Identifying the Stages of Shift in World View
Unprocessed historical material often results from a dramatic shift in one’s world view that for some reason they cannot fully understand at the time. Looking at some of the things that may have impacted you may be useful in putting together the pieces for a more complete understanding.
The setting…
- My home appeared normal and good to outsiders.
- Relationships in my home were distant and empty.
- I had little or no healthy intimacy with my family members.
- I was not enjoyed for who I was.
- I was enjoyed if at all, for what I did.
- I played the role of an adult in my family in these ways…
I felt weighed down by adult burdens.
- My physical boundaries were invaded in these ways…
- My boundaries of thoughts and feelings were invaded like this….
- I was hypervigilant tp prevent danger or family upset.
- I found it hard to trust my perceptions and feelings.
- Our home was demanding, conservative and rule-bound.
- Our family highly valued loyalty.
- I felt alone.
- I was committed to pleasing others.
- I was intertwined in the push and pull of my parents’ every offer or refusal to provide love and support.
- I felt as if I were walking on eggs or through a minefield.
- I numbed myself to pain by …
- I had an inner person and an outer person.
- I felt…
The first stage of shift in world view can be considered a conscious intentional setup.
- Do you think you were set you up consciously?
- If you did receive an offer of relationship, intimacy, special privileges or rewards
- How did you feel about it?
- How do you feel about it now?
| Stage II: Physical Contact That Appeared Appropriate |
- Do you remember your abuser/attacker using apparently appropriate touch to heighten the bond between you or to persuade you to drop your defenses? If so how?
- How did you feel when it happened?
- How do you feel now when you think about yourself trusting someone to start touching you like this?
- If you felt guilty for enjoying your abuser/attackers touch, why do you suppose that is?
Describe how you felt during the shift in world view? What were the feelings in your body? What were your thoughts? Your emotions?
Stage IV: Threats and Privileges
- Do you recall any threats or privileges given to you? Describe what happened.
- How do you feel about yourself for letting yourself be silenced by these actions?
- What have you done to try to bury the past?