Posted by Dinah on September 27, 2004, at 10:44:51
In reply to Re: To read or not to read » Dinah, posted by vwoolf on September 27, 2004, at 9:35:40
As I got to know him better, and he became easier for me to read, it became easier to believe that he wasn't manipulating me. I think we give them too much power when we think that they have some grand plan and everything they say is designed to move us somewhere.
In truth mine at least is a fellow journeyer. He doesn't have all the answers. He's learned how to listen, how to challenge me nonconfrontationally, how to say what he wants to say while arousing as little anger as possible. He knows, to some degree, how to notice what is important. He knows to listen to keywords that might help him understand what's going on. All those things his training has taught him. But he doesn't have any Svengali abilities, his training didn't teach him any. And I don't think most of the books we read teach any manipulative powers either, drat it.
Yes, he tries to manipulate me. But it's with what is important to me, not what he learned in books. And it's woefully transparent to the point that it just brings up fond feelings, not angry ones.
poster:Dinah
thread:395279
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040925/msgs/395716.html