What is Symbolic Modelling?

[phil]

What is Symbolic Modelling?

[JamesLawley]

Symbolic Modelling is a method for facilitating individuals to become familiar with the symbolic domain of their experience so that they discover new ways of perceiving themselves and their world. It uses Clean Language to facilitate them to attend to their metaphoric expressions so that they create a model of their symbolic mindbody perceptions. This model exists as a living, breathing, four-dimensional world -- within and around them.

In a therapy, couselling or coaching setting, when clients explore their symbolic world and its inherent logic, their metaphors and way of being are honoured. They discover that their metaphors can limit and constrain or be a source of creativity and development. During the Symbolic Modelling process their metaphors begin to evolve. As this happens their everyday thinking, feeling and behaviour correspondingly change as well.

Some clients benefit just from having their metaphors developed with a few clean questions. For some the process leads to a reorganisation of their existing symbolic perceptions, while for others nothing short of a transformation of their entire landscape of metaphors will suffice. As a result clients report that they are more self-aware and at peace with themselves, that they have a more defined sense of their place in the world and how to enrich the lives of others.

Symbolic Modelling is also being applied in education, health, the spiritual realm, in business, organisations and many other areas.

The three components of Symbolic Modelling -- metaphor, modelling and Clean Language -- can be used in three ways: to model successful strategies and states of excellence, to facilitate change, and to facilitate individuals and groups to create new metaphors. The components of Symbolic Modelling can be used together as a stand-alone process. Or any one of them can be used in conjunction with other methodologies.

James Lawley