THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE PERSONAL ICEBERG - cIRcle

233 Pages·2009·13.49 MB·English

THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE
PERSONAL ICEBERG METAPHOR
OF THERAPISTS IN
SATHTS SYSTEMIC BRIEF THERAPY TRAINING
by
Wendy Diane Lum
B.A., Un iversity of Victoria, 1978
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFDLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS
in
THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES
(Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology,
and Special Education)
We accept this thesis as conforming
to the required standard
THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
April 2000
© Wendy Diane Lum, 2000
In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced
degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it
freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive
copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my
department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or
publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written
permission.
Department of
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
Date £1 AW-AJL / 0 0
DE-6 (2/88)
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to discover how therapists understood and experienced the
Personal Iceberg Metaphor from Satir's systemic brief therapy training program. This metaphor
provided a framework for insight into the internal world of the person. Nine therapists (seven
women and two men) whose ages were between 35-61 years old, participated in the study.
Participants must have completed 120 hours of Satir's systemic brief therapy training, which
included the beginner and the advanced level programs.
A phenomenological approach was used for the procedure on how to interview
participants and on how to analyze the data which was gathered. The researcher conducted two
interviews with each participant over a seven month period. Five common themes emerged
which highlighted the lived experience of the participants. The lived experience of the Personal
Iceberg Metaphor: (1) facilitates awareness, (2) is an integration process of externalization
towards internalization, (3) fosters acceptance, (4) facilitates change, and (5) fosters spiritual
development and connection to Self: I am. The inner world and process of therapists was
surfaced and explored. The participants experienced intrapsychic and interactive impacts and
changes.
The descriptions within each theme have illustrated the growth and development of the
participant as a person and as a therapist. The findings of this study illustrates how therapists
have positively changed through their involvement and exploration with the Personal Iceberg
Metaphor within Satir's systemic brief therapy training. The findings from this research offer
recommendations for counselling research and practice in the area of personal and professional
development for therapists.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract i
Table Of Contents i
List Of Tables And Figures vi
Acknowledgments vi
CHAPTER 1: THE SCOPE AND FOCUS OF THE STUDY 1
Introduction 1
Background To The Study 1
Asumptions 3
Limitations Of Existing Research 4
The Research Question 6
Rationale For The Study 6
Methodological Aproach To The Study 7
Definition Of Terms 7
Coping Stances 7
Iner Experience 7
Lived Experience 7
Personal Iceberg Metaphor 7
Spiritual Core 8
Systemic Brief Therapy 8
Universal Life Force 8
Sumary 8
CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW 1
Introduction 1
Metaphor 1
Personal Iceberg Metaphor 13
The Self: I Am 15
Yearnings 16
Expectations 17
Perceptions 18
Felings 20
Felings About The Felings 21
Coping Stances 2
Behaviour 23
Virginia Satir's Background, Philosophy And Growth Model 24
Proces, Growth And Change 26
Systemic Therapy And Change 28
Experiential Proces 31
Awarenes 32
Reflection 35
iv
Congruence 36
Aceptance And Understanding 38
Use Of Self In Therapy 40
Training Of Therapists 42
Research Into Family Therapy And Training 49
Spirituality In Therapy 51
Sumary 5
CHAPTER Ul: METHODOLOGY 57
Introduction 57
Phenomenology As A Methodology 57
Research Design 59
The Interview Structure 59
Bracketed Presupositions 60
Procedure 63
Selection Of Participants 64
Data Colection 65
Data Analysis 6
Time Frame Of The Study 69
Ethical Considerations 70
Limitations Of The Study 70
Investigator Triangulation (Reliability And Validity) 71
Sumary 81
CHAPTER IV: RESULTS 83
Introduction 83
Description Of The Participants 83
Ane 85
Deb 86
Deborah 86
Jim 86
Judy 87
Sandy 87
Sue 8
Tatiana 8
Tod 8
Emerging Themes 89
The General Structure For The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg
Metaphor Of Therapists In Satir' s Systemic Brief Therapy Training 91
1) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates Awarenes 91
IA) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates Reflection And Aces To Iner Knowing 92
IB) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Fosters Clarity And Conscious Choice Making 94
V
IC) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Develops The Conscious Use Of Self 95
2) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor Is An
Integration Proces Of Externalization Towards Internalization 96
2 A) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Movement Away From External Storytelling Towards Internal
Impact 97
2B) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Challenges A Person To Take Risks To Experience And
Facilitates Experiential Procesing 9
2C) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Shifts External Focus To Internal Focus 102
2D) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor Is
Simple To Understand, Yet Challenging To Actualize It's Complexity. 103
2E) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Accesses And Develops Strengths And Resources Which Facilitates
A Sense Of Competency 106
2F) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates Congruence And A Sense Of Fredom 109
3) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor Fosters
Aceptance I l l
3 A) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Transforms Fear And Anxiety Into Hope, Energy And Creativity .... 113
3B) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Transforms Critical Judgment And Reactivity Into Understanding
And Compasion 15
4) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates Change 17
4 A) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Organizes And Provides A Direction For The Change Proces 18
4B) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Enables The Therapist To Be The Change Agent Within
The Client's System 120
4C) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates Healing Change Very Quickly 120
4D) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Impacts Internal And Interpersonal Change 12
4E) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates Dep Internal Shifts 124
5) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor Fosters
Spiritual Development And Conection To Self: I Am 125
5A) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates A Sense Of Iner Peace And Serenity 128
5B) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Facilitates A Spiritual Experience 129
vi
5C) The Lived Experience Of The Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Fosters A Sense Of Universality And Interconectednes 130
The Comon Story 131
Participants' Reactions To The Study 136
Sumary 137
CHAPTER V: DISCUSION OF RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS 139
Introduction 139
Awarenes 140
Integration Proces 143
Aceptance 148
Change 150
Spiritual Development And Conection 152
Implications Of The Study For Counseling Research And Practice 154
Sumary And Conclusions 161
REFERENCES 163
APENDICES 174
A. Coping Stances 174
B. Leter Of Recruitment 175
C. Consent Form 176
D. Interview 17
E. Folow Up Interview 178
F. Individual Structure: Ane 179
G. Individual Structure: Deb 185
H. Individual Structure: Deborah 191
I. Individual Structure: Jim 197
J. Individual Structure: Judy 201
K. Individual Structure: Sandy 205
L. Individual Structure: Sue 210
M. Individual Structure: Tatiana 215
N. Individual Structure: Tod 21
O. Investigator Triangulation Questions 25
vii
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Figure 1:1 Personal Iceberg Metaphor of the Satir Model 10
Table 3:1 Theme Results 82
Table 4:1 Themes for the Lived Experience of the Personal Iceberg Metaphor
Of Therapists In Satir's Systemic Brief Training Program 90
Vll l
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I have appreciated support from many people throughout my Masters program and I wish
to thank the people who helped me to complete this research study. I would especially like to
thank my thesis advisor, Dr. B i l l Borgen for having faith in my knowledge and abilities. Dr.
Borgen's patience, guidance and gentleness contributed greatly towards my motivation and
determination to complete this project. I would also like to thank my two committee members;
Dr. Norm Amundson and Dr. John Banmen for their helpful suggestions in my quest to develop
and refine my research ideas to support the study.
I am deeply honored to have received Dr. John Banmen's and Kathlyne Maki-Banmen's
guidance, support and faith in me as a person, and for my abilities as a therapist. They have
consistently nurtured my personal and professional growth since Satir's systemic brief therapy
training that I took in 1994. During my own in-class demonstration with Dr. Banmen in 1995,1
experienced transformation in the Self: I am, which has impacted and enhanced every aspect of
my life. I am very grateful for the deep inner shift which occurred within me.
I would like to especially thank the participants in this study for their willingness to
explore and share their deep insights and personal experiences; Anne, Deb, Deborah, Jim, Judy,
Sandy, Tatiana and Todd. I was honored and inspired in listening to their personal growth and
professional development with the Personal Iceberg Metaphor. I really admired their openness,
honesty, courage and sense of contribution to the research development of the Personal Iceberg
Metaphor.
I want like to thank Pindy Badyal and Steve Smith for their observations, insights and
caring support. I wish to thank Dr. Joanne Crandall and Kathlyne Maki-Banmen for generously
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sharing their phenomenological knowledge with me.
I would also like to thank the many Satir triad members with whom I have had the
privilege of working with to heal my own inner blocks and to develop my therapeutic Satir
skills, especially; Sandra Ang, Carol Dukowski, Anne Morrison, and Jim Smith. I want to thank
Bonnie Mason for supporting me to pursue to my educational development, and for initially
encouraging me to take Satir's systemic brief therapy training.
I wish to thank my close friends and family that have supported me throughout my
studies; especially my parents, Ed and Rose Lum for showing me the importance of kindness,
resourcefulness, independence and contribution to society; and my cousin Kim White for
believing in my abilities and loving me unconditionally.
Finally I would like to dedicate my thesis to these important people that have since
passed away; my brother Glenn Lum for believing that I deserved to have the best in life, and to
my maternal grandfather Lee Heme Woo for instilling in me, the values of love, compassion,
generosity and spirituality. I am also grateful for being touched by Virginia Satir's generosity,
wisdom, incredible love, and respect for all people.