Interrupting Interruptions
Every counsellor knows this: The client talks about a situation from his daily life and gets tears in his eyes, or he clenches his fists. As soon as he notices this or is asked about it, he interrupts his inner experiencing by distracting himself, he stops or starts speaking or he breathes shallowly. The simplest intervention at this point is: “Keep your attention with the tears in your eyes and continue your story!” That is, the intervention tries to interrupt the interruption in the self-perception of the client. So long as he has inner scope to re-decide, he can meet the challenge and explore the consequences. It is obvious that this alters a psychological guiding process. And it is obvious that the client will only allow such a thing if he trusts the counsellor and if the counsellor is present and in full contact.