Advice for robbing a bank…

My old mentor, Frank Farrelly, the creator of Provocative Therapy, used to say, “If you want to rob a bank, don’t go through the front entrance…” Of course, he wasn’t literally talking about robbing banks, but rather giving advice when working with clients and avoiding being too predictable in client sessions.

Recently, with the development of PCW 4.0, we’ve been paying more attention to working in a multi-layered way so we remain usefully unpredictable in client sessions. This differs from many standard approaches that often work in a digital, logical, and sequential manner. Two recent client sessions have highlighted how this more flexible, multi-layered way of working is far more effective for accelerated and lasting results.

Forget about giving advice

Often, a therapist or coach is keen to offer well-meaning advice, and although it’s well-intentioned, it can be counterproductive. In PCW, the key is to understand how the client creates and maintains the problem and to help them find the difference that makes the difference. As Frank Farrelly would say, “Throw away your professional dignity in the service of the client” This means interacting with the client ‘as if talking to an old friend” and being 100% there for the client.

Results are all that matter

Ultimately, the results matter, and all sessions are essentially problem-solving sessions, so the client is empowered to think, feel, and act differently. This means working more precisely and paying total attention during the client session. The PCW 4.0 element is currently producing some superb results, including this feedback from a client with anorexia who had had all the conventional treatments and was literally about to be hospitalised unless they found some improvement. Here’s the feedback from that client

“He saved my life. Not the Connect Dietitians, not me sitting there and going, “right,
we’re gonna be brave today”.The methods he gave me, I said, without that, I wouldn’t be here.”
Elle