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English translation: Alison found ways to make John feel safe interacting/engaging

16:22 Feb 8, 2024
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / part of a psychotherapy
English term or phrase: John consistently found himself becoming safely engaged with Alison
Dear colleagues,

I find it difficult to rephrase the sentence: “He consistently found himself becoming safely engaged with Alison” taken from the passage below, which describes a step in a psychotherapy for a child (John) who has been having behavioral and relational problems. Alison is the therapist's name.
I can't make sense of the part " consistently found himself becoming”: maybe it means: "John felt he was developing a sense of safety in the interaction”? I’m not sure, though, this is the correct meaning...
Thank you so much for your help and patience!

***************************

The moment that John disengaged from the conversation, she became aware of his nonresponse and the lack of a joint rhythm, accepted that, and followed him. She invited him to reengage if he chose around another theme, or she turned her attention to his parents, or she simply reflected out loud to herself. Since her attitude always attempted to convey acceptance, his disengagement was not experienced as resistance. *** John consistently found himself becoming safely engaged with Alison, again and again. ***
haribert
Local time: 09:40
Selected answer:Alison found ways to make John feel safe interacting/engaging
Explanation:
so any time John disengaged, Alison found a way for him not to feel he was disengaging. Hence, no "resistence" as such.

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Note added at 1 hr (2024-02-08 17:58:16 GMT)
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1. The moment that John disengaged from the conversation, she became aware of his nonresponse and the lack of a joint rhythm, accepted that, and followed him.= she didn't make a fuss and just let him leave that particular conversation/dialogue
2. She invited him to reengage if he chose around another theme, (so she let him choose another topic) or she turned her attention to his parents, or she simply reflected out loud to herself. So Alison was very accepting. didn;t make an issue of it

3.Since her attitude always attempted to convey acceptance, his disengagement was not experienced as resistance.=
She was always accepting and supportive, just allowing him to engage, or not, at his own speed and own choice of topic
John consistently found himself becoming safely engaged with Alison, again and again=
Here "consistently" means "again and again" or even "seamlessly" like there has been no interruption at all
So even when he disengages, he is seamlessly brought back into the dialogue as he feels safe


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2024-02-09 14:23:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"consistent" basically means regular/continuous/seamless repetition whereas the "again and again" shows the repetitive nature of the way Alison acts in a supportive way each time. The 2 terms aren't exact synonyms. https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/consistent

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Note added at 7 days (2024-02-16 12:20:36 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:40
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your valuable help!
Many thanks also to all other colleagues for their contribution!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +3Alison found ways to make John feel safe interacting/engaging
Yvonne Gallagher
Summary of reference entries provided
see
liz askew

  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
john consistently found himself becoming safely engaged with alison
Alison found ways to make John feel safe interacting/engaging


Explanation:
so any time John disengaged, Alison found a way for him not to feel he was disengaging. Hence, no "resistence" as such.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2024-02-08 17:58:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

1. The moment that John disengaged from the conversation, she became aware of his nonresponse and the lack of a joint rhythm, accepted that, and followed him.= she didn't make a fuss and just let him leave that particular conversation/dialogue
2. She invited him to reengage if he chose around another theme, (so she let him choose another topic) or she turned her attention to his parents, or she simply reflected out loud to herself. So Alison was very accepting. didn;t make an issue of it

3.Since her attitude always attempted to convey acceptance, his disengagement was not experienced as resistance.=
She was always accepting and supportive, just allowing him to engage, or not, at his own speed and own choice of topic
John consistently found himself becoming safely engaged with Alison, again and again=
Here "consistently" means "again and again" or even "seamlessly" like there has been no interruption at all
So even when he disengages, he is seamlessly brought back into the dialogue as he feels safe


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2024-02-09 14:23:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"consistent" basically means regular/continuous/seamless repetition whereas the "again and again" shows the repetitive nature of the way Alison acts in a supportive way each time. The 2 terms aren't exact synonyms. https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/consistent

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 days (2024-02-16 12:20:36 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 659
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your valuable help!
Many thanks also to all other colleagues for their contribution!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your precious contribution!

Asker: So, maybe "again and again" at the end of the sentence is added as a sort of emphasis...

Asker: Thank you so much, Yvonne, for clarifying the difference!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans: and John became engaged and felt safe
1 hr
  -> Many thanks:-)
agree  ezpz
22 hrs
  -> Many thanks:-)
agree  Richard VH
2 days 7 hrs
  -> Many thanks:-)
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Reference comments


16 mins
Reference: see

Reference information:
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/engage-with-somebody-...

liz askew
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thank you, Liz, for your link! Actually I find it difficult to put the different parts of the sentence together...

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