Understanding the Power of Injunctive Messages and How They are Resolved in Redecision Therapy

Abstract

This article summarizes the theoretical findings of six previous articles (McNeel, 1999, 2000, 2002a, 200b, 2009a, 2009b)and looks at redecision as a process, with particular emphasis on understanding the power, influence, and impact of injunctive messages as well as the way in which they are resolved. It is posited that there are two, rather than one, central decision to each injunctive message: a despairing decision and a defiant decision. The defiant decision (which is the person's best attempt at health) creates an observable coping behavior that becomes the observable evidence for the diagnosis of specific injunctive messages. The redecision to each injunctive message is presented as a process of acquiring a new belief, and a resolving activity is described as a practice to strengthen the new belief. Furthermore, a new internal parental voice is shown to be a necessary antidote to the previous internal parental influence. Finally, a tool is offered for self-diagnosis of various injunctive messages using internal responses (labeled “bitter” or “healing”) to the injunctions. Twenty-five injunctions are described in terms of five categories: survival, attachment, identity, competence, and security.

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