Page 59 - Meeting with Children Book

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Intellectualization Acknowledgement of an
anxiety-inducing event
without emotion

Reaction Formation Distorting an unacceptable
emotion into its opposite (e.g.,
the thief who becomes a
police officer)
Compartmentalization Distancing oneself from
threatening emotions by
locking associated events into
accessible but separate
experiences
Rationalization Imposing reason so as to
excuse or make sense out of
otherwise unacceptable and
threatening emotion

When defensiveness is present the ability to engage
with what is being said becomes compromised. The
defensive person listens either for points of validation
which are the focus of engagement, or for points of
invalidation which give rise to a defensiveness. In
both circumstances the intention of what is said is
lost.

Intersections discourses and conversation
The Parent Meeting is a conversation is led by the
Child Consultant, joined with by the parents, and
supported by the family mediator.

The Child Consultant in leading the conversation
about the children, has the opportunity to identify