C: That would sure be nice.
A: I'm wondering if you can look up there (indicates up and right) and see an image of what you would look like if you were able to be thin and be grounded, standing on your own two feet and liking yourself?
(A begins reframing step #6, and starts modify the original strategy steps so that they will achieve the outcome as modified in steps #3 & #4.)
C: Ahhh ... (looks from up right to up left and back) . . . I. . . I'm having a hard time . . . (furrows eyebrows) . . . I'm going blank. . .
A: Okay . . . stop for a minute ... I want you to try something that I think will help you out . . . (moves C's right hand so that it is resting palm up on her right knee) ... I want you to look down here and see on this hand a picture of what you look like now . . . Can you do that?
(A begins to establish an internal visual anchor for C's present state. Note that A has C orient her head to the kinesthetic accessing position by having her look down and right at her hand. This will serve to help anchor the reference structure he is eliciting to the kinesthetic abilities and resources C has achieved through her present state.)
C: (Looks down and right at hand) . . . Uh Huh.
A: And as you continue looking at it. ... I want you to be sure that you can clearly see the details of her face, so that you can see the expression, and her posture and gestures . . . Can you see her expression?
C: Uh Huh . . . She looks very grounded and comfortable with herself. . .
(A calibrates the image to make sure it is completely visual.)
A: (Interrupting) I don't want any interpretations, now ... I want you to be able to see the color of her skin and the muscle tensions around her nose and mouth and eyes . . . You can see those can't you?
C: Sort of. . . (squints her eyes as if she is focusing) . . . It's getting clearer now.
A: Okay . . . good . . . now keep looking at all of those details and as you do I want you to begin to imagine the feelings of having stepped into her body so that you can feel all those feelings of groundedness . . . self-control . . . and self respect ... all those resources . . . and feel the problems she has too . . . like her difficulties with eating . . . and as you feel those feelings . . . imagine her describing them to you so that you can hear the sound of her voice . . . the speed with which she speaks . . . the tonal qualities . . . and as she speaks, observe her breathing patterns . . . how fast and from where in her body she is breathing . . . and any smells that she may be aware of as she breathes . . . Can you do all that?
(A elicits a full internal 4-tuple representation for C's present state, to be anchored to the constructed image of herself.)
C: Mm Hmmm . . . (eyes remain transfixed down and right, pupils defocused).
(C's behavior indicates that she has developed a light trance state.)
A: Good . . . now come back here . . . and back with me, look at me so that you can see me clearly and hear my voice . . . (waits for C to respond) ... Now I want you to look down at the other hand (moves C's left hand so that it rests on her left knee palm up) and make a picture of what you used to look like when you were thin ... in college . . . and I want you to look closely at her face, now, so that you can see her expression, and all the details of her eyes and mouth . . . Do you have that picture?
(A interrupts the state to bring C out of the 4-tuple for her present state and begins to have C create a visual anchor for her current representation of the desired thin state. Note that for this reference structure A has C look down and left (the access for internal dialogue). This is to help associate it with the internal dialogue she experiences in connection with her existing eating strategies (that has been postulated to be a residual of her mother's influence). Also note that, because the author has C orient her head to accessing cues other than visual, she has experienced some difficulty in getting the image until she overlaps the visual accessing cue of squinting onto the other accessing cue. The task he is having her do is quite complicated and in both instances she eventually develops a slight trance state (which is a general access to all internal processes —see Patterns II) in order to carry out the task.)
C: (Squinting) Sort of . . . It's hard to imagine her face.
A: Do you have any photographs of what you looked like then? . . . What do they look like?
(Accesses a reference structure to help C with the task.)
C: (Eyes move up and left then back down and left) . . . Oh . . . Okay ... I can see it now ... She doesn't look very happy.
A: Now I want you to look at her face so that you can see what specific indicators let you know that . . . and for a moment just look at her . . . (pauses while C responds) . . . And now I would like you to imagine stepping into her body so that you can feel her feelings . . . perhaps of imbalance and unhappiness . . . but her good feelings too . . . and remember what it felt like to have a thin body ... so that you can be aware of the differences . . . and listen to the sound of her voice as she tells you what it is like to be her . . . and as you listen be aware of the qualities of her breathing . . . and any smells or tastes that she may be aware of . . .
(A again calibrates C's visual experience and then proceeds to elicit a full internal 4-tuple representation of C's present (and problematic) representation of her desired state.)
C: (Eyes defocus, pupils dilate, and face flattens, indicating that she has developed another slight trance.)
A: Okay . . . now come back . .. and look at me again . .. You here?
C: (Blinking her eyes) . . . Uh Huh ... I think so.
A: Now I want you to look back down at each of your hands so that you can see those two parts of you . . . the thin one in your left hand and the fat one in your right hand . . .
C: (Looking back and forth at her hands) Okay.
A: Then what I want you do is ask the thin one what she has to say about the fat one. And listen to what she tells you.
(A continues to build on to the reference structures he has created, accessing and anchoring representations of both the positive and negative aspects of her present state from the strategy associated with her reference structure of her desired state. #6)
C: Well . . . she thinks the other one is much too fat . . . she's appalled at her eating habits. . .
A: What does she think of her resources and abilities?
C: (Voice quieting) Oh, she envies her ... she wants to be able to have her strength and control. . .
A: Now ask the fat one what she feels about the thin one.
C: (Looks over at her right hand. As she does so she unconsciously turns her left hand over and begins to rub her left knee) . . . Well . . .
A: (Laughing and turning C's left hand back to the palm up position) Don't do that . . . You'll squish her!
(A ventures a humorous remark to test rapport and keep a positive frame on the interaction.)
C: Huh? . . . Oh . . . (laughs)
A: That's better . . . Now how does that one feel about this thin one?
(A recommences the process of building up the reference structures to include representations of both the positive and negative aspects of each state. (Notice that he specifically asks the fat one how she "feels" about her counterpart, while she asked the other one — related to the internal dialogue — what she had to say about her counterpart.) #6)
C: (Looking at right hand) . . . She thinks the thin one has a lot of problems . . . she feels sorry for her in a way . . .
A: What about the thin one's resources?