The House of Many Parts:
Guided Imagery and Redecision Therapy
Edward E. Frost
Abstract
Guided imagery can be an effective and
enjoyable way to do therapy in general and
redecisiontherapy in particular. "The House
of Many Parts," a guided imagery process
developed by the author, is described. Two
brief case studies present examples of a
redecision made and a synthesis achieved
during the imagery process itself with no
need for further work. A third case study
illustrates various interventions during
therapeutic work after the imagery process.
A running commentary explains the purpose
ofthe interventions and discusses underlying
issues of theory when working with images.
Winnie the Pooh and The Wizard of Oz
peopled the mindscape of my childhood. Whim-
sical, talking teddy bears and little girls with
scarecrows and cowardly lions for friends were
as natural to me as breathing. And much more
absorbing.
Years later I did some postgraduate training in
psychosynthesis (Assagioli, 1965). When we got
to the part that involved mental imagery, I knew
that professionally I had finally come home,
home to a land where I was native. The ensuing
years have only confirmed that initial discovery.
It does not matter how bizarre, frightening,
fantastic, or ordinary a client's images are; I
remain fascinatedby their kaleidoscopic variety,
awed by their power for change, and delighted to
be working/playing with them as part of the way
I earn my living.
Imagery is everywhere. To senses properly
attuned it can be found and used in:
• Spontaneous imagery, suggested by sim-
i1e-"It's like there's this wall between us."
• Guided imagery-"Go up the mountain and
talk to the wise person you find at the top."
350
• Future imagery-"Imagine what your life
would be like if you went back to school
and got your professional degree."
• Night dream and daydream imagery.
• Group imagery--c'Ok, the first person
starts the miry story and"each person in turn
adds a sentence."
• Couple and family imagery-e.g., "sculpt-
ing" the system, or remembering "the way
we were," or deciding which animal each
person is and then having an animal party.
• And much, much more. For a partial listing
of references to types of imagery see the
Basic References section at the end of this
paper.
What I want to do here is share a particular
guided imagery process I have developed, "The
House ofMany Parts," and demonstrate some of
its uses for psychotherapy in general and rede-
cis ion therapy in particular. Issues of theory,
technique, and style will be dealt with as we go
along.
Because ofthe crucial importance of the Child
ego state in transactional analysis theory and
practice, mental imagery (what I call the "natu-
rallanguage" of the Child) has been a focus of
attention practically from the beginning. I am
deeply indebted to many predecessors who
blazed the trails and opened up this lush and
fascinating wilderness for closer inspection.
(Again, see Basic References at the end.)
A special word ofthanks must go to Bob and
Mary Goulding, whose own use of imagery in
redecision therapy has been a wellspring of
inspirationand instruction over the years. Typi-
cal of their marvelous left-brain/right-brain
teamwork, for instance, is their ray-gun work
with "Edith," reported in Changing Lives
through Redecision Therapy. Bob has "Edith"
do some visualization work with her anti-
thinking block. She realizes the block has been
Transactional Analysis Journal
 THE HOUSE OF MANY PARTS: GUIDED IMAGERY AND REDECISION THERAPY
in the service ofprotecting her as a little girl and
decides she does not need it any more. It evapo-
rates. Bob gives her credit for "evaporating" it.
She doubts her power to do this. Mary supports
the doubt by saying she saw Bob do it with his
secret antiblock ray gun. "Edith" sees what is
going on, laughs, and owns the ray gun as hers.
The Setting
On occasion I wiII do "The House of Many
Parts" with individuals. Normally I do it with
groups, for all the reasons that make group work
so powerful and so much fun, including:
• the group energy that builds, facilitating the
change or healing process
• the opportunity people have to see/hear/feel
others work and so "piggyback" inwardly,
or also outwardly with the therapist, on
what has gone on with someone else
• the trust, permission, and expectations for
success that grow from a particularly effec-
tive piece of work
• the opportunity to use group members to
help clarify, unstick, move along, ground,
or cheer someone's work
For this particular guided imagery to be most
useful it helps immensely if contracts have been
established and some work toward redecision
has already been done. That way the uncon-
scious has been primed and is ready to come to
the surface in all its glory (and sometimes fury)
when released by the imagery process.
The First Exercise
I have found it helpful to begin with a brief
mention ofthe idea that, as a diamond has many
facets, so we all have many parts or subper-
sonalities. These can be thought of in transac-
tional analysis terms: Nurturing Parent, Free
Child, etc. The parts also can be given other
names: Seeker, Earth-Mother, Mystic, Skeptic,
Student, Witch, Lover, etc.
I ask people to pick out one part of them-
selves and, without judgment or heavy feeling,
focus on it. After a minute or two I invite them
to say silently to that part, "You are part of me.
You are an important part of me. And I am more
than you." As they say this they are to observe
what happens. Then we talk about what they
experienced.
Vol. 25. No.4. October 1995
Often there is a sense of relief, freedom, and
even exhilaration as a person distances from the
part and gains a larger perspective. Sometimes
the part responds, "Thank you! I'm glad you
realize that. I was getting tired of being the
whole show." Other times there may be sadness
or anger brought on either by the person want-
ing the part to be more than it is at the moment
or the part not wanting to relinquish its place in
the sun.
I do not spend much time with this, profitable
though that could be, because the primary
purpose ofthe exercise it to get people thinking
about their various parts. A strong secondary
purpose is the suggestion, not elaborated on,
that people are more than and different from
their individual parts.
The Guided Imagery
As we begin I tell people that, as always, they
are in charge ofwhat happens with them. There-
fore, they are to feel free to shift their position to
one more comfortable, change the words to fit
their particular situation or ignore them totally,
and stop the process and return to the present
for whatever reason simply by opening their
eyes. These are useful safeguards for the trance-
like work that is to follow. Additionally, the
permission given for them to be in control
seems usually to have the liberating effect of
allowing them to go more deeply into the expe-
rience.
They are invited to make themselves physi-
cally comfortable, either sitting or lying down.
After a brief relaxation procedure I ask them to
imagine they are in a meadow. In a few mo-
ments I suggest that they become aware of a
path going across the meadow and begin to
follow it. Soon they are invited to notice a house
offin the distance. As they get closer I ask them
to become aware of a sign above the front door
that says, "House of My Many Parts." They are
asked to go up to the door, open it, allow one of
their many parts to come out, close the door, and
then spend some time getting to know the part.
After an interval ofsilence I invite them to leave
the part, return to the house, let one more part
come out, and in similar fashion spend time with
it. Then, after a bit, I invite them to observe
what happens when they bring the two parts
351
EDWARD E. FROST
together. Next I ask them to imagine that the
sun, as it shines warmly down, is filling them
with wisdom, power, and love. So filled, they
are to go to the two parts and do or say whatever
they choose. Then I invite them to walk hand in
hand with the parts back to the house and say
good-bye, knowing they can return to the experi-
ence whenever they choose. A slow and gentle
reentry procedure returns them to the here and
now.
Working with People's Experience
For many, reentry is similar to waking from a
dream. I find it important to allow the transition
to continue as quietly as possible consistent with
the talk therapy that now begins. This is made
easier by an attitude ofdeep respect for what has
already happened in the imagery, As in all
human affairs, there is a wide range of experi-
ence with this imagery-from the superficial and
shallow (rarely), to the movingly profound, to
the sublimely transcendent. And all this before
a word has been spoken.
Now I give them an option-simply to share
what went on for them, or to work on it thera-
peutically with me. Why this option?
For some, who only describe what went on in
their imagery, further work is neither necessary
nor appropriate. In the imagery process, the
redecision has been made, the gestalt completed,
a synthesis of two opposing parts has taken
place, or a transcending peak experience has
occurred. Therapist and group alike are at their
best here when they stand on the sidelines and
cheer as the parade goes by.
Two examples will illustrate:
A redecision: Bill's first part was a frightened
and yearning-to-be-free little boy. The second
was an ogre-like giant with sharp teeth who
wanted to eat the little boy. Bill's original con-
tract was to achieve a comfortable level of
physical and emotional intimacy with women. In
the imagery, after Bill had been filled with
wisdom, power, and love from the sun, he held
the little boy protectively in his arms. Then, as
he looked carefully and more objectively at the
ogre, he began to suspect that it was wearing a
costume. He unmasked the giant who was
revealed to be his neurotic mother, who had
sexually abused him as a child. At that moment
352
the little boy melted into Bill-now. He gently
kissed his ogre-mother good-bye. Leaving, he
came to a stream where he saw a lovely princess
bathing. She welcomed him with open arms.
They played, talked, and made love. After
recounting this, Bill said he'd like to hug each
person in the group. No one refused. Some
reported his embrace to be softer, more open,
and more energy-filled than before.
A synthesis: (The thing to watch for here, and
to facilitate when appropriate, is the dialectical
thesis/antithesis/synthesis process.) Sue's first
part was her "Miss Frantic," rushing around
helter-skelter, a manic bundle of unfocused
energy. The second was a large rock that came
out of the door and sat down, solidly immobile,
turned its eyes inward, and meditated. Sue's
contract was to stop blocking herself and make
a long-delayed decision about a career change.
At one point in the imagery, Sue picked up the
rock and threw it toward the sun. It dissolved
into a fine mist that fell on Miss Frantic, causing
her to change. What emerged from the transfor-
mation was a kind of female bodybuilder with
power, purpose, and direction. (Thesis: Miss
Frantic. Antithesis: Rock. Synthesis: Body-
builder.)
These are two examples of imagery processes
that are essentially complete in themselves. All
the therapist needs to do is listen and insert a
few supportive comments.
There are also those persons who say they just
want to share, not work, but as they proceed
they make it clear that they are in a Victim
position, sending out subtle or not-so-subtle
"Help Me" messages. Naturally the good thera-
pist avoids the trap and chooses interventions
designed to heighten the impasse and/or facili-
tate a breakthrough.
Finally there are those whose reported images
are only positive-joyful, peaceful, power-full,
benign, wise, etc. So often this turns out to be a
reflection ofearlier therapeutic work in the form
ofredecision, phobia cure, conflict resolution, or
simply important insight. Sometimes I will
comment, "Sounds like you did a good piece of
work earlier and your images are clapping their
hands." There may be a momentary startle, like
a light bulb going on, and then a smile-filled
"That's right!"
Transactional Analysis Journal
 THE HOUSE OF MANY PARTS: GUIDED IMAGERY AND REDECISION THERAPY
Ways of Working
There are as many different ways of working
with images as there are of doing therapy. What
follows are just a few of the ones that make
sense to me and give me pleasure.
Helmut's imagery serves as a good illustra-
tion. He had done some earlier work around
nurturing his Free Child. So he was delighted
when a radiant, joyful, irrepressible 7-year-old
carne out of the house. They had a marvelous
time romping through the meadow, climbing
trees, and splashing in the brook. It felt like a
real breakthrough to him. Therefore, he was
alternately horrified and depressed when the
second part turned out to be a large centipede
with a hundred poisonous legs. The centipede
made straight for the boy and stung him. The
boy was paralyzed and sat there, motionless,
with teardrops falling from his large, sad eyes.
Helmut, in the imagery, was likewise paralyzed
and could do nothing to change the scene.
When I asked him what he wanted, it was to
free the boy. "Do you have any ideas about how
to do that?" I asked.
"No."
"Would you be willing to experiment with
some suggestions from me?"
"Yes."
So I asked him to go back into his imagery,
(Comment: Almost always a person, having
just gone through an imagery process, can
move back andforth at will between the inner
images and the outer here and now. One
caution-this is similar to the fractionation
process in hypnosis, and the client may be
more susceptible to suggestion than normal.)
I invitedHelmut to be with the boy, playing in
the meadow. Then, knowing the centipede was
soon to come, he was to find a way of making
the boy safe, at least for a little while.
(Comment: Normally I go first to the image
that has the most energy or power. In this case
that would be the centipede because of its
abilityto immobilizethe boy. Helmut's imagery
illustrates the exception to the usual procedure
and becomes a rule in itself: When the more
powerful image is negative and a threat, the
therapist will do well to establish first some
Vol. 25. No.4. October /995
protectionfor the weaker image before turning
to work with the power image.)
Although he initially had difficulty, Helmut
remembered his favorite uncle, Wolfgang, who
was an amateur magician. He borrowed his
uncle's magic wand and drew a protective circle
around the boy.
(Comment: Yes, the protective circle also
effectively paralyzes the boy because he has to
remain inside to be safe. No matter. Helmut
now has a little power he did not have before.
He has done something to protect the boy. In
the process, although he does not know it yet,
he has made the centipede less powerful and
frightening. It is this that is necessary if he is
successfullyto solve the riddle ofthe sting [why
did the centipedesting the boy?] and then truly
free the boy.)
I invited him once again to let the centipede
come out. As before it headed for the boy. This
time it encountered the magic circle and raged
fearsomely-and impotently. Inside the circle
the boy cowered. I asked Helmut to be a scien-
tist for a moment (he had a technical back-
ground), to observe carefully, without judgment
or feeling, and report all that he could learn
about the centipede.
(Comment: This is a distancing technique,
useful in situations with frightening images. It
tends to cathect Adult.)
After Helmut completed his report, I asked
him if he would be willing to ask the centipede
what it wanted. He said yes, and did. The centi-
pede replied that it wanted to sting the boy. I
suggested Helmut might ask the centipede what
that would accomplish. The response came that
it would keep the boy from running around,
getting into trouble, and hurting himself.
(Comment: At this point we know the answer
to the riddle ofthe sting. The centipede is an
overzealousprotector. Helmut may or may not
know that yet. Now comes an attempt at what I
call image transformation or, if you will, a
form ofreparenting.)
I asked Helmut if he would be willing to
stretch his imagination and come up with some
things about the centipede that were positive.
353
EDWARD E. FROST
Shortly he said, "Well, it has many legs and
cannot be knocked over easily ... and it can go
almost anywhere it wants ... and (with growing
wonder) it doesn't want the boy to get hurt."
I asked Helmut to say these things to the
centipede, observing what, if anything, hap-
pened as he did. Helmut was ahead of me (a
delightful moment in therapy!) for he told the
centipede he appreciated its concern for the
boy's we II-being. The centipede smiled, "soft-
ened," and curled up in a ball like a kitten. It
now was a kitten.
(Comment: The work is not over, yet a very
significant thing has happened There has been
a major shift in an image. Over the years I
have learned that these negative to neutral or
positive image shifts herald something akin to
a redecision at the image or intrapsychic level.
They are like earth shifts deep below the sur-
face ofthe ground They can be powerful and
far-reachingfor the person experiencing them.
Treat them with care, and rejoice in them.)
I asked Helmut what he wanted to do now in
the imagery. The boy stepped gingerly out of the
circle and ran to Helmut. Together they went
over and petted the kitten, who purred. All were
enjoying themselves.
(Comment: Seemingly this would be a lovely
place to stop. But I have a concern. A kitten is
not an image ofstrength. What happened to the
power of the centipede-its ability not to be
knocked down and to go anywhere it wants?
And what happened to its sting? Image energy
does not vanish into thin air. It always goes
somewhere within the person. To kill an image
or to throw it over a cliff or banish itforever is
usually an exercise in futility. The image may
go-its energy remains.)
I asked Helmut what caused the kitten to purr.
He consulted, then replied, "It's content, know-
ing that I will watch out for the boy."
"And will you?" I asked.
"Yes."
"And will you help the boy go everywhere
and explore the world?"
"Yes," Helmut replied.
"And what if you forget, or get careless, or get
wrapped up in your work?"
354
Helmut looked confused,then grinned widely.
"The kitten just got up, stretched, glared at me,
and said it would tum back into the centipede!"
"So what will you do the next time you are
feeling sad and paralyzed?" I asked.
"I'll go find a kitten to play with, and thank it
for reminding me that I realIy am free!"
Spontaneous cheers rose up in the group.
Helmut looked around as if aware of the others
for the first time, got up, did a little dance to the
accompaniment of laughter and clapping and
more cheers. Later I heard two of the women in
the group come up to him and say, "Meow?"
(Comment: For the most part I am skeptical
ofthe "what willyou do next time? " approach.
Experience tells me it has little power to estab-
lish specific future behavior. I do believe it can
be effective, however, in underscoring a pres-
ent change that has just taken place [from
paralyzed to free] and, like a posthypnotic
suggestion, in creating mental options to stay-
ing stuck This isparticularly true when, as was
the case here, there is a strong element of
playfulness in the client's response.)
Conclusion
Working with images in therapy has a strong
tendency to tum clients on to their creative
genius. This, in tum, produces several desirable
results. Clients are more likely to be aligned
. with their own inner healing processes. It gives
what Albert Schweitzer calIed ''the doctor who
resides within" (Hamer, 1980, p. 135) a better
chance to go to work. AdditionalIy, because of
this creativity, image work tends to be just
downright fun for client, therapist, and other
group members. Attention seldom wavers.
Furthermore, due to their dramatic impact,
imagery experiences tend to be remembered,
sometimes for years. I have had former clients
or trainees come up to me ten, even fifteen years
later and appreciatively reminisce about the
changes they made the time they melted into the
rainbow or received the golden ring from the
wise old woman in the sun. I may have forgotten
completely; they remember vividly. AlI of this
adds up to ample testimonyto the joy of imagery
work as a powerful part of psychotherapy.
Transactional Analysis Journal
 THE HOUSE OF MANY PARTS: GUIDED IMAGERY AND REDECISION THERAPY

Edward E. Frost is a marriage and family
counselor in private practice in Watsonville,
California. He did most of his transactional
analysistraining with Bob and Mary Goulding
at Mt. Madonna in the early 1970s. Subse-
quentlyhejoined their staff, working primarily
in the area of mental imagery and redecision
therapy. Please send reprint requests to him at
240 Westgate Dr. #235, Watsonville, CA
95076, U.S.A.; telephone: (408) 722-7737.
BASIC REFERENCES
Berne, E. (1961). Transactional analysis in psychother-
apy: A systematic individual and social psychiatry.
New York: Grove Press.
Berne, E. (1964). Games people play: The psychology of
human relationships. New York: Grove Press.
BI)', A (1978). Directing the movies ofyour mind: Visual-
ization for health and insight. New York: Harper &
Row.
Erickson, M. H. (1980). A teaching seminar with Milton H.
Erickson (J. Zeig, Ed.). New York: BrunnerlMazel.
Goulding, M. M., & Goulding, R. 1. (1979). Changing
lives through redecision therapy. New York: Brun-
nerlMazel.
Goulding, R. 1., & Goulding, M. M. (1978). The power is
in thepatient: A TA/gestaltapproach to psychotherapy.
San Francisco: TA Press.
James, M., & Savary, 1. (1974). The power at the bottom
ofthe well. New York: Collin Associates.
Jung, C. G. et al. (1964). Man and his symbols. New
York: Dell Publishing.
Kadis,1. B. (Ed.). (1985). Redecision therapy: Expanded
perspectives. Watsonville, CA: Western Institute for
Group and Family Therapy.
Maltz, M. (1960). Psycho-cybernetics: A new way to get
more living out oflife. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-
Hall.
Samuels, M., & Samuels, N. (1975). Seeing with the
mind's eye: The history, techniques, and uses of
visualization. New York: Random House.
Shorr, J. E. (1983). Psychotherapy through imagery (2nd
ed.). New York: Thieme-Stratton.
Singer, 1. 1. (1974). Imagery and daydream methods in
psychotherapy and behavior modification. New York:
Academic Press.
Singer, 1. 1., & Switzer,E. (1980). Mind-play, the creative
uses offamasy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
TEXT'REFERENCES
Assagioli, R. (1965). Psychosynthesis: A manual of
principles and techniques. New York: Viking Press.
Harner, M. 1. (1980). The way ofthe shaman: A guide to
power and healing. San Francisco: Harper & Row.

"Celebrating Wholeness"
14-16 August 1996
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

"Designated Conference of the ITAA"

Site of the 1996 ITAA Board and Committee Meetings,
BOC Exams, and the Training Endorsement Workshop

For information, contact ATAG, Bob McLeay,

Calgary Conference Chairman, Suite 260, 800-6th Avenue SW,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3G3;
phone: 403-263-1977; fax: 403-263-1985.

Vol. 25, No.4, October 1995 355