Helping multiples and their loved ones to remember the music
| Creating a System Map or Family Lifebook |
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When getting to know everyone inside, one great exercise it to make a family map and/or lifebook. They can help everyone share important things about themselves with each other. As you heal they can also becaome important resources for your helpers and a safe organized way to contain things that com up and are important, like writings, art, etc. Maps An internal map can be two things. One is a list of everyone inside, things you know about them and how they fit into the system. The other is an actual drawing or diagram of what inside looks like, where everyone lives, what things there are, etc. While there are many ways to do this, our system chose to do it on the computer. (actually, hubby started it that way to keep track of all of us himself, and we expanded on it.) We made diagrams of all the places inside and saved them in a folder on the computer with the other part of our map, the list. We also have copies of both in our lifebook. The list we made using excel, the basic Microsoft spreadsheet program. Excel (and similar programs) lets you make a big table with all the types of info you want. The advantage of this is that no matter who fills things in, its legible, and for people outside it organizes the information in an understandable way. The list has the name of everyone we know about inside. Then it has columns for all sorts of information like, age, job, location inside, known triggers, favorite things, what side they are on, and a place for pictures and comments. Some inside who seem to know most things filled it in to begin with and then everyone else added stuff too. Our map is always changing and growing and its fun to see our progress reflected in it. The same thing can also be done on paper or in a simpler, written out list. If you like the idea of using excel but need help setting it up, email us at Silent Symphony and we will send you a basic template and some tips on how to use it. Lifebooks A lifebook is like a map but bigger. It is a place for everyone to have a space to express themselves and to keep everything in one place. Again there are many ways to do this but we use paper and a binder with dividers and some things put on our computer as well. Each person has a few pages with their information. They can add whatever they want and decorate it however they want. As our system is quite large these pages are divided by age group to make them easier to look through. Then there are sections for other things, like poetry, art, writings, all sorts of things that we either make or have given to us that we like to look at often or find important. Our lifebook also has rules. Anything triggery is put in a marked envelope within its section so no one gets triggered by accident. And we are very picky about those we let read it. Only our helpers, and only once they have earned our trust. Our lifebook is a special place for everyone to be creative and express themselves. No topic is banned and nothing gets taken out. Everyone can say whatever they want in it, without being afraid someone will get mad. |
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