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 in 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 as the basis of burn-out prevention training clearly shows how we deal with our energy reservoir, how we can fill it, where it runs empty.
We all know a lot about keeping the body fit – healthy eating, getting enough sleep, getting enough exercise. Thousands of fitness studios offer a wide variety of courses – training to strengthen the back muscles if you have a back problem; Training to build muscles in general, to feel healthy and fit, etc. But in the psycho-mental area it is less known which factors are important to train the psyche and our mental system “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 the fact 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 “hazzards” of life – and sometimes it becomes too much, the forces collapse, the energies are no longer sufficient. The problem now is to deny it, like ignoring a serious 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 a lot to reduce the problems again and to regain joy and satisfaction in life. Or – if there are still a lot of them left – to protect and expand them. Just as I can support the body so that it stays healthy, I can also support 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 with it.
The 4 basic areas of mental health
Let us now come to what constitutes psychological stability. Which factors play a role in achieving life satisfaction, in order to feel mentally “fit”. We assume that there are 4 areas of life that play a central role for the mental state in which we find ourselves. You could also say that these are the pillars on which mental health rests. The components are:
- Work and performance
- Family and partnership
- Friends and Hobbies
- Health and inner Wellbeing
All of these areas have to be “right” 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 having successes, but 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, everything is really over. The person then collapses, unless he succeeds in stabilizing the other areas of his life again and gaining support. This would be a good way of dealing with a labor crisis. So, in order to assess a situation, it is important to look closely at these 4 areas and determine how much energies, how much positive affirmations there are in each area and how much stress there is in each area.
The pictorial model on the basis of which this energy balance is drawn up 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 4 basic areas that we have addressed, there are inflows of energies and outflows of energies. Which overall energy balance is available for the individual person in a certain situation depends on the extent to which inflows and outflows are balanced, or the relationship between inflows and outflows.
In our seminars we will look at how much strength we invest in each of the individual areas and how much joy and strength we can draw from it. If this is balanced and the energy tank is still quite full, the balance is correct. It is important that overall the burdens of life (energy outflows) and satisfaction (energy inflows) remain in balance. Our soul needs the balance of stress and satisfaction.
The “petrol tank” model
As a comparison, imagine a gasoline tank in the car. Drivers always make sure that their tank is sufficiently full. Before a longer tour we check the tank, is it enough or should we refuel. The car has the additional advantage that if we forget to refuel, the red lamp on the dashboard lights up to show that the last 5 liters have been used. 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 we are faced with greater 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, noises in the ears and much more. If the symptoms then become very threatening, we go to the family doctor, who in these cases usually cannot find any cause and can only treat the symptoms. That would be a procedure as if the car driver, when the red lamp lights up, either ignores it completely or then drives to the workshop and has the lamp replaced or taped up so that he no longer has to see the red light.
The comparison with the car gas tank should make it clear that we have to change our basic strategy in 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 develop into specific diseases that then completely paralyze us.