Dr. Kevin Polk | ProSocial Executive Business Consulting

Mar
6
2012

From the biology lab at SUNY Binghamton.

On the blackboard in the lab someone has written, “Rejoicing in obedience” in the lower, left corner.

I’m sorting the experience of those three words into the Matrix. 🙂

Perspective Taking – Behavioral Analysis

Hi Folks,

I presented at EvoS at SUNY Binghamton yesterday. The podcast and presentation will be posted on the web, but I don’t know when. I will let you know.

I’ve been noticing myself often calling the vertical line of the Matrix the “Perspective Taking” line and the horizontal line “Behavioral Analysis.” It seems to me that many psychotherapies accidentally get at those two processes, but there is a lot of content talk getting in the way. The Matrix routine, at least in my opinion. Gets right at those processes.

Some other things I’ve been repeating a lot…

Toward and Away are simply behaviors. They are not right or wrong, we are looking for workability for valued living. Both toward and away are in the mix.
The accuracy of the sort is not important, it’s the experience of sorting that’s important. The more important ‘correct’ sorting is to a person, the harder time they have with experiencing the sorting instead of focusing on the accuracy of the sort.
The reward for the sorting needs to be fast. As soon as you see someone get into the experience, get excited.
Practice saying “Yes….And” a lot, to almost everything.
I’m getting the feeling that the Systems Redesign language of Lean Management (Americanized Toyota Management) is really important. Basically, intensely notice the values first, then notice the process (away and toward), and then focus on the people. Most ‘bad’ behaviors are due to unclear values and wasteful processes. Most people do fine once the values are clear and the processes are efficient. I’ll keep working on that stuff.
Group is more ‘powerful’ than individual work due to our social nature.

I have a discussion with the SUNY Evolution students today. I think I will start with the Psychological Flexibility Warm-Up.

Sincerely,

Kevin
www.drkevinpolk.com

I’ve been told that The Visual Wellness Plan does a really good job of presenting the Matrix. It’s available here. Visual Wellness Plan

Noticing Recovery

Posted by Kevin Polk /

Noticing Recovery is my tweaking of the Matrix and (Visual Wellness Plan) to fit the “Recovery” language used in several treatment settings, including the U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital system. While recovery is often associated with substance abuse recovery, in this case it refers to recovering from any stuck pattern of behaving that’s taking someone out of valued living.

The document you see below is suitable for waiting rooms, and I’ve made a poster of it so people can sit and stare at it. I also have some regular sized copies mixed in with the magazines. The poster and waiting-room handouts are simply meant to generate a bit of curiosity about the “Noticing Recovery” point of view. The person might even start to answer some of the questions while sitting in the waiting room, but this is certainly not required.

Beyond the waiting room we can start to fill in more of the information in the four quadrants and start noticing the difference between how it feels to move away and toward. For people who are particularly stuck in an ‘Away’ pattern, we can do additional work on the unworkable change agenda. We can also do more work on noticing who and what’s important and behaviors that move toward.

The number of meetings depends on how long it takes for a person to develop the big-picture-Noticing-Recovery point of view.

Be well,

Kevin

Kevin L. Polk, Ph.D.

www.drkevinpolk.com

1 Reply

Feb
5
2012

Email LIst and ACT – the Matrix for Trauma Memories Webinar

Posted by Kevin Polk /

Hi Folks,

I’m creating an email list using the company Constant Contact. I will use the list to announce training dates, webinars and new training materials. Just use the link below if you would like to join my list. You can unsubscribe at any time and there is absolutely no spam with this service.

Join My Email List by Clicking Here

Also…

ACT – the Matrix with Trauma Memories webinar starts this Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 5pm EST USA. Limited to 8 participants. Fee is $120 for students and $180 for professionals. There will be four sessions each, one each Thursday through March 1, 2012.

Session 1: Setting up the Matrix Point of View

Session 2: Working the Unworkable Change Agenda

Session 3: Blending Trauma Memories

Session 4: Improvisation and Jazzing. Getting to “Yes…And…” in context.

People describe using the Matrix as “Invigorating!”

You can sign register for the Webinar by Clicking Here

Thanks for your time.

Be Well,

Kevin

Kevin L. Polk, Ph.D.