Head Heart and Feet

In psychology, the words cognitive, affective and behavioral describe the domains or areas of the human being where disturbances can take place.  If there are disturbances in the thinking processes, we use words such as suicidal ideation, dementia, or delirium to describe cognitive distortions or disturbances in thinking.  If there are disturbances of feelings we use descriptive words to indicate changes in mood or fluctuating changes in the emotional state such as flat affect or constricted rage of emotions.  When discussing disturbances in behavior, we describe disturbances of speech, such as pressured speech or we pay attention to eye contact, body expression or reactions.  In some circles this professional language has come to be known as “psychobabble”.  Have you ever read an article or program brochure, or attended a lecture so filled with “psychobabble” that your eyes rolled back in your head and you instantly fell asleep?  We sure have!

While we agree that professionals need a common language as a shortcut for communication of assessment, diagnosis and treatment, using such language exclusively with clients can hinder treatment progress and recovery rather than encourage it.  Too often clients are given a laundry list of labels and diagnoses, then trotted off to “work the steps” and “expect a miracle”, while professionals boast of high success rates.  When a counselor uses “psychobabble” and/or 12 Step slogans exclusively, there is the danger of delivering a “one size fits all” treatment solution. In our field there is much discussion of individualizing treatment, but in some cases the individualization occurs on paper and not in the delivery of treatment services.  We would like to suggest a simplified, individualized method of looking at the needs of your clients, assisting them in identifying where they get stuck, and helping them change. We call this method, HEAD, HEART AND FEET. It helps if all three are balanced and going in the same direction.

When observing a client, counselors are able to identify if a client is stuck in the head (intellectualization), or heart (drama queen), or feet (impulsive reactions).  While a client may operate out of one, two or all three of these arenas, they usually use a favorite one when responding to something they view as frightening or stressful.  Using a common stressor, let’s observe how a client will react from each of these arenas. Remember, regardless of how clients react to an event, each reaction is an unconscious attempt to keep them safe from what they see as harmful.  The client has learned this reaction to life long before a substance helped them deal with it.

BEING STUCK IN THE HEAD

The client stuck in their HEAD,  will intellectualize events and feelings.  Many times clients who are physicians, lawyers, psychologists, professors, counselors, or other highly educated professionals, react first from their heads when confronted with a stressor. Adult children of alcoholism or other dysfunction learned to cut themselves off from feelings in an early attempt to survive.  These are the clients who defocus intellectually in group or challenge the facilitator as not being skilled enough to run a good group.  Listen closely to how they describe events. They use the phrase “I think” in response to questions as to how they feel. When they do remember emotional events, they describe the emotional event with no feelings (flat or blunted affect) or with emotions that do not match the event (incongruence). We say people stuck in their head are shut down emotionally. What actually happens when a stressful event enters their psyche, is that the event gets popped up into their head to be categorized and sanitized until they feel safe.  It is as if the head is a computerized laundry room where everything gets washed until no emotion is left, and then each event is filed in folders on the hard drive.  Each folder has a password, and no one else has access. Sometimes even the client forgets the password, but no matter how buried it appears, footprints or cookies get left on the hard drive.  The cookies must be cleared in order for the head to run smoothly.  These clients are out of touch with their feelings and behavior. They respond intellectually to what comes across their paths.

BEING STUCK IN THE HEART

The client stuck in their HEART is the drama queen or king.  This client calls 911 when the TV won’t work.  Constant crisis is familiar to this client, and they feel visible and alive when in turmoil. Serenity and peace feels boring.  Unconsciously, they create uproar or diversion in an effort to avoid dealing with what is going on inside them.  This is the person in treatment who never gets down to working on any issues because there are so many outside crises to deal with. The counselor is focused on putting out fires with probation, spouses, children, work, or other outside distractions for the client, in an effort to finally get down to business of treatment and recovery.  Soon, it is time for the client to go and nothing in depth has been accomplished.  This client truly believes that “they” are to blame for “making them feel” whatever way they feel.  Listen to them in group.  They use phrases like, “He made me so mad.”  “She is the reason I cannot do that.”  This client sounds like “chicken little”, declaring “the sky is falling! The sky is falling”.  Being locked in crisis keeps the client from making any long lasting decisions. Being frozen in fear keeps the client from taking action.  Being fueled by anger keeps others at a safe distance.  All of these defenses keep the client from taking responsibility and mobilizes those around to solve the current crisis.  They are out of touch with their thinking and behavior.  Because this client is so in touch with feelings, they are in the best position to access Spirit and their spiritual values, but because they are unable to be still, they are unable to access and experience the deep knowing from Spirit.  These clients are out of touch with their thinking and behavior. They respond emotionally to what comes across their paths.

BEING STUCK IN THE FEET

The client stuck in their FEET is in constant busyness and motion. These clients are workaholics and jugglers of many projects at once. They leap tall buildings in a single bound while they keep Saturn on its axis.  They will not take no for an answer, and if plan number 462 does not work, they have plan number 463 ready in a flash.  They say things like, “Wait! Let me think. I will make this thing work.”  Their calendars are booked for the next year, and there is no room for spontaneity.  Additionally, FEET clients behave impulsively by gambling, fist fighting, shopping, eating, and other adrenaline activities in an attempt to run from feelings, and to quiet thinking. In our current culture, which values accomplishments and accumulation of material goods, sometimes these people get awards for their busyness.  They get Man or Woman of the Year, while they lose families repeatedly through divorce.  They earn lots of money, and take great vacations and live in expensive houses. When asked by family or jobs to go to treatment, they have such a busy schedule that they cannot possibly find the time.  Once in treatment, they point to their accomplishments as reasons why they do not need to be in treatment.   Sometimes these clients lose great amounts of money or families repeatedly,  while gambling on sports events.  They compulsively eat or not eat in an attempt to gain control over, and therefore safety, in their life.  These clients are out of touch with their thinking and feeling.  They simply react to what comes across their paths.

CHALLENGE FOR THE COUNSELOR

For those clients stuck in the HEAD, the challenge for the counselor is to move the client out of the HEAD, and into the HEART and FEET. For the client who is stuck in the HEART, the challenge for the counselor is to move the client from the HEART into the HEAD and FEET. For the client who is stuck in the FEET, the challenge for the counselor is to move the client into the HEART and HEAD.  In the following issues,  we will offer ways the counselor can teach clients this method, and we will offer exercises for clients to use to balance their HEAD, HEART and FEET.

All Rights Reserved. July 2008. Written by Jeanie Griffin, MFT, LPC, CADC II. Jeanie Griffin and Candy Finnigan are two addiction ladies whose work is grounded in simplicity, driven by spirituality, fueled by a sense of humor and dedicated to healing the lives of individuals, families, communities and the planet. Find more about them at www.TwoAddictionLadies.com Send your questions, comments or ideas to info@twoaddictionladies.com.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

 Email This Post

(37 rating, 9 votes)

 Loading ...

Be Sociable, Share! Tweet

Two Addiction Ladies, Candy Finnigan and Jeanie Griffin	Recent Articles How Do I Move a "Feet" Client Into His/Her "Head and Heart"? How Do I Move a "Heart" Client Into His/Her "Head"? How Do I Move a “Head” Client Into His/Her“Heart”?
View Profile & 4 Articles