Personalizing problems is the most critical transitional step to action. It is from defining problems in new ways that we derive new goals. It is from new goals that we derive new action programs.
By personalizing meaning, the helpees have begun to understand their situation in terms of its internal, rather than external, significance. The helpees, however, have still not grappled with their behaviors and how they may be contributing to the situation.
When we personalize problems, we help them to understand what it is that they are unable to do that has led to their present experience of themselves. In other words, we answer the question: “What is there about the helpees them selves that is contributing to the problems?” ...
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