Psychology at Work

It's Season 5! A Deeper Way Foundational Tenets

June 04, 2021 Casey Lankow & Tim Johansson Season 5 Episode 1
Psychology at Work
It's Season 5! A Deeper Way Foundational Tenets
Show Notes

Season 5 is all about the six A Deeper Way Foundational Tenets.  Throughout this season, Casey and Tim will discuss each Tenet in detail and invite A Deeper Way Certified Facilitators to join in on the discussion at times as well.  

This episode provides some background on the creation of the Tenets as well as a full reading of all six Tenets.  

A Deeper Way Foundational Tenets


Be Safe
People need to be open and embrace their vulnerability.  This is only possible in a safe environment (not necessarily comfortable), which the facilitator has most of the responsibility for creating.  As Facilitators we must turn our judgements into evaluations.  Judgements are made from a place of fear; evaluations are made from a place of compassion.  We must always create a context that allows for another’s vulnerability. 

Be Patient
Our psyches and bodies are hardwired to not change.  With a deeper way, we understand that much of our behavior is deeply rooted in our unconscious, and most reactions to exploration and change (e.g. laughing, making fun of ourselves and others, complaining, etc.) are defenses against the fear.     

Get Used to Discomfort
Discomfort is necessary.  Deep, lasting change requires accessing our insecurities and fear and going into them – this is by nature uncomfortable.  Comfort is different than safety; discomfort is necessary, so is safety.

Stay Curious
With a deeper way, there is always more.  In times of sharing and processing, the first response is rarely deep enough, rarely insightful enough, and rarely gets to the heart of an issue.  Encourage people to go further.  Use the skills of probes, silence, and open-ended questions to facilitate deeper exploration.

Commit to Truth
Lasting change happens in the context of trusting relationships with self and others, it can’t happen in a vacuum.  There is no trust without truth.  Always seek to understand your peoples’ truth, be a witness to their Tacit Truth and help them return to the Unequivocal Truth: they are a normal person, worthy of love and belonging, because they exist.  Commit to relating to them from this place.  No excuses.  No matter how difficult.  

Be Patient, again, and again and again and again
It takes time for real insight to get embedded.  People often need to hear and experience the insight multiple times in multiple ways.  This reality can be difficult for a Facilitator (or anyone!) to accept; we want to see progress after all!  Patience is the reminder that the growth process is always being realized. 

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