A Benign and Simple Theory
When people question the goodness or usefulness of Re-evaluation Counseling, I wonder if they have read the introductory book, The Human Side of Human Beings. The theory is so benign and simple. It confirms what many of us already know in our gut [deep inside ourselves].
I particularly like that we take timed turns paying attention to each other. In the first turn, one person gets a bit of the attention they always long for, while the other puts their feelings on hold. Then they switch. With an agreement to maintain confidentiality, it works beautifully.
That people are hurt in unique ways, that we are the experts on what we need to “unload” next, and that the mind is brilliant and accurate in not bringing up more than it is ready to handle—these are smart ideas.
That crying, laughing, yawning, trembling, sweating, and talking signal not a hurt but rather the undoing of the hurt goes against a common misconception. (People do sometimes notice that the release of feelings is a good thing—for example, the hero or heroine thinks better after having a good cry.)
I have benefited greatly from this theory. I like that it is about thinking better rather than feeling better. And I love the RC organization, with its simple one-point program: helping ourselves and others uncover our innate intelligence (so our thinking and our decisions become better and better).
Washington, DC, USA
(Present Time 205, October 2021)