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Individual Paradigms:
A Question of Focus
The mind is a lot like an umbrellaâ
it works best when it is open.
Anonymous
If we do not change our direction,
we are likely to end up where we are headed.
Ancient Chinese proverb
Still, we all have self-imposed rules and regulations that establish our personal ways of dealing with life. We learn how to be successful within these parametersâwhich we could call our individual paradigms. In this sense, these paradigms filter all incoming information, sorting out whatever does not fit. Jesus commented on humanityâs inability to see beyond these paradigms when he taught about the kingdom of God. What he said was unlike anything his listeners had ever heard before. It did not fit their rules and regulations. To many of them it was as if they were entirely deaf. Of such Jesus said, âIf anyone has ears to hear, let them hearâ (Mark 4:23 TNIV).
Because of our fixed ways of thinking, we often miss out on discovering future possibilities. Unexpected information is ignored or twisted to fit old notions. We may become blind to creative solutions. Our paradigms have the power to keep us from hearing and seeing what could happen. This results in some personal limitations that could have devastating consequences.
When he was a child, my son Nathan did a school report on Galileo. I think I learned as much as he did through his presentation. I was reminded of the religious and civic leaders that Galileo had to contend with. They were unable to see or hear his observations regarding the earthâs orbiting the sun. These observations simply did not fit their personal paradigms. Everyone âknewâ that the sun revolved around the earth! Although seeing, they did not see. Hearing, they did not hear. Of course, history has revealed their shortsightedness. We would never be as blind and deaf as they, or would we? We would, and we often areâusually without realizing it.
Consider the lesson the Swiss watch manufacturers learned. At one time, Swiss watches were the standard of excellence throughout the world, with nearly 80 percent of all watches sold being made by Swiss watchmakers. Today the Swiss make fewer then 10 percent, and thousands of expert craftspeople lost their jobs. How did this happen?
In one sense, they were blinded by the extraordinary achievement of their old paradigm. Even a prosperous past can blind us to future possibilities. It was actually a Swiss technician who created the quartz watch. He had managed to reach beyond the paradigm that watches must have gears and springs. His superiors, however, still limited by their paradigm, declared, âWhoever heard of such a thing? Watches must have gears and springs!â They were so sure of their convictions that they did not bother to protect their ownership of the technicianâs design. The quartz watch was later displayed at the 1964 Worldâs Fair in New York. Representatives from two young companies were very much interested in it. One was from Seiko and the other from Texas Instruments. The rest is history.
As counselors within the local church, have we fallen into a similar paradigm regarding counseling? It seems that one thing counselors agree on is the need to understand and deal with the problem. It has been said that to define a problem is to begin to solve it. We want to explore the problem and perhaps discover how the counselee is thinking, feeling, or behaving. There must be a reason. Why is it happening? What is maintaining it?
Therefore, whatever counseling model or theory a counselor may use, the counseling process often remains centered on the problem. This could be considered a problem-focused paradigm. Keep in mind, the counselee is also focused on whatever problem is causing him to seek help. Is it possible that we, as pastoral counselors, are doing the same? Without realizing it, could we be reinforcing the problem simply by making it our primary focus? Is there a better way?
For years Disney engineers have used a concept called imagineering to assist them in creating their theme parks. In this sense, they combine engineering with imagination and are governed by a process in which they seek to generate ideas with no limitations. They take the most creative idea they can come up with, develop it in every detail, and delineate the steps required to bring it to reality. The Disney Imagineers consider this the beginning of their design process and operate under the notion that if it can be dreamed, it can be built (Marling 1997). It seems to me that imagineering is a paradigm buster. When we visualize the outcome first, we become solution focused rather than problem focused. The outcome dictates the process rather than the process dictating the outcome.
This book is about âimagineeringâ with those who come to us for counseling. It is about developing principles for getting them unstuck and back on track in their lives, marriages, and families. It is about shifting paradigms regarding how counseling is doneâboth in the mind of the counselor and of the counselee.
Can counseling be enjoyable and spontaneous? Can we envision, with the counselee, a future without the problems dominatingâand chart a course in that direction? Is it possible that the traditional paradigm that counseling must focus on problems is not necessarily the most effective way to assist those who come to us for help? With this in mind, letâs consider a solutions approach, beginning the process of developing the guidelines and skills for creative goal formation in the counseling interview.