The Magic of Open Attention
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Open attention is one of the bread-and-butter techniques of working with trauma in the body.
Clinicians can use the technique of open attention in either an exploratory or an integrative manner.
That is, they can use open awareness either:
-
to help begin a process of entering into an exploration of an unprocessed traumatic circumstance or
-
to help to process, integrate and digest an unmetabolized experience with a client in the aftermath of a somatic exercise or experiment.
When used at the beginning of a process, we are simply trying to get the lay of the land, in terms of simply "being with" the client's experience – whatever it is. There is no overt attempt to change what is or to "do" anything on the part of the clinician. Rather, the clinician is guided to simply sense and notice along with the client, whatever they are experiencing.
When this is done at the end of a somatic experiment/exercise, the intention is to simply notice and "harvest" a somatic awareness of the impact of the exercise. When a client tries something new, we are looking to ascertain the somatic impact of that experiment. When used in this way, the technique of open awareness is part of helping the client to integrate their experience – to piece it together – and let it fall into place. It also helps the client embrace novelty with an attitude of openness and acceptance.
Thank you for the work you do and the difference you make in the world.
Warmly,
Albert Wong
The Magic of Open Attention
___
Open attention is one of the bread-and-butter techniques of working with trauma in the body.
Clinicians can use the technique of open attention in either an exploratory or an integrative manner.
That is, they can use open awareness either:
-
to help begin a process of entering into an exploration of somatic experience or
-
to help to process, integrate and digest a somatic experience with a client in the aftermath of a somatic exercise or experiment.
When used at the beginning of a process, we are simply trying to get the lay of the land, in terms of simply "being with" the client's experience – whatever it is. There is no overt attempt to change what is or to "do" anything on the part of the clinician. Rather, the clinician is guided to simply sense and notice along with the client, whatever they are experiencing.
When this is done at the end of a somatic experiment/exercise, the intention is to simply notice and "harvest" a somatic awareness of the impact of the exercise. When a client tries something new, we are looking to ascertain the somatic impact of that experiment. When used in this way, the technique of open awareness is part of helping the client to integrate their experience – to piece it together – and let it fall into place. It also helps the client embrace novelty with an attitude of openness and acceptance.
