Looking back and ahead at Stabilize
At the Threshold, we met Friends at the far end of the swing. The first few minutes after meeting at the Threshold provide a critical opportunity to establish a climate of trust and support. We establish a place and relationship where Friends can feel safe and express fear and distress. At the Threshold, our primary message to Friends was "I care; I am interested in you."
The relationship changes slightly during Stabilize. All the skills described at the Threshold continue but the goal shifts to expand beyond compassion to understanding. Friends begin to move from being reactive to becoming more reflective. The heart and mind begin to come together to accept what cannot be changed.
To stabilize is to restore balance in a Friends’ feeling and thinking, a key requirement for effective decision-making. When Friends find success at the Stabilize phase, they are ready to begin the heavy lifting of problem solving at Mobilize.