Once there was a Senior Executive who fell into the illusion that she was a hen. She took off her clothes, squatted under the table, and ate only grain or morsels. HR, Consultants and Coaches were referred to, but none of them could bring any change in her. Finally, a wise coach was found from Linkedin. HR took her to the Exec.
This Coach removed her clothes and, joining the Executive under the table, began to munch at some grain and squawk like a hen. The Exec looked at her suspiciously and asked, “Who are you and what are you doing here?” The wise Coach responded with the same question. The Exec replied, “I am a hen!” “Oh, really?” said the Coach. “So am I!” After a while they became friends.
When the Coach felt the Exec had grown accustomed to her presence, she signaled for a shirt and put it on. The Exec confronted her belligerently: “Are you crazy? Are you forgetting who you are? Are you trying to be a human?” The Coach replied, “You mustn’t believe that a hen who dresses like a human stops being a hen.” The Exec thought about this for a while, and then put a shirt on, too.
After a while the Coach signaled to have regular food put under the table. “How dare you ? Are you going to eat like them now?” said the Exec angrily (though really, she was scared). The Coach gently said: “Don’t be upset. A hen can eat human food human and still be a good hen.” The Exec considered this for a time, and then began to eat this new food.
Finally, the Coach said, “Do you think a hen needs to sit under the table all the time? She can get up and walk around if she wants to and still be a good hen.” The Exec then followed the Coach up from under the table and began to walk. “Remember,” the Coach said, “You can do anything with humans in their world and yet remain the hen you are.” The Exec was convinced and resumed her life as a person.
In our work and life stresses, we do sometimes loose our true essence, where we get fixated into old patterns of limited thoughts and beliefs. The work of a Wise Coach becomes to help the client find their way back into their gifts and ease.
The experienced coach knows her own compulsions, needs and pitfalls before embarking on a journey to accompany others.
Psychodrama is a powerful way of seeing the self clearly in the mirror, and in bringing change and transformation in others.
If you are a people enabler, Coach, Facilitator, and want to go deeper in working with your clients, and wish to get certified in the Psychodramatic way of Coaching, see here for details.
Story adapted from Adam Blatner’s ‘Foundations of Psychodrama’
Chicken Coat by Lorraine Hearn from Ravelry.com