Fork in the Road (Weight/Obesity)
(This is an example only and is written along the lines of what I might use for a client who is grossly overweight and the reasons for reducing weight are health and self-image. You need to tell your Fork in the Road story based on what your client tells you and remember to use target dates)
Induction of choice
And now as you continue to relax, just picture or imagine or feel that you are going on a journey and on this journey, you come to a fork in the road. At this fork, you could choose to travel down the right road or down the left road. I am not allowed to help you choose the right road, only you can choose the right road for you…before you choose the right road for you let’s take a look down both roads. So let’s start with the left road…as you step into the left road you can notice it is dull and overcast looking…and as you continue into the left road…intuitively you know that down this left road, nothing has changed and you know you continued with your old eating habits. As you move even further into this left road, the picture starts to clear and in the distance, you can see an image. As you move closer to this image, you can see a very fat person, even heavier than yourself, and you recognise that the dull unflattering clothes are from the fat shop, that outsize shop you hoped never to use. This person is so fat they can hardly walk. Then you notice they are using walking sticks to help them shuffle along. As you move closer you suddenly see that this person is you…in the future…now so fat you need walking sticks and you know that soon it could be a wheelchair. All because you never changed your own eating habits, all because you continued to behave in your old ways down this left road. You realise now it is too late down this left road, the damage is done, too late to undo, potentially killing yourself with food. (Short pause) However, let us leave the left road and make our way back to the fork in the road NOW.
Now let’s look down the right road…the right road is bright and clear and at the bottom of the road there is a banner stretched across it and on the banner is written CONGRATULATIONS and a date [10 Sept 2011].Below the banner are your family and friends. You can hear them shouting well done as you step into the right road. As soon as you step into the right road, you are your ideal size and weight. Look at your posture, standing upright and erect, almost as if you have a golden thread up through your spine and up through your head, holding you upright. Look at the [clothes/outfit/dress/suit] you have chosen for this special day, look how they show of the new slimmer you. Start to walk towards your family and friends, notice you are walking easily, effortlessly almost striding. No puffing and panting from the new slimmer you…and as you catch sight of your reflection in the glass opposite…you like what you see don’t you? (Look for IMR yes signal or a smile perhaps).
As you continue to move down this right road, easily, effortlessly and happy and smiling, enjoying this moment…NOW I need you to leave the right road and go back to the fork in the road.
I need you to make a decision now…do you wish to travel down the right road?
(You should receive a yes signal)…Good…congratulations you have made an important decision for you…the right decision for you…you have chosen the right for you…now as you continue to relax…
(At this point, you the therapist should proceed with whatever intervention tool(s) you have decided to use) (At the end of the session take client back to the right road to finish the walk to the banner)
Part 2 to use at the end of the therapy work. (Ending…example only)
Now let’s go back to the right road and step into it…you are your ideal size and weight. Look at your posture, standing upright and erect, almost as if you have a golden thread up through your spine and up through your head, holding you upright. Look at the [clothes/outfit/dress/suit] you have chosen for this special day, look how they show of the new slimmer you. Start to walk towards your family and friends…you are walking easily, effortlessly almost striding. No puffing and panting from the new slimmer you…and as you catch sight of your reflection in the glass opposite…you like what you see don’t you? (Look for IMR yes signal or a smile perhaps).
As you continue to move down this right road, easily, effortlessly and happy and smiling.
You can see your family friends moving towards you…shouting well done…you look great.
You stop and turn and look behind you at the easy steps you took to achieve your ideal size and weight. Just give yourself a mental pat on the back and congratulate yourself, you deserve this; because you took the positive action…no one else did it for you. Now turn and walk towards your family and enjoy the praise and congratulations. Enjoy a few moments here…I’ll wait. (Therapist: now finish as you wish. If you have used Parts therapy, remember to check the part is happy in its new role before leaving the right road, and bring client back to this present time and place etc)