Oiling the Tin Man’s Armor and Healing His Heart III: Reich’s and Feldenkrais’s Treatment

It seems that both Dorothy and the Scarecrow have learned something themselves from Reich and Feldenkrais. They are both now more fully aware of the important role played by a positive, empowering self-image—as well as the need to not just believe everything a “good fairy” is saying to them. They might even be aware that Glinda the Good reminds them of someone in their own past life in Kansas. Perhaps a bit of positive (but uncritical) transference had occurred—especially for Dorothy as she was overcoming the trauma associated with being caught up in a house-lifting tornado.

There is one other important lesson learned by Dorothy (and perhaps also the Scarecrow and Tin Man). The support of other people is needed when we embark on a major journey of discovery and self-renewal. We are truly returning to “home” when that home is filled with people in our life who are appreciative and supportive of our journey in a variety of ways. I turn to the nature of this support in our fourth and final essay in this essay.

__________

References

Bergquist, William (2003) Creating the Appreciative Organization. Harpswell, Maine: Pacific Sounds Press.

Bergquist, William (2020) “Leadership and Anxiety: Containment and Metabolism I: Anxiety in a VUCA Plus Environment. Library of Professional Psychology.  https://psychology.edu/library/leadership-and-anxiety-containment-and-metabolism-i-anxiety-in-a-vuca-plus-environment/

Bergquist, William (2023a) Oiling the Tin Man’s Armor and Healing His Heart I: The Nature of Energy and Anxiety. Library of Professional Coaching. Link: https://libraryofprofessionalcoaching.com/concepts/managing-stress-and-challenges/oiling-the-tin-mans-armor-and-healing-his-heart-i-the-nature-of-energy-and-anxiety/

Bergquist, William (2023b) Oiling the Tin Man’s Armor and Healing His Heart II: Reich’s and Feldenkrais’ Preparation for Treatment. Library of Professional Coaching. Link: https://libraryofprofessionalcoaching.com/concepts/managing-stress-and-challenges/oiling-the-tin-mans-armor-and-healing-his-heart-ii-reichs-and-feldenkraiss-preparation-for-treatment/

Bergquist, William and Agnes Mura (2011) coachbook: A Guide to Organizational Coaching Strategies and Practices. Sacramento, CA: Pacific Soundings Press.

Briskin, Alan (1996) The Stirring of the Soul in the Workplace. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Damasio, Antonio (2005) Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain. New York: Penguin.

Feldenkrais, Moshe (2010) Embodied Wisdom: The Collected Papers of Moshe Feldenkrais. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

Grabher, Alfons (2010) My Feldenkrais Book. Bregenz: Austria Grabher Press.

Klein, George (1967) Peremptory Ideation: Structure and Force in Motivated Ideas, Psychological Issues, vo. V, No. 2-3. New York: International Universities Press, pp. 78-128.

Moore, Thomas (1994) Soul Mates. New York: HarperCollins.

Reich, Wilhelm (1972) Character Analysis (3^rd Expanded Ed.) New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Sapolsky, Robert (1998) Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers. (2^nd Ed.) San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.