Mary Swenson

In order to achieve and maintain a maximum quality of life, individuals must utilize their intellect, emotions, and will in a holistic approach. This requires personal flexibility and the adaptation of belief systems for alteration and growth to occur.  The core concept of an adaptive theory is to facilitate the evolution of conscious changes.  Changes are often difficult to make and tend to increase stress.  The avoidance of ones problems however, results in greater pain and the immobilization of the self.  When an individual or group has exhausted their resources or coping skills, they are most open and willing to look at alternative solutions. It is during a crisis point that seeking alternatives occurs after numerous attempts at maladaptive coping strategies.

The role of a coach, educator, therapist, or consultant is to reeducate and facilitate options for a planning strategy to an improved, balanced functioning.  Performance enhancement is realized as a healthy organization or a quality family life. However, the individual or group must recognize the value of a specific process for any intervention to be effective. The onus of change throughout a process is dependent upon internal and external interrelationships and motivational drivers. Perception and attitudes vital to development necessitate a willingness to delay gratification, explore alternative avenues, and tolerate discomfort allowing the space and time required for the creation of significant insights and interpretations. The ultimate outcome is a deeper understanding and increase in competency and finding success despite obstacles and disappointments. Writing a destiny and finding a victory between the poles of violence and victimization two outcomes so often the final result from frustration and the obstruction of directed aims.

The past is used as the foundational template for change joined with the present offering the opportunity to impact the future. The future is the neutral/null hypothesis that can be created flowing from existent thinking, feeling and actions. The role of an objective facilitator or re-creation coach is as a collaborator in reeducation and through the use of specific tools as part of an algorithm together designs an improved method of responding. Life circumstances can be managed by a combination of interventions, reflection and assessment revealing subtle beliefs, expectations and values. Engaging in a cipher process to illuminate hidden aspects of the personality or a collective occurs over time because there is a “rightness” that will yield positive outcomes. The contribution of a consultant is their trained and educative viewpoint offering instruments by which to expand perspective. Interpretive research fosters imagination, insight, and intuition.
THE RELATIONSHIP

Only in a trusting and respectful environment can individuals examine their issues and concerns.  It is important to offer elemental alternatives with varying complexity to determine suitability and appropriateness. This approach considers human beings as good while instinctively striving for growth, belonging and satisfaction.  These factors temper each other as an internal check and balance system resulting in an organized decision making process that is unconscious as well as overt (such as using personal takeaways or corporate sweeps). Because people are dynamic and changing entities goals are mutable and subject to revision. It is advantageous in every respect to accentuate abilities while avoiding the overuse of a skill.  Further, the management of liabilities must be done.

This model is strength based and seeks to enhance competencies that will benefit the self, others and society.  The purpose of life is considered to achieve individuation as well as unity with the greater collective. This model assumes adaptability to adverse circumstances dependent upon navigational skill acquired. Any conditioned learning can be reconditioned and altered to adapt to any eventuality. Both aspects of the executive functioning to relative brain hemisphere results in a higher integration that connects diverse material together resulting in innovation. Uncommon conclusions can be obtained from the ordinary experience.

All humans share a universal condition in the world, each with unique potential. Humans are distinguishable by their capacity to learn through abstraction and cognition and at their best, are careful thinkers. To accomplish a goal of any import individuals have to delay immediate gratification for the long-term outcome. Current society wants it yesterday-but worthwhile achievements take time. Circumstantial factors are inherent to the process and are necessary for full personality development.  There is solid evidence that certain characteristics and sound decision-making abilities enable better outcomes.  The interaction of genetics and environmental considerations combine with the mystery of existence manifest through intuition, creativity and logic.  The alteration of these elements impacts each of the others. Individuals are a composite of genetic depositions or inherent traits, while environment factors interact with their cultural and historical contexts resulting in depth, meaning and variation.

The physiological (survival) and psychological (belonging) needs must be met before recreational (pleasure) pursuits. While all these drives must be accomplished to function it is often necessary to subvert an aspect yet, creativity and adaptation also serve as a foundation. This is a third element by which to address basic challenges are often the motivating factor.  It is difficult for example, to perform impaired, or incapacitated in some way.  Consider the competent employee who is dissatisfied with their position—a mental state that can interfere with every aspect of their job, home, children, or family. When skill acquisition can be relegated a secondary role and goals are balanced then an individual is free to experiment and try new things.  The procrastination cycle which can take control of inner and external environments must be avoided which can then can be used to obtain insight. To create implicit structures that use adversity to leverage a situation toward success results in empowerment.

Individuals from impaired family systems seem to either perpetuate dysfunction or they transcend their experiences by overcompensating for the flawed system around them. Significant relationships, perceptions, belief systems and existential conditions impact goals and expectations which can be modulated to a set of unifying principles. Depending upon their characteristics and intrinsic temperament some individuals can be more resilient than others. The ability to create a present circumstance for change and the drive and required focus is interdependent upon various internal and external drivers.

Social exchanges are dependent upon the support and the adaptability of how an individual or group can view and react to a reality. Reality is of course relative and situational but only to a degree. The challenge of the 21st century may well be to discern what is real and what is artificial and to chose correctly between them. There are limited truths, but they are the cornerstones of wisdom. The importance and meaning assigned by the individual for the purpose of understanding their existence is critical and relevant.

In this construct, factors affecting personality formation display several modes of potential reconstruction and configuration. Each of the areas in the following depiction illustrates a dynamic integrated system between extremes or opposing forces crucial to development. Each area must be considered separately and as an integrated system for well being. One group cannot exist without the other and each has a role in generating how the world is interpreted and what actions result. If a person alters how they think and feel, behavioral change will occur despite environmental considerations. The objective of peak performance in human potential offers the opportunity for mutual goals that benefit to be realized but necessitates a new conceptual paradigm which follows:

The personality or culture animates through all tasks but only through personal relationships can intimacy be created. The experience tests and reinforces spirituality as it is comprised of morals, beliefs, ethics and values.  These characteristics emerge from the family, historical context and social class.  Ideologies in each stage of life recapitulate to the subsequent generation. Emphasis is on the integration of the opposing forces of free will and cultural collective.  In the competition for resources, potential can be equally constructive or destructive. Groups with healthy attitudes and backgrounds are more productive. The belief system, skills, resources, intellect and attitude affect the manner in which an individual or group can learn.

Inner balance is the intersection of attitude and action for the achievement of personal satisfaction, power, esteem, and wisdom.  Few are successful at living in a rewarding way that is valuable to themselves or others but everyone could. To actualize potential a person must have a certain amount of freedom, possess integrity and have the guts to take responsibility for their life and use their gifts.  Conflict resolution is a very important tenant to equilibrium.  Freedom acquired may be in direct proportion to one’s moral and responsibility level.

In the event of a discrepancy between doing the painful but right thing and easy but incorrect thing then the individual or group must make tough choices.  Unless the mind, heart and soul are aligned there can be no lasting decision of import. Making the choice means accepting the responsibility for all potential outcomes and consequences. When this is understood and internalized it becomes a defining structure within the personality or culture.  Refinement of moral conduct, higher levels of consciousness and supreme relationships are hallmarks of the actualized individual and basic foundation for order, harmony and balance.  These abilities are then available during stress and crisis over time and strengthened through use.

Psychotherapy or coaching must expand and offer flexibility and professional acceptance.  A positive and respectful working bond must be established for coping skills to be welcomed and perception alteration to be considered.  Repetition that involves as many senses as possible is the cornerstone of learning knowledge and the reflection upon experiences to derive and integrate their meaning. Learning is done through trial and error while adapting to situational circumstances with guidance.

Inspiration is a rare commodity comprised of positive energy and intent.  The goal of consultation is to enhance and "abilitate" individual or group functioning and insight. The concept of normal requires varied parameters and denotes what is positive, healthful and aspiring.  The consulting relationship should focus on leadership, management and developmental characteristics that promote creativity. Constructive intervention requires a blueprint to follow, the identification of abilities to develop resources, and tools which can instigate powerful adaptation.

Copyright ^© 1978 Mary Swenson, Patent Pending. All Rights Reserved.