"Different perspectives and reframing": Lessons for Living, by Dr Neil Thompson

We all see the world in different ways, so my perspective may be different from yours.

But what also happens is that people become comfortable with their way of seeing the world and can be reluctant to change it, even if such a change could actually improve their situation.

‘Reframing’ is the highly skilled process of helping someone see their situation from a different, more positive and empowering perspective.

For example, if someone applies for a job, is interviewed but does not get the job, they may come to the conclusion that they were not good enough for that job and may be dissuaded from applying for similar jobs in future.

However, helping them to see the situation differently (that is, reframing it) can be very helpful, helping them to understand that it is more likely that they were plenty good enough for that job, it’s just that on the day the interviewers felt that someone else had more to offer at that point in time.

Many people’s tendency to see the world in a self-defeating or self-disempowering ways is sadly a common feature of working in the people professions, and so reframing can be extremely helpful at times.