People in My Life
People in my Life is a visual/spatial
language tool that helps people talk
about their relationships in counselling
and therapy.
It comprises a comprehensive set of
colourful figures together with several
base patterns.
People in my Life has been developed
in two formats: as a set of card figures,
and as a digital application.
Small figures and objects add a visual
and spatial element to conversations
and are remarkably effective in focusing
thoughts on relationship issues,
enabling children to talk about
themselves and the people they know.
They facilitate constructive dialogues
and narratives with both children and
adults, alone and together.
The visual perspectives they provide
contribute to renewed ideas about how
to understand and deal with difficulties
and dilemmas.
People in my Life has been developed
by Steven Balmbra, a family therapist
with over 40 years of experience in
mental health and family guidance
services in Britain and Norway.
What
The People in my Life set of figures has
been developed for consultations and
therapy in a wide range of settings in
the areas of health, education, social
services, child protection and
counselling.
It can be used with individuals, couples,
families, and groups, with children,
youths, and adults.
Arrangements of figures can take a
variety of forms, such as family sculpts,
social network maps, sociograms, and
genograms.
The base patterns in People in my Life
support a wide variety of professional
approaches.
Figures can also be used to play out
and talk through particular incidents in
the way they are remembered by the
people involved.
An experienced professional will find
many ways of integrating this form of
visual expression into their practice.
People in my Life brings a unique
element of engaged observation to
conversations about relationships.
Participants observe the visual
expression of relationships at the same
time as they are involved in the
emotional content of the conversation.
This dichotomy of distance and
presence gives aunique perspective capable
of bringing out new ways
of considering the issues being addressed.
Although this form of conversation may
appear to be simple, it is remarkably
effective in leading to narratives and
facilitating dialogue with people of all
ages - with individuals, couples, families
and groups.
LEARN MORE
When figures are arranged to show an
understanding of how people get on
with each other, they form a relationship
overview.
People in my Life is developed for
professional conversations based on
relationship overviews.
At the website
www.relationshipoverviews.org, family
therapist Steven Balmbra presents a
model illustrating a number of ways that
figures influence the form and flow of
conversation and six areas of dialogue
where including figures is particularly
useful.
It shows how relationship overviews
can be effective in conducting clear and
constructive dialogue leading to fresh
insights that can change
understandings of how to deal with
difficulties.
In conversations about relationships,
small figures are helpful in expressing
points of view and understandings.
The visual and concrete aspects give
an extra dimension to communication.
The conversation becomes more
focussed, direct, and structured.
When family members show and talk
from their different perspectives
unexpected ways of seeing and
understanding become apparent.
When the figures are placed at varying
distances to each other, this creates a
relationship overview, illustrating how
the various parts are related the whole.
Conversation about meanings and
consequences can help to clarify
difficulties, disagreements, resources,
and possibilities. It can lead to a
change in understanding.
The inclusion of figures often brings
playfulness and creativity in the way
people talk and think about their
relationships. Their immediate mobility
enables points of view to be contrasted
and matters seen from varying
perspectives.
It becomes easier to find alternative
ways of dealing with difficulties.
The following links lead to stories of
how professionals and clients have
experienced the use of figures in
conversations about their relationships.
The texts are taken from letters and
interviews are translated and
anonymised.
The father of a young woman with a
severe psychiatric condition wrote the
following letter about how he
experienced the use of figures in family
therapy.
PEOPLE IN MY LIFE
Not everyone finds it easy to express
the complexities of their thoughts and
feelings about their relationships.
Oversimplified ideas of other people’s
condition, intentions and behaviour will
often lead to misunderstanding and
escalating conflict.
Conversations based on visual spatial
expression facilitate fresh insights into
emotions, thoughts and intentions and
can bring alternative ideas to unhelpful
understandings, attitudes and
behaviour.
Images are able to carry latent
emotional and relational meaning that
can be brought out through dialogue.
An image of a relationship seems to call
out for words to clarify meaning and will
promote an interest in exploring through
dialogue and narrative.
When situations are visualised, they
often appear less complex and more
manageable.
Images are engaging, informative and
provide a focus for conversation – they
give something to talk about. People of
all ages can become engaged in an
active, playful way through the creative
use of figures and renewed
understanding can emerge, away from
preconceived narratives and
constraints.
Figures
People in my Life contains about 300 different figures that are designed to represent people with a variety of backgrounds, fairly representative of a multi-national population. Women, girls, babies, men, boys, and some special figures. They have minimal, neutral facial features and average body shape but vary in age- group, size, hair and skin hue and clothing colour and style. There are also some special figures that support certain narrative approaches.
Figure Set
The People in my Life figure set is comprised of more than 300 double- sided card figures, two display boxes for presenting them ready for selection. and several base patterns that assist the placement of the figures. The figures are placed on a plain surface or a base pattern to form an overview of relationships illustrating how family members and others are influencing each other’s lives. The large number of figures enables the portrayal of both small and extensive social networks.
COming SOon
The new version of People in my Life Digital has an updated design and cross-platform compatibility. It will be available on this website from 20th February 2023 Watch this space.
