I spoke with two friends today over Zoom, one of whom is training to be a psychiatrist. As our chat waxed and waned, we ended up on the topic of core memories, a term borrowed from the Pixar (?) classic, Inside Out.
Core Memories are memories that don’t just stick; they shape. Good, bad, ugly, we all have them, but we don’t always share them.
My psychiatrist friend said that one thing she does during her sessions is ask people what the top 3-5 most defining events of their life are, and she finds this to be a very effective way of cutting through the clutter.
That surprised me, because at first glance I imagine people would be slippery and evasive when asked directly. But perhaps not, sometimes the direct approach really is the best one, especially when you’re in a confidential environment.
I’ll think more about it, and let you know what conclusions I come to.