Understanding Process Work: What It Is and What It Is Not
(Steve Correa based on notes of Pulin Garg)
?Process Work, as a therapeutic and facilitative approach, revolves around the deeper exploration of experiences and the transformative potential within individuals and groups. To understand its true nature, it is crucial to delineate what it is not and what it is.
?What Process Work Is Not
Detached from the Facilitator’s Own Experience:
- The essence of Process Work is lost when the facilitator or therapist imparts theoretical constructs without integrating their own life experiences or self-reflection. It is not merely about transmitting information; it demands the facilitator's active involvement and self-awareness, creating a shared space for genuine exploration.
Problem-Centered or Focused on Catharsis:
- Process Work is not limited to being problem-centred, aiming for a quick fix, or catharsis-driven. It does not merely focus on surface-level relationship adjustments or the temporary relief of emotional discharge. Instead, it goes beyond immediate issues, exploring the underlying processes, patterns, and dynamics that influence one’s life.
Analytical and Solution-Oriented:?
- It is not about providing solutions, knowledge, or theory from a purely analytical standpoint. While analysis and understanding are important, Process Work transcends the search for solutions. It avoids becoming a cognitive exercise detached from the emotional and intuitive layers of experience. It is not about reducing the complexity of life into neat, theoretical frameworks.
?In these modalities—where Process Work becomes a routine occupation, a teaching exercise, or a pseudo-search for answers—it risks losing its authenticity and depth. Such approaches may present Process Work as a set of techniques or theoretical knowledge but fall short of its transformative potential.
A Living, Authentic Engagement:?
- Process Work is about the facilitator invoking their own life space and engaging with their personal process at the moment. By doing so, the facilitator invites participants to enter into a space of genuine exploration. It becomes an act of joining in—a dynamic and authentic engagement rather than a hierarchical or detached facilitation. This mutual exploration ensures that the process is not perceived as invasive or a violation of privacy but as a shared journey.
An Invitation to Explore:?
- When the facilitator participates authentically, it invites others to explore their inner experiences and life dynamics. The focus shifts from solutions to a commitment to understanding the meaning behind one’s experiences. This approach encourages widening perspectives, allowing individuals to redefine their choices and understanding in a way that enriches and replenishes their life space.
A Process of Learning and Meaning-Making:
- True Process Work is about learning—not from a place of external knowledge but from a place of sensing and experiencing the universe behind one’s statements, emotions, and actions. It involves framing new constructs that are valid in the given context and grounded in the cultural metaphors and associative universe of the individual or group. It is a creative, exploratory process prioritising relevance and resonance over predefined solutions.
Process Work is an ongoing, evolving commitment to understanding and engaging with life processes authentically and culturally meaningfully. It moves beyond theory into the realms of experience, ensuring that every engagement is alive, relevant, and deeply rooted in the participant's and facilitator's shared humanity
HR Consultant, Career Coach, Behavioural Trainer. HR Professional with 3 Decades of led HR of Fortune top 100 Companies in India, China, Asia Pacific, Middle East and US.
4 周Interestingly, to me, the process work meant feeling connected with myself, how I invest in that process is my call, and what I get solely depends on how much I invested. My experience from all the labs I have been in since 1991 (thanks to Raghu for inviting me to all the monthly meets at Miatri Chennai, which led me to take an interest in this process work and eventually led me from ISABS to ISISD and now with Aastha). More than the facilitator it was the small group where I had children 12 - 14 yrs to 70 yrs old participants, professionals to less educated, everyone led me to introspect. I find the ROI thinking often drives us away from appreciating diversity and valuing feelings. Thank you Steve for this nice writeup.
Seeker
1 个月P penetrate deep into the R? recesses of? O our? C? core? E experiences of our living process through? S soul? S searching? WORK? ??????
Co-founder, Institute of Indic Wisdom, Board Member, Retired CEO Coach and Advisor
1 个月On the other hand, quality of the process varies with facilitator's depth and authenticity. If facilitator is not equipped to deal with what emerges, it quickly becomes ineffective. Lack of structure and ambiguity may confuse some participants seeking clear direction during the process. As this work is not solution driven, it may not meet practical needs for actionable solutions. A big risk is also emotional overwhelm of participants without adequate support. It is important to contextualize his work in culturally diverse groups to reduce misinterpretation. His process is highly individualized and hard to scale though if the facilitator is good, wonderful results could potentially result.
Co-founder, Institute of Indic Wisdom, Board Member, Retired CEO Coach and Advisor
1 个月I have been familiar with Putin Garg's approach and that of Arnie Mindell's approach. I found that Deep self-involvement of the facilitator making the program shared journey is uniqueness of Garg's approach. Focus of his work is on exploration of deeper dynamics and meaning-making instead of being solution-oriented. It is also grounded in cultural metaphors. The process is collaborative and allows for mutual exploration. Engagement becomes a living and evolving process instead of structured approach.
People & Culture Leader | Decision Science, Talent & Management
1 个月Well articulated Steve!