“The Third Position”. An art-therapy technique used in supervision to help understand what is behind conditioned and reactive patterns

Abstract

Real consciousness needs time and adequate space to develop and help us to stop automatic unconscious reactions in order to create awareness and presence. Feelings, thoughts and behaviour usually come from conditioned assumptions. In supervision our goal is to look “behind” those automatic assumptions, using techniques that help to connect to the real need, in order to find positive alternatives to automatic reactive patterns. When 60 to 80% from our behaviour is ruled by non-verbal information talking it is not enough. Art-therapy techniques will mirror not only conscious but also unconscious information. Our expression opens doors to an understanding of what is the reality behind our usual assumptions. The “Third Position” is a technique that I developed in which we create a space to give form to the situation we want to work with.