The remaining posts in this Sub-Chapter describe what I think are important elements to consider in building solutions to the (seemingly) intractable problems that we face when we support families within the Focus Group.
This post describes what root foundations are, and how I came up with the term. The next post will describe the root foundations themselves, with a post on time following. The post after that will posit their relevance in emotional and cognitive learning. I will then identify some challenges that are unique to the theories that I propose, and I’ll finish with a few final words.
To begin, in my considerations on a theory of change I wondered if there were any equivalents of the universal phenomena of the physical world already described in the world of the psyche. To put it another way, what are the feeling or emotional phenomena that are experienced by everyone in the world, every place, and have been since time immemorial, and will be into the future.
That is, we can both observe and sense them (just like gravity, light etc.), we know that they are there, but we take them for granted, so they have the characteristics of our much-quoted high impact-low noticeability.
Now I’d better, in the best traditions of science, offer a definition.
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Root foundations are phenomena that are universal in our emotional and feeling world. They are primary intrinsic processes that happen naturally unless they are inhibited (or blocked) by external forces or influences. Awareness of their importance is helpful for both understanding and describing how we grow and develop, and building theories of change in respect of emotional healing.
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In our case, the theories of change are used to build solutions to problems that humans have always found very difficult and usually cause us a lot of distress.
For example, I will use the root foundations as described in the next post in formulation of universal theories in protecting children (and other vulnerable members) in families that are part of the Focus Group.
Some I have only briefly mentioned (in the next post, that is) because I consider them to be of such importance that I have given them posts on their own in different parts of the website. (They are the root foundations 1 to 6 inclusive). I have given 7 some attention because it is not given a post of its own, and I have described 8 only briefly because I believe that it is self-evident.
More importantly, you will actually get to know and recognise them as they will be referred to in various ways and in different settings and contexts throughout the website.
This Sub-Chapter is important in respect of the design of solutions that aim to make a positive difference to people in deep distress.
I believe that if our design takes seriously, and utilises the root foundations we can develop practices that will be a lot different to what are dominant in this important work nowadays.
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You might be interested in how I came up with the term root foundation.
I began with the term building block. But a building block is a static entity from which a static thing is constructed – and it’s very left brain.
A root foundation implies a dynamic entity that is alive, something very real and identifiable through which something substantial can grow.
And then, Googling, I discovered that I shared the name with a very interesting Children’s Charity in Rwanda. What an appropriate name for a Children’s Charity, methought! And the location of the charity reminded me that even though I am pretty sure that Rwanda and Ireland have many cultural differences, root foundations are culturally independent.
And, in keeping with my commitment to two-way knowledge flow, this is not the last word on the root foundations. I invite you to come up with more.
Finally, like the old song says, You Never Miss Your Mother Till She’s Gone we don’t really notice that we have any (or all) of the root foundations, (or had them) until they are not there anymore.
That is, if one or more of them are not available to us there will probably be negative consequences for us. They have, as I already said, high impact-low noticeability.