Katherine sits forward on the couch and dobs her eyes with a tissue she pulls from a container on the table in front of her. After about a minute, Katherine offers a comment:
“What you have said about my experience in the ravine rings true at a level I don’t often access. I am often surprised by the numbers that are revealed on the Excel sheets I review; now I find that I am even more surprised and much more emotionally touched by the reflections you have offered. Your balance sheet certainly beats the hell out of my budget sheets!”
Both Katherine and Sonya quietly laugh. Katherine then offers some experiences in her recent life that connect with some of the images that Sonya offered. Most of these experiences reveal ways in which Katherine’s feelings of joy, bliss and contentment are thwarted. She has had few experiences of beauty in recent years and has not journeyed down to the ravine since she first arrived at the college as a young administrator 12 years ago.
The session comes to an end. Sonya suggests another homework assignment for Katherine.
“Katherine, I am going to give you an even more challenging homework assignment. Before our next session I would like you to prepare two lists. The first list contains brief statements about what you believe to be true and important in your life. The statements on this first list are based on facts, evidence, expert opinions. What you read in credible books or articles. What you were taught when you were in college and what you hope are being taught in your current college. Don’t make this a long list. Just identify 5-8 beliefs that seem quite credible for you. The second list is more important. I would like you to prepare a list containing about the same number of statements. However, this list should comprised of your own personal hunches about what is happening in your world or the world more generally. These are strong opinions that you don’t often share. There may be little empirical evidence to support these hunches, but they are important to you and you hold on to them firmly. Does this assignment make any sense to you? Do you need more clarity? I don’t want to offer examples, because this could bias the two lists that you prepare.”
Katherine responds:
“No, I think I am clear about what you want, though the second list is a bit challenging. I hate to reveal my hunches and biases. I get the sense that they are often based on my fears.”
Sonya:
“No problem. Tackle this second list with courage. This list might be full of fear, but that makes the list that much more important and filled with insights. So, we will see you in two weeks with both lists in hand. . .”
