The client has been in various types of therapy since the age of 23, both traditional and some that could be considered as being somewhat unorthodox. She's had suicide attempts going back to the age 16, her latest attempt being about 13 months ago. The client describes that attempt as being triggered by her 29-year-old son who, she says, treats her with the exact same contempt as her mother. She also has a history of alcoholism and drug addiction.

The client has described herself as being broken, weakened, confused, stuck, and exasperated. All the therapy she's had has given her lots of insight into herself but as the client says, she feels like she's still running around in the same exact circles.

Therapist: Client, ideally, what, one thing would you like to accomplish here today? And please be specific.

  Her eyes go down to the left (she's talking to herself), then up to the right, she's looking for a picture of the 'one thing' she'd like. Eyes over to the upper left, she's looking for it in memory. They lock there for several seconds, her breath holds then rushes out as her lips relax and open slightly. She now looks directly at me…she's found it.

Client: Have you ever seen a horse being broken? (I have but I want to hear what she has to say about it.) Well, I have and the trainer didn't know what he was doing, that poor animal, its like the life, his spirit, drained out of him, that horse was never the same again…I see myself like that horse. Eyes up and left, breathing shallow. I want 'me' back…the unbroken 'me', I want her back. Nostrils flare, skin flushes.

It's pretty obvious that my client holds a very strong image of her referred to 'unbroken me.'

Therapist: Getting her back, what do you see that doing for you.

Client: Eyes down and right. I'll feel whole. Because it's always been like there's two of me and they're completely opposite. They're always taking me in opposite directions and I get so stuck never knowing what I should do. The unbroken one is confident, capable, spirited and vibrant. And this other one is unsure of herself…sad…She's always sad. Because that part is scared, its always feeling like something scary is lurking just around the corner….Sounds like I'm schitzo, huh?

Therapist: No, to me it sounds as if you're feeling like these two me's just can't get together for you. They can't seem to agree with each other on anything. Almost as if you had a pair of horses and they're always going in opposite directions…is that it?

Client: Yes, that's it exactly.

Therapist:If we get these two parts…or let's say these two horses moving together like a team that's working for you instead of against each other, how will that affect other aspects in your life?

Client: It would improve it. Everything would be better. It is so tiring to always feel pulled in different directions.

The intervention I chose for my client is THE VISUAL SQUASH. I began by having her access both parts to make sure that each agreed to do this. Since they did, I guided my client through the exercise…her 'sad me' requested that it be placed in her left hand. Which I found to be rather surprising, and quite interesting even though I'm not quite sure what to make of it. In having the client thank both parts for serving their separate functions for her, the client spent quite a bit more time talking with the left-hand part. I know I'm not supposed to interpret, but from watching the client's facial, body and breathing changes it seemed as if the part on the left side was in need of additional reassurance while the part on the right side was raring to go. When I directed my client to have the parts face each other there was a momentary shudder as they did so. At the exercises end she brought both hands near her heart, and just before clasping them together, she did a motion of one hand stroking the other. My client smiled as she associated with her new integrated part. There was an easy flow into the Future-Pace portion and the ending of the procedure.

Every indication was that The Visual Squash technique took hold on my client. However, I would want to do a follow-up to see how firmly rooted her new integrated part is. If there has been any breaking-up I would then want to repeat the procedure. Additionally I think the Re-Parenting technique for my client would also prove very beneficial.