Intervening In Systems
We intervene to avert an expected future scenario. Try to intervene from a space that is as clean as possible.
- Systems And Gestalt Theory: learn to intervene from both schools of thought. Focus on learning one at a time to avoid confusion.
- There is no like or dislike, it is all boundary work. E.g, try befriending people that you dislike to work on this.
- Power with Trust is the foundation of all intervention.
- Roles Of The Gestalt Intervener: clarity and range in intervention depends on self work.
- Cycle of Experience: this is not just a diagnostic tool. It is also a tool for intervention.
- Checklist For Intervention
- Using the 6 Speech Acts
Evoke-Provoke Spectrum
Interventions fall somewhere along the evoke-provoke spectrum.
- Evoke: playing the role of a facilitator to work with what naturally arises. Trouble with this is that it is slow. If naming an existing emotion in the system (e.g, Me Too movement), it is never seen as violent. There is choice in the system.
- Provoke: playing the role of an actor. Potential for damage is higher. Can be beneficial. E.g, teachers, military. Bringing a new emotion into the system and hoping that it exposes something buried under the surface. If someone has lots of charisma, they can bring anger into the system even if there is none. Religious leaders can project anger and you own it. There is less choice at this end of the spectrum.
Systems tend towards provocation to move fast.
Other Things To Note
When intervening, always do so with intentionality.
Even if there is nothing to say, there is also value in remaining silent to hold the space with your presence.
Intention determines ethics.
In clean interventions, we are not agents of change. We are agents of awareness so that there is always choice.
Avoid euphemisms. Ambiguity leads to room for interpretation.
Timeline for interventions are short. If you take too long, you become the unit of work.
When storytelling is not on point, it takes away energy from the system.
