Posted by gardenergirl on July 10, 2004, at 8:52:45
In reply to Very weird question, posted by Dinah on July 9, 2004, at 12:26:18
> >
> Any ideas out there? I used to refer to that function as "the controller" but stopped when I realized my therapist was taking the phrase to mean a self state rather than a sort of switchboard or circuit breaker or something the way I meant it.Dinah,
First may I say, great thread. I'm learning a lot from reading about everyone's experiences. Now forgive me for pulling out the academe hat and getting theoretical, but the above part of your post reminded me of a therapy model I like. I don't think it's absolutely applicable here, but parts of it might be. (I think I've posted on this model before, so forgive me if I am getting repetitive. :)There is a model called internal systems theory which is modelled after family systems. It was developed for use with clients with bulimia. This theory states that there are different "parts" of a client's self which play different roles, in a similar way as people play different roles in a family system. One part is the internal critic. Another is called the exile, which is used to describe the emotional/feeling part. It is "exiled" because in the clients for which this model was developed, emotions were usually quite repressed, and the internal critic was dominant. The third part is the one I was reminded of. It's called the firefighter. I think of this as the source for actions and behaviors designed to "put out fires" in the self. The self is the leader of the group, and for clients with dysfunction, the leader is usually usurped or absent. Anyway, I was thinking of what you used to call your "controller" as the firefighter...the one who comes blasting in to "rescue" you from danger and put out potential fires. This is an adaptive response. (Would that we had a Babble firefighter, eh?) But in dysfunction, the firefighter *can* get a little to trigger happy and act when it is not really needed.
Anyway, the work in this model is to get all parts of the self to function better as a team, with no one dominant part. The leader/self would then be able to resume leadership and delegate/coordinate the teams' actions.
So, perhaps this phenomenon is like the firefighter, coming in even without a conscious call, when it smells smoke?
By the way, I usually am really drained and exhausted after sessions, too. I get really cranky if I can't get a nap in sometime before having to deal with the world again in any significant capacity. That's why I love the drive-thru Starbucks in my town. I can get my comfort food from the safety of my car. :)
Take care,
gg
poster:gardenergirl
thread:364407
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040703/msgs/364665.html