[Luce]

We have seen new T only three times so far but are eager to dive in to the work we need to do with her. She has asked a couple of times about the alters and our system but we haven't shared anything much about that with her yet. Today one of our regular young 'uns came up with a novel idea and has pretty much put it all together from scratch by herself. She's done a really good job of it, too.

She got a bag. A nice bag... more of large pouch, I guess, with a drawstring opening.
She selected a small object for each of the alters in the front group. A heart-stone for the mother-one; an amethyst for the sensitive one; pyrite for the strong independent one who is like gold to us; a small stone egg for the little one who seeks a mother; a weathered chunk of driftwood for the one who bobs along on the tide of life getting thrown here and there with all the undercurrents; a crystal in which all the facets come to an apex - this is for me, with my desire to bring us together as one. For herself she chose a tiny tin filled with lavender that was gifted to her by an old friend. It represents her connection to a different time of life - a time when she was connected to old friends and ex T.
She chose objects for the middle ones - the EPs whom we have some knowledge and connection with. All her choices were thoughtful and wise.
And then she selected objects to represent the inner ones, the hidden ones, the ones who are protected and largely unknown to us. Mostly they are represented by nondescript pebbles and shells which serve as protectors. They are placeholders. Perhaps they can be switched out for more individual objects as they become known to us again.

Anyways... this one in us wants to show these things to T tomorrow. She wants to tell t about each one - name them, tell her what each one is like and the role they play in the system... and then each object can be moved to show how and where they 'fit' and interact with others.

I am going to let it happen. I think we will only show her a little bit at a time. We have made maps of the system before, but our system has changed so much over the years, and I think this will be an easy way for new T to get to know us better.

Has any one else ever tried something like this?

[ruh roh]

That sounds like a lovely way to present everyone, Luce.

That is very smartly creative idea of your young one...you should be so proud.

[Luce]

Well, we did it - we went and showed her. After a lot of encouragement from me that one of us got to sit on the floor and show the T her stuff.
It was a good way to share our system (part of it, at least) with the new T. She asked questions about each one, and we were able to move the objects around to show how relationships, awareness, and outside functioning has changed over time. We worked with the objects for most of the hour.
Hard to know what the T thought of it. After taking notes on the different alters in the front group she asked questions like "Who is the most sensible?"... "Who is out most at home / while driving / at work / while shopping (etc)"... "Who has the most fun?"... "Who is the most emotional"... etc etc. We don't like giving out names in general so once we had told her who each object represented we were able to answer just by pointing or regrouping the objects. And when we switched and she noticed she asked who was out and we could just point to the object instead of saying names, which we really just don't do.
Kinda feel like we have to take them every week now. Glad we mustered up the courage to share it with her. Will have to wait and see now what the fall out is from sharing so much.

[Wild Coyote]

Very creative!
Sounds like it worked out very well and will continue to help you to help T to better understand?
Nice!


WC

[BrazenApogee]

A brilliant idea.

[Marie55]

We did a similar thing only instead of objects we used pictures we glued to index cards.
Then we wrote about each one on the cards. This reminds me that we need to update that.

I love the idea of using objects in a bag.

[TrailRunner14]

I've also used poster stars for different parts of me and the events I feel that they were created from. It really is helpful for me when I take them and get to sit in the floor and put them where it feels like they are, in relation to other parts and events. I've discovered that it changes and that's pretty cool!

It also helps me hang on to what we talk about during the session time.