Fragmentation @ Integration

A presentation by Maria Gilbert at the 2007 British Association for Supervision Practice and Research Conference captured my imagination. Prompted by this experience I became almost totally consumed by the idea that quite often people prepare to make a major change, and then somehow fail to ‘follow through’. My initial inclination was to regard this as a failure of will; almost an act of self-sabotage. However, over time I came to believe that  this phenomenon is in fact highly complex and that I was misguided to regard it as essentially negative.

This book seeks to give full recognition to the multi-faceted nature of this moment of ‘being on the cusp’ of change.  Perhaps not surprisingly I found the concept both vivid and elusive.  One analogy which for me captured some of the key elements was the moment of falling in love, but being uncertain how the other would respond and indeed whether that response could be trusted.

Contents:

• Introduction
  Timescale
  Space
  Manifestation
  Struggle/Ease
  Uniqueness
  Chance
• Setting the Scene
• Going Beneath the Surface
  A Sense of Loss
  Aloneness
  A Feeling of Awkwardness
  Provisionality
• The Role of the Helper
  Separation and Intimacy
  Methods
  Loving Dislocation
  Holding the Paradox
  Valuing Hesitancy
  Being a Transitional Object
  The Mole Perspective
• Conclusion : Falling in Love