Develop a deeper understanding of Process Oriented theory and skills for working with conflict, including deep democracy principles and Mindell’s four phase conflict theory.

In this 3-credit point unit, building on the foundation provided in Core Process Oriented Skills 1 (104), students will develop a deeper understanding of Process Oriented theory and skills for working with one or more clients on their conflict, applying deep democracy principles and Mindell’s four phase conflict theory. Deep democracy views inclusion of marginalised parts of identity, groups and states of mind as essential to the healthy functioning of the whole. Students will develop an awareness of the power and privilege involved in rank dynamics in a way that will enable them to work with dominant and marginalised experiences in themselves and their clients from the perspectives of culture, gender/sexual identity, age, health, and access to social and economic resources.

The theory, demonstrations and practices in this Unit will provide students with practical skills applicable to relationship conflicts in holistic counselling. These include 1) inner work skills, to prepare the therapist for clients experiencing conflict; 2) conflict mapping skills, to identify the process structure (polarity, roles, ghost roles, field and environmental influences), including the impact of oppressive systems and intergenerational trauma that is baked into personal and relationship conflicts; 3) escalation and de-escalation signals; and 4) curiosity and detachment, designed to help the therapist to stay present in their role with the client when aspects of the client’s conflict activate the therapist’s own experience and trauma. 

Students will develop their holistic counselling skills further for working with relationship issues, and learn to apply the concept of high and low dreaming in relationships, and the mythic potential of relationships, in negotiating conflicts and other relationship issues. Students will develop their capacities to assist clients in accessing a teleological awareness of their patterns, so as to strengthen self-agency and support individual and collective growth. The use of Genograms will be introduced to clarify the client’s relationship context.

Critical thinking is applied to differentiate between the philosophies and concepts of a process-oriented model of conflict awareness and other counselling and psychotherapy models.