The builder behind the Bodywork Centre was taking great care laying paving stones as I watched him mixing the sand and cement, moving it to just the right level. Carefully brushing the dirt off each paving stone with his glove before attempting to place it. Smoothing the foundation, laying the stone down, lifting it up, making adjustments. Finally he layed the paving stone down, tapping it into place with a rubber mallet.
He spent far more time working on the foundation than actually placing the slab. When he had finished all you could see was the slab, level and smooth - no sign of the work required to hold it firmly in place. The quality of the paving depends on the foundations. If you have ever stepped on a loose paving stone on a rainy day and had a jet of cold, dirty water squirt up your trouser leg, you’ll know what I mean!
In therapy we spend a lot of time improving the foundations of clients experience, rather than just attempting to patch up loose and cracked paving of their daily experience. We work on the loose foundations: limiting beliefs, fears and anxieties that are usually concealed below the surface. Often clients don’t want to look at what’s holding the paving up, often they would rather it was covered up with a new paving stone and hope for the best. It can take courage to lift up the loose and broken paving stones of our lives, but with new techniques, including EFT and NLP, it’s possible to dig out the old and crumbling junk and lay sound foundations before replacing the stone. The result is the difference between a cosmetic repair that can cause problems later, and a thorough repair that lasts and lasts.
