Voice dialogue

The classic image is the devil sitting on one shoulder whispering into that ear, while an angel sits on the opposite side murmuring into the other. Most of us have had the experience of "hearing" many different voices inside our head regarding who we are or opinions about our decisions. But these voices can't be so simply categorized into angel and devil. And sometimes the inner din can even grow so loud it can be maddening!! Then we euphemistically call it inner conflict! I am not referring to the pathological voices of the mentally ill, but the daily discordant inner chatter most, if not all, of us hear, if we dare to admit it

Voice Dialogue is a technique that assists us in not only naming “who”, what part of us, is "talking", but also feeling the energy of these various inner figures in our bodies. We have a whole cast of characters in our “inner theater”.

Voice dialogue goes beyond merely making parts of our unconscious... conscious. Another major tenet of this work is the gradual formation of an Aware Ego, that part of us that is capable of holding the tension of the opposites within us and making conscious choices. This is similar to the ancient practices of alchemy, whose "philosopher's stone" integrates all opposites. Or, to return to the theater metaphor, we could all use a very savvy director of our inner play.

Since using this technique with clients over the past few years, I've found it works well alone and also complements other tools like astrology and regression therapy better than I expected. How rare it is when expectations are exceeded!! Hard to convey this work in words for it is an energetic experience rather than a mental exchange. Best way to describe it is to borrow Jungian Marian Woodman's phrase.."drops the energy beneath the shoulders"! This is where real change happens in my opinion. Healing and growth is really about moving energy and this work does that very well.

It also invites us to accept all parts of ourselves and hear them out. There is no dismissal, judgment or repression of the so-called negatives. Each self is unconditionally accepted and heard. It is then the Aware Ego's role to hold all the inner selves in an exquisite, kaleidoscopic whole, directing the inner, and subsequently outer, play of our life from that centered awareness.