Here, I present three of the models for dealing with our energies developed within the framework of the Prof. Stark ® method, which are presented in detail in the therapy and the preventive seminars of the Prof. Stark Institute
- the energy barrel model (ENFA®)
- the model of the saber-toothed tiger reflex,
- and the model for the role of personality.
The energy barrel model (ENFA), according to Prof. Stark®
Resource optimization for the psyche
The so-called energy barrel model, the basis of burn-out prevention training, clearly shows how we deal with our energy reservoir, how to fill it, and where it runs empty.
We all know a lot about keeping the body fit – healthy eating, getting enough sleep, and exercise. Thousands of fitness studios offer various courses, including training to strengthen the back muscles if you have a back problem, training to build muscles in general, feeling healthy and fit, etc. But in the psycho-mental area, it is less known which factors are essential to teaching the psyche and our mental system to „fit“ and to keep oneself psychologically „fit.“
But what does it matter when you are in a psychological crisis or are exposed to very stressful situations – which training program should you use as a guide?
Anyone can get sick – the healthy person is aware of this and, in the event of an illness, takes the measures that are necessary to deal with an illness. That is, he does not deny that we can and will get sick as human beings, but he adjusts to the realities of life. It is the same in the psychological area. Everyone suffers from stress, from the small and large „hazards“ of life – and sometimes it becomes too much, the forces collapse, and the energies are no longer sufficient. The problem now is not to deny it, like ignoring a severe illness – it just keeps getting worse. Conscious handling of how the psyche is constructed and what it needs in crisis and stressful situations can help reduce problems again and regain joy and satisfaction in life. Or – if still many are left – to protect and expand them. Just as I can help the body stay healthy, I can also help the psyche. But in both cases, there are also illnesses or break-ins that I cannot prevent. But I can learn to deal with it and find ways to cope.
The four fundamental areas of mental health
Let us now come to what constitutes psychological stability. Which factors play a role in achieving life satisfaction and feeling mentally „fit“? We postulate that four areas of life play a central role in the mental state in which we find ourselves. You could also say that these are the foundation pillars of gratification. The components are:
- Work and performance
- Family and partnership
- Friends and Hobbies
- Health and Inner Well-being
All of these areas should be „positive“ to a certain extent; it is not enough if only one or two areas are going well for me; the others I cannot simply neglect. For example, my entire self-esteem is based solely on getting along well at work and succeeding. Still, my health is under attack, my family is separated, and I hardly have time to meet my friends or have withdrawn from all social Contacts outside of work. Then I have a problem.
This even worsens when the last area collapses—I become unemployed, and everything is over. The person’s self-esteem collapses unless he stabilizes the other areas of his life again and gains support. So, in order to assess a situation, it is important to look closely at these four areas and determine how much energy, positive affirmations, and stress there are in each area.
The pictorial model is the so-called energy barrel.
The energy barrel
This barrel holds the energy ready for us that we have available in the current situation, for example.
The energy balance model
In each of the four essential areas we have addressed, there are inflows and outflows of energy. The overall energy balance available for the person in a particular situation depends on how inflows and outflows are balanced or the relationship between inflows and outflows.
In our seminars, we will examine how much strength we invest in each area and how much joy and strength we can draw from them. The balance is correct if this is balanced and the energy tank is still quite full. Overall, the burdens of life (energy outflows) and satisfaction (energy inflows) must remain in balance. Our soul needs a balance of stress and satisfaction.
The „petrol tank“ visualization
As a pictorial model, imagine a gasoline tank in the car. Drivers always make sure that their tank is sufficiently full. Before a more extended tour, we check the tank: Is it enough, or should we refuel? The car has the advantage that if we forget to refuel, the red lamp on the dashboard lights up to show that the gasoline is short. What does the smart driver do? Get off the gas and go to the next gas station.
With our soul energy barrel, we seldom pay attention to these relationships. Do we ever consciously „refuel“ when faced with more significant stress or have survived it? Our Soul Energy Barrel also has this red warning lamp. Those are the various physical symptoms that indicate stress and permanent overload, such as persistent sleep disorders, irritability, brooding that cannot be switched off, stomach / intestinal problems, recurring infections, persistent tension and pain, heart pain without findings, high blood pressure, tinnitus in the ears and much more. If symptoms then become more threatening, we go to the family doctor, who, in these cases, usually cannot find any cause and can only treat the symptoms. He usually only prescribes painkillers, sleeping pills, stomach anti-acids, etc. That would be a procedure as if the car driver, when the red lamp lights up, either ignores it entirely or then drives to the workshop and has the lamp replaced or taped up so that the red light cannot irritate anymore.
The comparison with the car gas tank should clarify that we must change our basic strategy for dealing with ourselves. If we ignore our warning lights—the signs of stress and overload—and give extra gas—pull ourselves together—then we inevitably crash at some point. Even more, the stress symptoms can worsen into specific diseases that then completely paralyze us.