Page 48 - NARM Model for Working with Affect
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NARM Model For Working with Affect
§In NARM, we’re supporting the possibility that clients can become increasingly present to themselves, and don’t have to run from their emotions and internal conflicts
§We help clients recognize their avoidance behaviors
• Without ever becoming goal-oriented, in other words not trying to push a person into a specific feeling, we may directly challenge their survival mechanisms designed to avoid feeling - including the various acting-in & acting-out behaviors
• A few examples:
oA client continually refers to themselves as “depressed” - we
might reflect upon the underlying feelings (anger) within
oA client mentions anger but then begins to cry – we might bring
that disparity out as a question, inviting them reflect on this
oA client continually runs from themselves, saying they are afraid -
we might explore what it is that they are really afraid of?
NARM Model for Working with Affect Laurence Heller, PhD & Brad J Kammer, LMFT, LPCC 57
