Self-supervision questions to explore ET and ECT.

It can be really useful to process what you notice about yourself across all four domains of personality. Your physical reactions, your cognitive responses, your behavioural responses and your feelings. These questions are here to prompt you to explore. Do not worry about answering with certainty, holding space for not being sure or allowing unconscious responses is good to expand your awareness. You can use these questions when thinking alone, or with a supervisor to expand the way you respond to what is happening.

Physical reactions:
What is my initial reaction? Excitement, repulsion, boredom

How do I feel it in my body? Is it a vertical sensation – up and down or is it between me and them or others? What is the impact on me?

How does that reaction change over time? Intensity reduces, increases, alters in some way, fear that another contact might replace this one, fear it may stop.

Which part of my body is involved? Breasts, genitals, mouth, brain, hands?

What does it feel like? Tingling, electric, arousing, gentle, smooth, rough, disgust, shame?

Behavioural responses:

What is the nature of the contact? No contact, fumbling, head stuff, hard to feel, powerful gripping contact?

What part of me does it call upon? Maternal, masculine, feminine, naughty, playful, free child, powerful, controlling, Shaming or critical bits of me?

Is there anyone else involved and if so, what part are they playing? Bystanders, onlookers, present but not speaking, felt but not seen? Who are these people? Why are they there?

How able am I to give? Do I withhold? How free am I?
How does the scene stop? Abruptly, unexpectedly, with punishment, lovingly, is there a

sense of what happens next for all players involved?

How old do I feel developmentally? How old do I feel?. How old are they? Does this change at any point in the situation?

Am I doing anything that could be seen as “for my own benefit” from the clients’ material? If so what? What do I need to do to bring the usual boundary back into place?.

Cognitive responses:
What pictures do I create in my mind? Describe scene and run film forward and backwards

especially if dreams involved

What thoughts or judgements do I have before, during or afterwards? Are they typical judgements for me? Have I ever thought like this before, Is this someone from my past speaking out?

What are my fantasies at that time? Are they typical? Who is doing what in them? Am I an observer position or participator? How much are theses fantasies pestering me? What do I imagine them to expect?

Emotional responses:
What emotions do I feel? How long do they stay with me for? Is it Ok to feel like this?

Is there an impact from any shame reaction in me or them?

Am I aware of disavowing my emotions? Which ones? Does this remind me of a time or memory when I also did this in my own history? Do I notice any need in myself?

General Questions for further thought around your actions:

What do I need to take to supervision?
What do I need to consider when thinking about disclosure?
What would be my motivation to bring this into the relationship with the client? What would be my predicted benefit for the client if I did raise this?

Sally Openshaw. (August 2024).