Processwork
One day in 2017, while working in China, something pulled my gaze upward. There, in an ominous dusk sky, a perfect heart-shaped opening had appeared in the clouds—sunlight pouring through it, the only light present.
By the time I steadied my hands to take a photo, it had already begun to shift and soon disappeared entirely. None of my colleagues saw it. This image remains a beautiful reminder that remarkable, mysterious and magical processes are always happening around us —whether we notice them or not. And they are not separate from us. They are us.
Magic is always unfolding around us…
ABOUT PROCESSWORK
Process Oriented Psychology, or Processwork, developed by Dr. Arnold Mindell, is an awareness-based, humanistic depth psychology, rooted in Jungian dream psychology, quantum physics, Taoism which also integrates somatic information and group dynamics.
Processwork understands “process” as the continual flow of conscious and unconscious events and experience that is always happened, whether we notice or not. At its core is a simple yet radical idea: disturbances—conflicts, symptoms, resistance—are not random nor pathological, but meaningful expressions of something trying to emerge, our fuller nature trying to express itself.
Excerpt from Sitting in the Fire: Large Group Transformation Using Conflict and Diversity by Arnold Mindell.
Rather than pathologizing, directing or suppressing problems, Processwork turns towards them, seeking to unfold their layers.
Processworkers tracks subtle signals in individuals, relationships, and systems, trusting that the seeds of sustainable solutions are found within the disturbance itself.
Making change and addressing conflicts asks us to move toward the edges of our usual, familiar ways and to make contact with unknowns —the very thing we typically resist. And yet we know, at some level, that real transformation requires entering areas rife with the turbulence of the unknown. It is risky. It costs something. And is also the path for renewal.
This edge frontier, where growth beckons us forward and the security of familiarity pulls us back, is precisely where Processworkers operate. The Processworker’s role is to accompany, not direct: to invite all experiences, track what is happening, and artfully bring hidden dynamics into awareness so that new possibilities can emerge.
Disturbances appear chaotic and disorient us. What appears chaotic is the presence of patterns we don’t yet recognize. By unfolding the layers of problems and conflicts, we begin to percieve the deeper order within them. As awareness expands, perspectives shift, assumptions soften, and new capacities for change, healing, and creativity become available.
At its heart, Processwork’s non-pathologizing attitude sees all experience—dreams, power dynamics, symptoms, relationships, and social dynamics—as expressions of deeper processes seeking expression.
By bringing awareness to these processes, something new can emerge:
greater wholeness, resilience, and possibility.
To walk as a Processworker is to choose the befriending of edges - humbled, responsible, and continually in awe of the processes moving through us all.
This sand mandala is created by sand bubbler crabs in Bali, Indonesia.
As they extract microorganisms from the sand for food, they create tiny sand balls.
Each crab follows its own unique process in making radiating patterns with them.
Processwork Practice Areas
Body symptoms
Short term and long term physical ailments, conditions, diagnoses, illnesses.
Compulsive or addictive behaviour
When we have a powerful want that is becoming central, disrupting our relationships and impacting our ability to be healthy, focused or safe.
Dreams
Finding meaning, guidance and delight in your day dreams, night dreams, nightmares, waking intuitions.
Gender experiences
I work with all genders, and I’ve been doing masculine identity work with boys and men for most of my life.
Groups and Organizations
Resistance, interpersonal differences, rank and power issues, polarizations in decision-making, shifting team culture, vision and mission setting, infusing creative practices into group work.
Inner Criticism, Doubt, Self Sabotage
All versions of “I’m not good enough” and “I shouldn’t be…”
Leadership Coaching
New leaders, executives and anyone in between.
Life Stage Transitions
Coming of age, crossroads, loss, changes in relationships, managing success, career, health, processes of death and dying.
Personal Development
Wanting to explore and investigate aspects of ourselves, our potential, our creativity…no crisis necessary.
Relationship
Conflicts, communication differences, seeking more understanding together: romantic partners, friends, family members, colleagues.
David Hatfield is a truly powerful practitioner of many developmental methodologies, most notably the transformative practice of Process Work. His senior-level skill in this work allows him to facilitate and generate truly transformational dynamics, in individuals, teams and organizations. David couples a deep level of insight with a humbly courageous facilitation style, and is a master at generating the trust and safety required in rooms to do the difficult work.
As a colleague in the BC health care context, I experience David’s Process Work-informed leadership and organization development work as uniquely powerful. I frequently seek him out as an expert in our field, in both my health care and independent work, and have benefited greatly in my own practice from his strong willingness and ability to teach others the skills and approach from which he operates.
~ Sheelagh Davis, Leadership & Organizational Development Consultant
Fraser Health & Independent Consultant