How can we use Voice Dialogue in our work together?

I work with four distinct groups of voices. One is your ego-based (ordinary) self at different ages in your life, sometimes referred to as your inner child but in fact encompassing your entire life span. Another closely aligned set of voices are those of your sub-personalities, different aspects of your personality that contribute to who you are as a whole authentic being, even though your dominant ego may not give these sub-personalities much room to express themselves. Your body, and each part of your body, can be given its own voice to let us know how it is feeling and what it needs. The fourth source of voices for us to explore are those of the characters that appear in your dreams.

In the course of counselling, we often become aware that there are key points in your past or challenges in the present that seem to hold a significant ‘charge’. Inviting the relevant self or body sensation to speak with us can be helpful in revealing what the core issues are and what is needed for resolution. Using voice dialogue, we invite this other aspect of your awareness to take their own seat and to give us their opinions, memories, and feelings about whatever issue we are working on in counselling. I speak with the emergent voice using the non-violent communication formula and other skills and you listen respectfully. After the conversation, we review what was told us, and you decide to what extent and in what ways you are willing to meet the needs expressed.