At times in the case-taking process it is of essential importance to disregard the suggestions that have been made by the computer and ask some basic case-taking questions such as:
- Is this person really healthy on the emotional level? For example, is he / she able to express his emotions with strength and clarity? Is he flexible or rigid?
- Is he finding creative solutions to problems or getting more trapped? Does he have a strong sense of purpose, value and meaning in his life, or is there apathy and indifference? How much strength of individuality is in his identity or is he weak and unassertive?
- What is his balance between selfishness with a strong boundary and the over caring, over sympathetic and too selfless individual who ends up as a victim? Did he/she pass through the developmental stages easily? What stages is he still trapped in?
- What negative emotions are there? What are the positive ones? Finally, is his health based on freedom to make choices or does the pattern of the “subconscious” make decisions for him and restrict his freedom?”
- How are the symptoms connected to the patient’s life and his development as a person? What exactly was the way the patient perceived the stress she encountered? How did she react to it?
- Has this reaction become a rigid response?
- How has this reaction continued and developed?
- Do I really understand this person and her basic life dilemmas?
- How and why did she get sick?
- What is to be cured in this patient?
- What is her basic limitation to health and happiness?
- What is her inner conflict or central disturbance? What is basically wrong with her?
- What is her nature? For example is it rough, delicate, sensitive, expansive, contracted, evasive, open, closed, irritated easily, still, heavy, light, colorful, bland, restless; or peaceful?
- What impression does her body type make? What clothes does she wear? How quickly do they answer the question? Can she look me in the eye? What are her hands doing? Is there tension in the face or does she sit erect or slouch?
- What can one feel from the patient? Is it neutrality, acceptance, judgement, anger, sympathy, rigidity, sexuality, anxiety, suppression of emotions, or is it a type of anxiety, a fear of some sort? Is it anger suppressed with sadness on the surface? Or anger suppressed with fear?
- Write down your impression without thinking of any remedy. Try to understand the basic intention of his life, the false beliefs and what affects these are having. The basic conflicts he carries with him and the deep patterns that shape his life. Where did these patterns of adoption arise from and how are they in conflict with their present situation?
- What is the mindful reaction of the vital force itself and why has it chosen to make this reaction?
These are often the thoughts one must hold without judgement to create an environment in which the patient will tell you their deepest thoughts and feelings, leading to factual information that allows one to truly understand that person’s life and thus the crucial symptoms on which to base the repertorization. Of course every case is different and this information is sometimes not available because the person is healthy and has no deep conflicts or is unable to open up and tell you. and read the aphorisms from 84 to 104, regarding case taking.
For further study, please use the following link:
Techniques for Successful Repertorization by George Vithoulkas
