Completing Loops

Processing is accomplished through loops that are completed. We start something, it continues, and it gets finished. Those are cycles, sequences of action. The facilitator needs to be skilled in doing this. She must be able to get a subject opened up. She must be able to continue or repeat a technique as long as required. She must be able to complete or end a subject.

The facilitator must have the persistence to carry through with what she starts. She must also be observant enough to notice if we get off the subject and make sure we return to the original thread.

Processing is not strictly a linear affair. A number of things might be going on at the same time, and not necessarily in a very orderly manner. But all the more reason why the facilitator needs to keep track of which loops are still open and close them whenever possible.

It is important that the facilitator is result oriented. She must have the completion of actions in mind. Loops are to be closed.

However, there is a distinction between the facilitator's loops and the client's loops. The facilitator needs to finish the actions she starts. If she sets out to do something she should do it, unless it very clearly gets superseded by something better to do. But one way or another she needs to carry out her actions. But as far as the client is concerned, it is often advantageous to start an open-ended loop. That is, send the client off in a new and different positive direction. It will continue and complete in the coming time out in life. Closing the loop might limit the results to just this session, which isn't necessary. That still means, however, that the facilitator finishes the action of providing a new action for the client. For the facilitator it is a closed loop, a successfully completed action. For the client it is a new beginning that will continue out in life.



Exercise

- The student picks a question or direction that requires an answer that is more than one word. For example, "Tell me about cucumbers" or "What do you think about prunes?" The student needs to get into and remain in rapport with the trainer, and she needs to continue pursuing the question while it still produces change, she needs to notice when it is complete and then leave the subject gracefully. Then she would pick another question to pursue. The trainer will simulate behavior that exercises the student's ability to get into rapport, and she will get off the subject and things like that.



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