Atrapos.eu » Heuristics

Metaphor for the PhD (‘on the boat’…august 2008)

atrapos — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:41:31 +0000

I am now about to begin my final PhD year and there is so much to do, it does feel really chaotic as i need to deal with so many readings, so much writing to do, analyse the data, see how i will come to the ’synthesis’ of the whole piece, decisions to be made about how to tell the tale…I have noticed that i am more confident now in terms of how i manage ( at least emotionaly ) the challenges thrown at me by the whole research/PhD life, but it it still a path that i need to walk and complete, giving my best shot, finding inspiration for the authorship of it and bringing it to a good standard quality

I was writing few pages in my research diary and a metaphor came up for me to capture ‘ where i am at’ at present with the PhD. I wrote: (more…)

Heuristic process, need for private space

atrapos — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:12:26 +0000

During the last couple of weeks, i have had some strong processes in terms of the research journey, i have been having vivid dreams and images that relate to the thesis and how i will write it, how it will lool like. I have noticed that this feels quite personal and i have avoided describing any of this in the blog, although it is ‘data’ that will go into the Thesis, i guess there are decisions to be made in terms of the extend of self-exposure i wish to make and at what stage of time. I had dreams about the methodology chapter and an image that describes it in an allegoric form. i have also written a poem that includes symbols, concepts and meanings of this process. In heuristic terms, it looks like i am moving between the illumination-explication-creative synthesis stages, as described by Moustakas(1990). To quote what seems to represent what is happening for me now, as a researcher:

“The process of illumination is one that occurs naturally when the researcher is open and receptive to tacit knowledge and intuition”(p. 29) – i do feel that i am quite intuitive at present, so some creativity is kicking in

in the creative synthesis phase, the components of what is to be expressed “may be expressed as a poem, story, drawing, painting, or by some other creative form”(p.32) – i do feel i am in creative mode as i am examining the images in my dream, the poem i have written, my attempts to draw and express what is immanent

i will come back to the blog when it feel right…the Thesis is trying to get into some shape…it is like when a baby gets conceived and the organs/tissues develop and form week by week…

working on data analysis with interview transcripts

atrapos — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:26:08 +0000

During the last few days, i have been working closely with an interview transcript to see how i approch the data analysis. there are many challenges that appear and decisions that are to be made, i will discuss all my concers with supervisor and the PhD group this coming week. I have just sent my analysis notes to my supervisor by email and wrote the following to him, amongst else: (more…)

State of ‘enmeshment’…and growing out of it (heuristic process notes)

atrapos — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:07:11 +0000

After spending months of conducting research interviews, reading,’presenting at audiences, discussing about my topic etc, there is a ‘next’ stage now awaiting in the PhD process that has to do with ongoing data analysis, reading, organising writing etc…and what i experience is a deep feeling of ‘enmeshment’, both emotionally and practically speaking. On the one hand i see that this is a ‘normal’ ( i.e. expected) place to be at this stage due to the size of the whole Thesis thing but i also know there is so much more that is going on for me, which has to do with the ‘nature’ of the topic itself and the dynamics it brings up as well as my personal involvement with the ‘meanings’ and dimensions inherent in it. I can observe that in comparison to months ago, i have developed some ‘resilience’ in terms of being able to ’stay’ and bear those feelings that the PhD topic is raising. But, no matter how difficult or challenging those feelings are, i still need to produce text in the end of the day and give birth to a Thesis that is coherent, rigorous and contributes to the pool of knowledge and sound practice in some ways, a Thesis that engages the reader and can stand rigorously and scholarly enough as a PhD piece. (more…)

Self-disclosure during interviewing

atrapos — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:25:25 +0000

Something i have been wrestling with in relation to what happens when am interviewing my research participants has been the fact that often the interviewee cannot access easily the tacit or probably unconscious insights in relation to the experience that is exlored and we are often both left frustrated by ‘not having the words’ for something that is otherwise intuitivelly felt. when discussing with Colin the other day, he confirmed that this is very common, to his experience also, when researching cultural identity etc, it is something so deeply rooted within, with so many layers that is is not easily accessed.

During some interviews, i realised that if i disclose some of my own personal experiences and insights around what am asking, then the interviewee may identify some of that within and unfold their own story. (more…)

Panel and conference presentations: the two wheels of the same vehicle (bike?)

atrapos — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:00:07 +0000

During the past week or so i have been revisiting the literature to discover quotes etc for the two powerpoint presentations I am preparing for this coming week: one for the review panel and one for the research conference. The two presentations are on the same topic, my research, buthave different audience, different purpose and different style. I notice that i find it far more difficult to prepare the slides for the review panel: this is cause the style is to be less personal, more based on the ‘to do’ and the facts of the research and it is to be presented to non-counsellors who will maybe ‘critisize’ (i hope in a constructive atmosphere) my work and kind of decide on whethere i can proceed. On the other hand, the presentation for the conference has the more ‘personal’ flavour of the research, i feel the freedom to tell my story to the audience of peers and feel that I am allowed to ‘move’ and ‘touch’them if i wish to, without feeling threatened, i can be more myself (more…)

Grounding (earth, culture, ecopsychology, Jung etc)

atrapos — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 19:28:58 +0000

After having spent much time with reading, writing, agonising over research dilemmas (in conjunction with many dilemmas and conflicts in my personal life, deeply related to the process of finding peace with my ‘roots’ and working towards integrating my host and original cultures within) i felt the urgent desire to connect with nature and be nurtutred by it. I went for a walk with JP at a park and after walking around in the greek, feeding ducks etc, we lay down on the soil. I so much needed to feel the sun on my skin and be connected to the Earth…is there something around the need for grounding? (i somehow see this as very necessary for anybody in a heuristic research journey, as it appears quite demanding for the person).

This makes me think about what we call Ecopsychology and i guess that since location and space,place, ground are concepts deeply connected with the topic of culture, this area doesnt seem at all irrelevant. (more…)

Methodology: positivism v. postmodern thinking

atrapos — Tue, 22 May 2007 13:43:31 +0000

As the review panel approaches, i know that one of the maain points i will be asked to defend will be the cloice of methodological chance in relation to the research. I have read so many things around methodology during the past couple of years in particular. Earlier today i was reading a chapter by Colin Feltham titled “The Therapist as Researcher and Inquirer” cited in the Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy (2000, London : Sage) by Feltham and Horton and fond some useful quotes worthe recording for later use: (more…)

Tonight’s dream

atrapos — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:07:31 +0000

Yesterday i had quite an ‘intensive’ supervision session with W. and i have to do a lot of work now to clarify things about my research proposal etc…I am deeply grateful to W. for being such a good companion to all this journey, we have a very good working alliance and i receive a lot of support from him. My difficulty lies on the fact that my concentration is very low due to my personal grievings and frustrations in my personal life (which also affect my sleep patterns etc, i need to rest more so that i can produce ideas and be able to write etc). Anyway, during early hours this morning, i had a dream that seems to be telling me sth about my research proposal but i cant quite remember the details (more…)

Adaptations of Heuristic Research (by Hiles, 2001)

atrapos — Tue, 01 May 2007 16:25:38 +0000

I came accross this article by Dave Hiles, titled Heuristic Inquiry and Transpersonal Research (to view full document, click here). He comments on the book of Braud & Anderson (about transpersonal research methods) that I have read before and proposes certain adaptations he has made to the model and applied to his own research. He has a description that simplifies many concepts and presents useful tables (especially the one around the tensions in the study of grounded – subtle human experiences). (more…)

The Heuristic Journey, by Ann Scott

atrapos — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 13:57:09 +0000

A fellow traveller in the PhD group has sent me a demonstrative account of how she views the heuristic journey towards the desired ‘creative synthesis’ as described by Moustakas (1994). This story shows vividly the impact that the heuristic journey may have on the researcher…as for me, I often feel that I am sinking into deep waters, due to my personal involvement with the research topic…but I do hope that, given I grew up in a country all surrounded by sea, am a good swimmer and won’t end up saying “never again”. Here it is (with thanks and acknowledgements to Ann) (more…)