Experiential Exercise with the Observer Self
Observer Self exercise: This is a "key" lengthy exercise that brings the person to the place where they are observing the changes that have occurred in their life from a perspective that seemingly does not change.
Phase1: The exercise begins with general focusing and by noticing bodily sensations. From there it moves onto observing sensations of a recent memory; then to observing a further away memory, then lastly it moves to observing sensations of a distant memory. The main focus is on being aware of the self that was present at those past moments is the same self that is presently noticing; the observer self is a sort of common denominator; it's the soul prospective. It is also practice in "seeing seeing" where seeing is defined as what we feel, think, and sense.
Phase2: Is similar to what occurred in Phase1, just the content has changed. The client is guided through observing the roles they play and the emotions and thoughts that they have; roles, thoughts, and emotions change, come and go but there is a you that is having them and has stayed the same while they have changed. The perspective of Observer Self is one where a person can more easily observe themselves engaging in the behaviors of thinking and sensing. Paraphrasing Skinner, "a person who is aware of his own behavior is in a better position to [influence] his behavior."
Pick an identity: This is an exercise where a few semi-random statements about a self are picked from a box, randomly, and then the client uses these statements to take on that personality, with the help of some guidance. This equates to the client's real life experience of picking a few statements about themselves and becoming that person. This is an experience in flexibility where being flexible has not been utilized (much).
Faking it: is a good example of how our minds' can give us the opposite experience of what we actually experience. "I feel like a fake because I am having a good time but I am not a person who has a good time; I'm depressed! Therefore I must be having a good time just to make other's feel like I am having a good time (which of-course I couldn't be). Since I am a fraud this really sucks." The benefits of being able to observe these thoughts as thoughts and not truths should be obvious. Buying these thoughts will lead to one experience where the experience itself yields or is a much different experience.
