Voice Dialogue (VD) is an excellent way of getting to know your inner selves directly by talking to them. In addition to this, the developers of VD, Hal and Sidra Stone (1993), believe that it is an extremely effective method for exploring and eventually coming to grips with the different inner selves. As with any approach to personal growth, VD is not necessarily appropriate for everyone and must be seen in the context of all the psycho spiritual work that you do. VD is a way of working that can be integrated into any growth-enhancing or therapeutic system. It is not designed to replace anything but rather to add richness to whatever it is that you are now doing.

THE BASIC COMPONENTS OF VOICE DIALOGUE

An exploration of our subpersonalities:

VD offers an opportunity to separate the subpersonalities from the total personality and deal with them as independent, interacting psychic units or energy systems. In using VD, we directly engage these subpersonalities or voices in a dialogue without the interference of a critical, embarrassed, or repressive protector/controller.

The role of the Ego:

VD definitely separates the ego from the protector/controller and the primary subpersonalities that work alongside it. The ego occupies a central physical space, and the subpersonalities play out their conflicts around it. When different subpersonalities take over, the facilitator will point out this takeover and ask the subject to move to another space, and engage the subpersonality directly. In this way the ego becomes more and more clearly differentiated; that is to say, it becomes a more aware ego.

Enhancement of awareness:

VD introduces awareness into our psychological make-up. Physical spaces exist for each subpersonality, for the ego who coordinates and executes, and, separate from all the others, for our awareness.

GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF VOICE DIALOGUE

Identification of subpersonalities: Creating a psychic map

The first step in facilitating VD is the identification of the subpersonalities. The facilitator encourages the subject to talk about life in general or about a specific experience that seems important. The conversation between them serves several functions: it establishes or enhances rapport, it conveys information, and most importantly for the VD process, it gives the facilitator the opportunity to create a ‘psychic map’ of the territory.

Physically separating subpersonalities

When the facilitator (with the consent of the subject) talks to a specific subpersonality, the subject should move to a different space in the room, which means changing chairs.

Facilitating the subpersonalities

From this point on, the facilitator simply talks to the subpersonality as he or she would be a real person. The facilitator can be empathetic and non-judgemental, asking questions when appropriate, or simply listening.

A basic principle of VD work is: whatever progress is made is acceptable – specific problems do not need to be resolved in a single session. The aware ego is responsible for any problem solving.

Separating the subpersonalities from the aware ego

In order to separate a subpersonality from the aware ego, encourage each voice to speak of the subject as a separate entity. After the session, we return to the aware ego in its particular position, and the facilitator and subject discuss the session in whatever fashion they choose.

Further important details

Remaining non-judgemental: It is important to remain non-judgemental. The voices are like people: If the facilitator is truly open and interested, they will blossom.

Relax and take your time: Subpersonalities, as said before, are like people: They like to feel that they have your undivided attention as well as plenty of time to express themselves. A facilitator may have to sit in silence for quite some time before a vulnerable child will even speak. Often, the voice that takes forty minutes to be fully uncovered is a most important part of the personality.

Observing changes in energy patterns: Each subpersonality is a distinct energy pattern – each has a distinct facial expression, posture, and tone of voice.

Voice dialogue as an altered state of consciousness: The aware ego and the protector/controller, who usually dominate consciousness, are set aside temporarily as other energy patterns are given the opportunity to speak. With this in mind, the facilitator will automatically be careful when dealing with a voice. Because of that, the way the session ends is critical. It is important to return the subject to an ordinary state of consciousness.

Voice dialogue is not a substitute for personal reactions: VD should only be carried out in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.