the possibility for resolution without doing so is quite remarkable. Because the client's information is converted into metaphor it becomes much more tolerable and manageable. Affect is greatly reduced or non-existent. Even aggregates of difficult information can be represented by a simple metaphor. This is very helpful when there is substantial volume of information that would otherwise have to be organized to work with.
Read and observe as David leads the following intervention with Ann. I have provided commentary along with the intervention in an effort to help explain the purpose of David's questions.
Intervention by David Grove
Ann:
(Without prompting) "I'm not exactly sure what I want to work on."
(Left hand moves over upper chest.) "I'm anxious here."
David:
"And what's it like when you're anxious here" (Points to his own
upper chest like she did.)
Ann:
"It's like a waterfall."
David:
"And is there anything else about a waterfall?"
Ann:
"There is a whole lot of water falling."
David
states to the observers that he needs to pull this information back.
This is because the waterfall represents the anxiety and in Grovian
therapy you can manipulate, or manage time with your questions in
order to reduce the current symptom. This also enables the therapist
to discover more potential healing resources. The question is: "What
happens just before the water begins falling?"
Ann:
"It is contained in a pool."
David:
"And is there anything else about a pool?"
Ann:
"It is a high mountain pool."
David
continues to develop the information with "What kind of ?" and "Is
there anything else about ?" questions. Developing questions are
searching for any information that could assist in the healing
process. Developing questions also illustrate structure, the person's
constructs that support the anxiety. The question he selects is:
"What kind of mountains contain a high mountain pool?"
Ann:
"Mountains that are too steep."
David
continues to define structure with his questions: "What's on the
other side of those too steep mountains?" Notice that David is
careful to use the client's own words.
Ann:
"They are all too steep, I can't see any other sides. I'm on one of
the sides trying to go up. I'm pretty far up, 2/3rds of the way up. I
wish it would flatten. I'm pulling up on a good rope.
David:
Is there anything else about a good rope?"
Ann:
It's a well anchored heavy rope and I have to lean back to climb.
It's tiring and I want it to flatten out."
David
continues to pull back because of the strain that is indicated by
Ann. This is one of the ways in which re-traumatizing is avoided. The
question he uses here is: "Where does the 'too steep' come from?'
Ann:
"The geological formations used to be flatter totally flat. It was a
good flat manageable with green grass."
David:
"What kind of grass is that green grass?"
Ann:
"It's a tundra type of grass"
David:
"And is there anything else about green tundra grass?"
Ann:
"It's rich and nutritious. There are animals there moose, caribou and
other vegetarian animals that find the tundra grass very nutritious.
They are happy and well fed. Life is easy there."
David
continues to pull information back through time in order to search
for a powerful "redemptive metaphor" that could possibly heal the
original symptom of anxiety. This is done by pulling information back
until there is no trauma or turmoil in Ann's information. Once a
redemptive metaphor is found it can be asked to combine with the
symptom to see if a resolution of the problem can occur. The question
he asks is: "So where does that 'easy' of that 'easy life' come
from?" Adverbs, adjectives or nouns may be pulled back.
Ann:
"From the grass and the right place."
David:
"And where does the 'right' of that 'right place' come from?"
Ann:
"It comes from the appropriateness of the place for the animals. The
animals and the place go together. It comes from God and evolution.
They may have come from a wrong place. They moseyed here."
David:
"What kind of place could they have been before?"
Ann:
"A colder place with less grass."
David:
"And where did they come from before that?"
Ann:
"They started at a first time right place that was warmer and greener
it was safe.
David:
"And where did the safe of that 'first time right place' come
from."
Ann:
"There were boundaries that made it safer."
David:
"What kind of boundaries were boundaries that made it safer?"
Ann:
"It's safe here boundaries and don't wander off like the
Garden-of-Eden-not-obvious-answers-of-God."
David:
"And where do 'non-obvious-answers' come from?"
Ann:
"Places like the pool, the first place I dove into."
David:
"And what kind of diving was that diving?"
Ann:
"A tentative, curious and freeing diving. Physically it feels very
good."
David:
"What kind of water is that water that you dove into."
Ann:
"It's green, warm and inviting water."
David:
"And is there anything else about green, warm and inviting
water?"
Ann:
"I know it's safe. I can look around the bottom and see the rocks
contrasted with snowcapped peaks. I'd like to stay there for a long
time."
David:
"And what kind of stay could that be?"
Ann:
"A moving around kind of stay and a sitting and swimming kind of
stay."
David:
"And are there any other kind of stays?"
Ann:
"Curious kind of stay, welcome as I look at all the rocks kind of
stay don't want to stay long or I'll shrivel."
David:
"What happens when you begin to shrivel?"
Ann:
"I need to get out but don't want to. I'm afraid of shrivelling gotta
get out.
David
for the first time in this intervention decides to move time forward
with the last question he asked and the next question. "And what
happens next when you're 'afraid of shrivelling' and you've 'gotta
get out'?"
Ann:
"A side of the pool gets flatter, there are flat smooth stones that I
can sit on."
David:
Continuing to move time forward: "And then what happens as a side
gets flatter and there are flat smooth stones that you can sit
on?"
Ann:
"It's not so bad the sun is warm."
David:
"And then what happens when it's not so bad and the sun is warm?"
Ann: "I'm just sitting there."
David then decides to inquire about the place. The more
information, the better the chances for discovering metaphors that
can aid in the healing process. "And what kind of place is a place
where the sun is warm and it's not so bad?"
Ann: "A safer place, behind me the mountain is not as up
and down and I could move into the trees. Animals can come and drink
from the water.
David
notes that Ann states that she can move into the trees David asks
another question that can allow time to move forward. "And then what
happens?"
Ann: "I'm reluctant to leave the shoreline now. I'm
starting to get sunburned move to the trees."
David continues to move time forward: "And then what happens
when you move to the trees as you are starting to get sunburned?"
Ann: "I feel comfortable. I find a pine tree and sit under
it. It's a Scotch Pine. I want to stay there with the Scotch Pine.
Pine seems friendly and safe welcoming."
David: "As you feel comfortable under that welcoming Scotch
Pine, what happens next?"
Ann: "The dam starts breaking."
David: "And as the dam starts breaking, what happens
next?"
Ann: "Water trickles out and waters the trees by the green
warm water."
David: "And then what happens as the trees are watered by the
green warm water?"
Ann: "It feels ok and loving."
David: "And then what happens as 'It feels ok and
loving'?"
Ann: "I'm still just standing there."
David: "And so you've got the welcoming pine and the green
warm water and trees that are being watered and then what happens as
you are still standing there?"
Ann: "I can walk after the water."
David
remembers the 'good strong rope' from earlier in the intervention
David asks if it would like to be introduced into the scene. Earlier
metaphors that seem viable as resources can sometimes be included to
aid in a healing process. It is possible that a rope could be helpful
to get over steep mountain sides. "And is there anything you'd like
to do with a well anchored rope?" In this case we find that Ann
doesn't need it.
Ann: "I don't need it everything is flattening out."
Comment: In the world of client metaphors anything can happen. As you notice the whole geography now is flattening out. Logic doesn't necessarily apply. Once sufficient work to develop information has been done things begin to shift toward a solution that is just right for the client.
David: "And then what happens as everything is flattening
out?"
Ann: "I come out onto tundra grass. Animals are there moose
and caribou. This is a nice place to be."
David has now helped Ann journey to a much more pleasant
place than the 'too steep mountains' that she began with. Because Ann
has indicated that this is a 'nice place to be' David now begins to
emphasize the niceness of this place in order to create a lasting
presence that can free Ann of the original symptom of anxiety. "And
everything is flattening out, and tundra grass with scotch pines
watered by warm green water that trickles out and the pines are
friendly, safe and welcoming and there are moose and caribou." David
relates the last statement very slowly and deliberately in order to
allow 'real time' for this more desirable experience to replace the
former experience. After sufficiently wrapping words around this more
pleasant experience David then checks to see if the intervention has
truly made a difference. "And then what happens to a chest?"
Ann: "I can breathe I can take in a good deep breath in
this place because it is a nice place to be the air smells good and
it's good air and I feel safe here."
David
rechecks to be sure that the experience is right by asking a question
that would allow time to move forward if it needs to. This is because
anxiety often denotes an impending position. "And then what
happens?"
Ann: "It's okay."
David
now knows that the intervention is done except for an opportunity to
reinforce the experience as viable for any similar future anxiety
that could be experienced with the cancer. "And there may be another
place, and it may be steep and you may be reluctant, but you can find
another 'right place' and you don't have to be between 'a rock and a
hard place'."
Ann: "It feels much better."
Now David can ask Ann to research some of the key words that she used during the intervention. David likes to have participants use dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference books in this process. He chooses words that seem to have some special relevance. The Journey of Words provides deeper understandings and also enhances the healing process. For example, Ann looks up the words moose, caribou, and scotch pine. The book utilized is Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.
She learns that the moose symbolizes the ability of the individual to learn to go into the depths and draw new life and nourishment from it. Also, she learns that the moose is a powerful omen that reflects a long and good life. She learns that the caribou is known for long migrations. Also represented by the caribou is that a new innocence and freshness is about to be awakened or born, and that there may be a gentle enticing lure of new adventures. Along with this there is counsel that the expression of gentle love will open new doors of adventure to her. Scotch pine signifies wisdom, helping to find direction in our search for answers. Scotch pine cultivates inner strength and perseverance. She also learns that by being open we are guided from within by the all-knowing self.
The research that Ann conducts grants new perspective that is now rightfully hers by its kinship to the words that have been expressed by her during the intervention. Grovian therapy provides a number of ways that can be utilized in order to bring about healing solutions that provide a 'just right' fit for the participant. It is also very easy to determine when a solution has occurred through feedback from the participant. I hope that you have enjoyed Ann's journey.
© copyright David Grove Seminars, 1998
David Grove conducts healing retreats for therapists and for clients that are referred by therapists. David also conducts training seminars for therapists. These are located in various places around the world, including USA, UK and New Zealand. For more information visit www.davidgrove.com and see the Calendar of Events.
David's book, entitled RESOLVING TRAUMATIC MEMORIES and co-authored with B.I. Panzer in 1989 is published by Irvington Publishers, Inc. and available through amazon.com. The book focuses primarily on Quadrant II work and David's theories and methods have evolved significantly since this book was published. The book was recently translated into German.
Rob McGavock can be e-mailed at Mcgrb@aol.com and Brenda McGavock, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who specialises in Grovian Metaphor Therapy with a private practice in Columbia, Missouri. She can be contacted at: 573-446-4039
Also by David Grove:
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