What is Visual Analog Therapy (VAT)?
VAT is a blend of process therapy, expressive therapies, well-being, personal growth, counseling, and psychology, and has been developed in Australia. The therapy supports people of all ages and backgrounds, and was first developed from the original work by Janet Goodrich over twenty years ago. A basic premise of this developmental approach has been the notion that the natural external visual world is ours to keep. From sensing through our eyes right through our thoughts, emotions, dreams, creativity, and spirituality, visual sensation and perception permeates our total life experience.
VAT regards visual sensing and perception in this holistic way as giving us knowledge and power, and the confidence generated by utilizing natural visual processing techniques adds experience to our personality. VAT blends the psychological aspects of visual processing in the internal and external world of human experience with whole mind-brain-body, functioning and well-being, in a personal and creative fashion.
VAT promotes cognitive, emotional, spiritual, and behavioral recovery using a range of therapeutic approaches that can influence the conscious and subconscious factors involved with many of the difficulties we face in our lives. The charge of energy through the eyes influences our well-being and therapies based on the interrelation of mind-body-brain aid the resolution of dammed up thoughts and feelings.
How does VAT work?
VAT develops skills which allows people to access interpersonal resources called THE 5 HEALTH AND WELLNESS KEYS:
- resourcefulness
- remembering
- resilience
- reflectiveness
- responsiveness.
These skills form an approach which works with the natural movement of energy within the psyche in a wholistic way. These skills bring about a connection between mind-body-brain, and can activate recovery, development and healing within the psyche. They act as a mental springboard creating mindfulness about the eight emotions - scared, mad, bored, embarrassed, disappointed, surprised, sad, happy - and mental thought pattern changes such as the rewriting of life scripts.
VAT explores emotion and reaction through the way we look at time: past, present, and future.For example, a problem may have to do with the past, and may have continuing repercussions in the present, affecting quality of life. Hopes and tears for the future could also paralyse you in the here and now. Homeostasis brings us back to a mobile centre of mind-body-brain, re-evaluating the past and future in terms of present knowledge, Getting stuck about past, present, or future freezes us and blocks flows of visual energy.
VAT explores how the eight emotions originate within us and their subconscious nature and conscious occurrence, and their influence on the determination of lifestyle patterns. The concept of conscious and subconscious is central to the VAT model of change. Most of what we do, and do best, we do subconsciously. This pattern develops in four stages:
- subconscious incompetence, where you lack any idea of an experience
- conscious incompetence, where you learn a great deal and discover your personal limitations
- conscious competence, which requires lots of concentration
- subconscious competence or a smooth blend of behaviour.
An understanding of sounds, images, and emotion and reaction can be used to ease the impact of both conscious and subconscious mental habits.
VAT uses a variety of modalities, tactics and strategies including projective techniques, metaphor, drawings, graphic organizers, analytic grids, mental maps, time maps and goal maps, timelines, emotional freedom techniques, analogs, journaling, bioenergetics (vision and movement), fusions, visualization, and simultaneous drawing and talking.
What are the fundamental VAT concepts and processes?
VAT supports positive change in behaviour, problem solving, personal management and growth, well being, and relationships thorough a process of working with phases and stages in a person's mental journey - Realising, Analysing, Strategising, Organising, Optimising, Containerising, Equalising - each of which is task, solution, and outcomes focused, and ecological in nature.
VAT has been developed from an expanding understanding of the interaction between mind-brain-body, and has en evolving research and evidence based approach. These processes are presented within a constructivist and a positive psychology.
VAT promotes growth and development through four kinds of responses, or ascending layers - Imagine - Believe - Reflect - Transcend.
Imagining weaves the messages of the visual mind and brain through seeing and perception. Image making fires up the visual cortex, and without this process it would remain lifeless. Right and left brain are switched on and share perceptual tasks making all functions of mind-body-brain easier.
Believing adds sensible thinking and gives us well being across all ten areas of our life: physical, environmental, spiritual, emotional, psychological, intellectual, social, cultural, economic and professional. A balanced and integrated person, centred in themselves, continues on course. To rebalance ideas means a recourse to Reflection to keep your whole mind-brain-body switched on. Emotional freedom and transformation responses lead to Transcending.
How is VAT taught?
VAT is a semi-experimental training presented and supported through Allied Learning Systems at Wattle House in Adelaide, South Australia. The training programme is presented by trainers who are teacher trained individuals with counseling backgrounds and qualifications. The programme is presented annually in three formats:
1 A one day workshop (Unit One) from 8.30am to 5pm. For those seeking a basic flavour of VAT or for those seeking a personal growth experience. No formal counseling background is assumed. The workshop explores the basic modalities, tactics, and strategies, working with phases and stages, evidence based theory and practice, and the four levels of growth and development. The day workshop is composed of four teaching modules. There is no assessment requirement.
2. An Introductory Course of three days, called Units Two, Three and Four. (25 hours) including assignment work, and taught over three consecutive days from 8.30am to 5pm. The course develops the four modules of the workshop in greater detail. Some counseling knowledge and experience is useful but not essential.
3. The Advanced Course of 50 hours, including assignments, is taught over approximately six weeks in three two day pairs of days comprising Units Six to Ten. Daily hours are 8.30am to 5pm. The course further develops the course material of the Introductory Course, and assumes counseling skills and knowledge, or completion of the Introductory Course.
Each day of a course is called a Unit and is a separate, discreet, and complete piece of training. Should you miss a day, or unit, which you have paid for, you may complete that unit when it is next available without further fee.
For further information and a brochure and syllabus, please call Wattle House and speak to Anne and Peter on 08 8373 0333 or email us at info@wattlehouse.com.au .
