Hunting The Muse

Double Binds And NLP

This is an interesting paper that explores the concept of the "Double Bind", which is basically the pattern of, "I'm screwed if I do this, I'm screwed if I do its opposite, and I'm screwed if I do neither." It's a way that people are drawn to express conflicts as no-win situations.

What's also interesting is that it offers a solution to escape the pattern that is purely diagnostic and non-emotional. I just love how it talks about creating the circumstances in which transformation can occur and then waits for it to happen spontaneously. (sarcasm if it wasn't clear).

It's probably because this article comes from an NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) journal, which is a frustrating form of therapy in its mixture of good and bad points. It's very much about noticing, identifying, and synthesizing/integrating patterns we all indulge in, patterns that might be getting in the way of our health. That's good. But its strategy for breaking these patterns is through conditioning; creating change in the pattern's surrounding environment. Rather than actual emotional acceptance of the "opposing" force. The reason this is bad is because it doesn't leave room for the possibility that there is a positive reason for a negatively manifesting symptom. If NLP even works, all it means is that the same misunderstood emotional reality will later seek a different way to express and manifest itself, perhaps even through more corrupt means. Which is probably good for both the validation and revenue of the NLP business...

Posted by Curt at May 5, 2003 06:32 PM