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NARM Model For Working with Affect
3. Be present to and help contain the energy inherent in the emotion, not focusing on expression, discharge or catharsis
§We support clients to learn to tolerate the expansion that comes with feeling their authentic emotions
§The energetics of emotional responses, particularly anger, are very powerful and primitive in the sense that it can feel destructive
• This can lead clients to shut down the organized, adult self who has the capacity for self-expression, agency, self-activation, etc.
• While we can’t bypass the reality of the unresolved anger, working with anger is not enough
oUltimately, there will be loss and grief under the anger
oBut if we bypass anger and go straight into the grief, we run the
risk of reinforcing freeze, disconnection and depression
§In NARM, the question is always: is this thread of emotion leading
to emotional completion?
NARM Model for Working with Affect Laurence Heller, PhD & Brad J Kammer, LMFT, LPCC 63
