ABSTRACT
Many subtle aspects of the dialogue from a variety of situations, at different times and in interaction with a range of people, or when experiencing different moods, can be lost if not captured at the time. Inviting clients to keep a writing pad handy and make a note of the nature of the dialogue over a period of a few weeks will assist with increasing awareness of the dialogue in a range of situations. Cognitive-behavioural methods can be used, by directly challenging or questioning the dialogue, similar to the way cognitive therapists challenge negative automatic thoughts (NATS). A more psychodynamic approach is to direct the client's attention to the nature of the dialogue and to experience the conflict consciously. Redecision-based techniques where the client is invited to engage in a dialogue between ego states (using their Adult ego state to mediate between and respond to each ego state) during a session can also be fruitful.
