Limbic talk and the power of imagination

“That thing about my hands is funny. Look – what can that be about?”

The client showed me his dry palms. The skin was scaly at the borders to the back of hand and fingers.

“What are they like, to you?”

“Well, like a fisherman’s hands!” was his answer.

“A fisherman’s hands?”

“Yes, that’s what came up for me. Red, rough hands.” He was used to having soft hands, dancing over a keyboard.

“What’s it for a kind of slippery fish you needed to grab, or that slipped out of your hands, before they turned to be like this?”  That was a shot from the hip. I used the same image to suggest a scenario that would make sense, knowing that there must have been a trigger for the change in the skin that had to do with contact or losing touch.

“Oh! That’s a situation I’m losing control over! Actually, I think it began after I got a phone call, where a colleague informed me about a change happening at a project I’m involved with. And I feel I can’t do anything about it. You know I hate to lose control. Tried to figure out how I could help them to navigate and bring the ship back on course. But as I’m not there…”

“How is that so important for you, to have a grip on that situation?”

“Well it’s actually – that project has been like an anchor for me, it’s fun when I’m there and my contribution has been valuable. Such a symbiosis. But now, things are changing. I have another anchor, other projects that call me. I just can’t let go so easily…”

“It seems you can’t focus on both at the same time, right? So you really want to make a decision where to put your energy, and what makes your hands feel good in holding on to and steering? Just feel what thought makes your hands feel good”

“I’m envisioning taking the helm of my own project and to steer it on the right course. That feels great!” He smiled.

“And about the other one, the slippery fish? What takes the emotion out of that?” I needed to check whether that inner conflict was resolved or what work was left.

“In a way I’m confident enough to re-establish the symbiosis if it comes natural when it’s time for that. I don’t want to waste my energy on it if it’s not. It’s ok now, I’ve set my mind”

“Do your hands agree with that, holding the helm of your own project and setting a clear course?”

They did, and a couple of days later the skin of his palms was back to normal. Limbic talk and the power of imagination work wonders!