The usual way people set about changing is by learning new things. In any area where an individual is concerned to change but can't manage it, usually something is blocking them. One image of this is a barrier--like a wall. The experience of not being able to change when change is wanted is usually a painful one: the individual is not just standing on the wrong side of a wall but frequently they are banging their head against it. The basic techniques of co-counselling supply ways of dismantling the wall.
CELEBRATION enables individuals to assemble and have ready for use the strengths and skills they already have, which have been knocked out of their minds by the headbanging. They are then much more likely to set off to use their skills and find they can climb over the wall, or tunnel under it, or plan how to remove it.
"I have a ladder."
ATTENTION SWITCHING helps people focus on other things, thus enabling them to stop banging their heads against the wall in a futile fashion, to get rid of the headache caused by the head banging and thus be able to go away and get on with something else in their lives. Attention switching does not remove the wall, but, if the person chooses, when they've got away from the wall they can then gather their resources for a sensible attack on it; they're no longer trapped by it.
"I can walk away and choose what to do next."
DISCHARGE will weaken the wall until it falls down. The bricks can be thought of as pieces of patterned behaviour, stopping the person from acting appropriately with new responses. The mortar holding the bricks together consists of inappropriate negative feelings. As the mortar is discharged away the pattern bricks can be removed. Then the individual can set off for the target.
"My tears/raging are dissolving the mortar."
When the wall has been dismantled, there is nothing stopping the individual from achieving the target. Maybe they already have the skills they need and they can just walk over and achieve what they want, or maybe there will be a need to learn new skills to be able to shoot a bull's eye, but this is now possible. Without the wall there is nothing stopping people from learning what they want to learn. The wall does not always have to be totally dismantled before the new learning can start. This area of co-counselling is called TARGET PRACTICE. Discharge usually results in changes for people. Target Practice techniques enable them to maximize those changes.
"Now I can get on with achieving what I want."
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