"OK," you might say to yourself, "how the H-E-double hockey sticks do these two manage to combine three different fields of study in the time span of a consultation?"
"Well," we might respond, "we are absolute geeks. We love what we do, and we use these strategies in our own personal communications, so it's easy to incorporate into our business!"
We were having an argument a couple weeks ago. One of those arguments that aren't really about anything other than the urge to release some frustration, and the frustration just happens to be released on the next potentially frustrating conversation. The two of us sniped at each other a couple of times, knowing there was no point, but reveling in the opportunity to wallow and release that pent-up frustration for a few minutes.
One of us used a metaphor to explain their feelings. The other vehemently disagreed, saying that their own way of seeing things was superior; this person then used another metaphor to explain why their way of thinking was better.
This went on for a minute or two until one stopped and said,
"Wait, you're saying X?" The other nodded, and this is how the conversation continued:
"Yes! This is what I've been saying all along, and I don't know why that's wrong!"
"Well, I'm saying X too, and I don't really know why we're fighting anymore!"
"Because the metaphor you used made me think you were thinking Y, which is why I used my metaphor to explain X!"
"Well, my metaphor was saying X too, and you can't tell me that that's wrong!"
"I'm not saying that's wrong!" "Well, then why are we still fighting?"
"'Cause it feels good!"
"Sure does!"
cue laughter and the end of the argument
In our everyday conversations, we literally outline the ways our metaphors either conflict or align with our preconceived ideas about how the conversation should go. It not only helps us see better where the other person is coming from, but it helps dissolve arguments faster and outline better ways to communicate in the future.
To do our professional analyses, we pull from Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, George Lakoff, Noam Chomsky, Carl Rogers, and more. We gain an understanding of their concepts, their conclusions, and then we use them in dynamic, interdisciplinary, applicable strategies when we give clients our insights.
We take the psychology and how that plays into language. We take the language and how that plays into psychology. We take the metaphors and how those filter our emotional experiences. We take the narratives and the personal mythologies we all harbor.
We take them all into account, because we have spent years studying these concepts and theories and conclusions, and we have spent years practicing them.
They are second nature to us, is what this boils down to.
We use them to provide dynamic and science-backed insights, we give you tools to understand, hone and advance your narratives and communications so you can evolve forward within and with your systems.
Take the geeks' word for it: We love doing this, and that means we do it efficiently and effectively so you can too.
Let's talk,
Melissa & Neil
