What might an OH Card conversation look like?

Begin with something that happened

Suppose you say, “I want to change jobs, but each time I prepare to apply, I stop.” I may first ask about the most recent moment you wanted to leave. You might discover that the hardest part was not the work itself, but feeling afraid of being dismissed whenever you expressed a different view.

We now have a question to explore: what am I hoping will change, and what am I afraid might happen? That gets closer to your experience than asking for an immediate yes or no on resigning.

You give the image its meaning

If you choose to use an image, imagine it shows a door. You say, “I keep looking at the handle. I know I could leave, but I’m afraid to touch it.” I would not announce that the door means you secretly want to escape. I might ask what that feeling of being unable to touch the handle reminds you of in real life. You may speak about income or your family’s expectations. Those are your associations, not facts the card can establish.

If the image is not helping, we put the card aside and return to what you were saying.

Return to practical life

Before the conversation ends, we can review what has become clearer and what still needs checking. Your next step might be to work out what financial cushion a job change would require, or talk to someone you trust about other roles. You do not have to make a major decision in one session.

Services differ in length and depth. I do not judge the value of a conversation by which card was drawn. What matters more is whether you can express your feelings more clearly and see your real options.

If you repeatedly stop before making a decision, you can contact me with the most recent moment you hesitated. We begin with what happened, then see whether conversation, OH Cards or imagery dialogue would help you explore further.

Further reading: OH Cards Institute: guide and principles of respect.