Core Belief Engineering Questions & Answers By Lisa Sidorowicz, B.A., M.A., B.Ed., Certified Practitioner and Instructor What is Core Belief Engineering? Core Belief Engineering (CBE) is a results-oriented psychotherapy that allows you to identify and change limiting subconscious core beliefs that have been keeping problems, symptoms and patterns in place. Through a gentle questioning process, a CBE practitioner assists you to change subconscious belief systems that you no longer agree with, so that your subconscious and conscious mind can work in harmony to create the life you choose for yourself today. Core Belief Engineering views the subconscious mind as a multitude of parts, each with its own talents, abilities, and core beliefs. All parts are trying to help and protect us, to the best of their abilities, yet internal conflicts often result in the subconscious as different parts often have contradictory beliefs. For instance, part of you believes that self-criticism is an effective form of self-motivation, yet another part believes that it sabotages self-esteem. Core Belief Engineering's objective is to empower individuals to change their outdated beliefs, resolve inner conflicts, and become who they truly are. One of the main premises of Core Belief Engineering is that beliefs create reality and our reality confirms our beliefs. As Elly Roselle, creator and founder of CBE, quotes: "A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind." Our beliefs filter our perception, affecting how we see ourselves, others, and life itself. If you believe that life is a struggle and full of people who are out to get you, then this is how you will perceive everything that happens to you. If you don't believe in yourself or your value as a human being, then the opinions and reactions of others will dictate your every move and decision. However, if you deeply believe in yourself already, then the opinions and reactions of others will be taken into consideration, but not stop you from doing what you desire. Your reality is a composite of your beliefs; if you change your limiting beliefs, you can change your reality. Core Belief Engineering was created in 1982 by Elly Roselle, presently residing in White Rock, British Columbia. Elly's impetus for conceiving Core Belief Engineering was simply her desire to live. At a point in her life when she was losing her 20 year battle against anorexia and bulimia (she had tried every therapy available), Elly uncovered a process with which she cured herself by changing negative beliefs deeply seated within her subconscious mind. She later went on to copyright the Core Belief Engineering process, and has been conducting research and teaching since 1984. What is a Belief? A belief is a premise, accepted with or without proof, which allows us to predict and build our future. Our beliefs (premises) become the foundations on which automatic, repetitive behaviour patterns are formed. Most of our automatic patterns support our successes, who we are, and how we want to be perceived. However, many automatic patterns are extremely restricting, especially those formed at an early age when we were trying to survive in a world that we could only understand from a child's perspective. Some automatic patterns can include uncontrollable angry or violent reactions, irrational fears, never having enough money, going from one disappointing relationship to another, starting things but never finishing, compulsions, etc. When Sally was growing up, she lived under the constant threat of financial insecurity and instability. She sensed that the "bottom was going to drop out" at any moment, and internalized her parents' beliefs about money and their fears of never having enough. As an adult, Sally had a secure job, brought home a comfortable salary, and was debt-free. However, she constantly felt worried and anxious about money. She never spent money on herself without tremendous guilt, only bought the barest essentials, and saved for the inevitable rainy days. Consciously, Sally had grown, but her belief structure hadn't. What Can Be Done About Internal Conflicts? Many of us are familiar with internal struggles and conflicts. You really want to go to a movie and relax, but part of you tugs at you to stay home and "do something productive." You yearn for a loving, satisfying, committed relationship, yet part of you sees commitment as a prison and is intent on attracting only unavailable partners. You have certain achievable financial goals; however, part of you can't resist spending your paycheques, and you find yourself continually broke. Taken to extremes such conflicts result in feelings of guilt, fear, hesitation, anger, compulsions, withdrawal, depression and physical problems. You may consciously want to change, but your limiting subconscious beliefs are stubbornly and faithfully holding these conflicting patterns in place. This is the realm of Core Belief Engineering. Outdated beliefs and internal conflicts can be changed. By re-engineering subconscious belief systems, CBE realigns the partnership between the subconscious and conscious mind. The result is inner security and harmony. What Happens During a CBE Process? First, we form a contract about what you want to accomplish as a result of the process -- you are in charge of your own changes, and we work as partners to achieve your goals. After the contract, we consciously explore what is holding the issue or symptom in place. Then, we communicate with the subconscious part of your mind that can help solve the problem. Each step requires the participation, consent, and cooperation of both your conscious and subconscious mind. You are fully conscious during the entire process. Who Can Benefit From CBE? Do you suffer from anxiety, depression, worry, phobias, compulsions, anger, fears, pain, or low self-confidence? Do you have consistent problems with creating successful, lasting relationships? Do you feel that every time you take one step forward, you take two steps back? Do you continue to reproduce behaviours that you know are self-destructive? Do you experience alternating feelings of guilt, shame or anxiety, and no matter how many positive affirmations you repeat, the feelings continue to plague you? Do you feel happy in certain areas of you life, but stuck in certain other areas? Are you just plain tired of having the same old reactions over and over again? Do you find it difficult to make decisions and to trust yourself? Do you feel at the mercy of your emotions, or the opposite: do you live solely in your head and find it difficult to feel, let alone express emotions? Do you feel that you could be doing so much more, but don't know how to get ahead? If you want to make change in any area of your life, you can greatly benefit from CBE. How is CBE Different From Other Therapies? CBE does not require clients to re-experience trauma or re-live years of pain and anguish. CBE goes past analysis. Conscious awareness of an issue is important, but it doesn't solve the problem. Changing the subconscious belief structures holding the issue or pattern in place eliminates the problem. CBE is cost-effective because it reduces the time needed to make changes. While traditional therapies usually interact with a client for one-hour sessions on an ongoing weekly basis, CBE processes average three to seven hours in length. We get to the root of the limiting belief system and re-engineer it. Intervals between sessions average from two to ten weeks apart, as needed by the client. Most emotional and mental problems are resolved within a few sessions, while some conditions may take longer. After each session, clients enjoy permanent changes that accumulate. CBE views destructive behaviours and problems as symptoms of limiting belief systems. CBE doesn't teach coping: it works to solve the issue. CBE works with the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of every problem to achieve total change. CBE brings individuals in direct connection with their core self such that strengths and abilities that may have been considered lost are reclaimed and reactivated. In addition to solving the problem, CBE empowers people to get to know their true self and become partners with their subconscious. The processes result in expanded consciousness, more confidence, easier management of emotions, intellect and intuition, and more self-trust, respect, and love. What Other Processes are Offered by CBE? Mother-Father Process: This process identifies and clears belief systems absorbed from parents that may be affecting your life-style and behaviour patterns and obstructing your growth, potential, and self-esteem. It resolves issues surrounding family of origin and reestablishes internal supportiveness. Clearing the Noise: This process clears distracting internal noise, such as sounds, repetitive phrases, mental chatter, songs stuck in your head, negative self talk, etc. Eyes and Ears Process: This process opens perception by identifying and clearing subjective filters on the eyes and ears. Male/Female Energy Balancing: This process identifies and clears limiting belief patterns and behavioral styles that are determined by male and female social programming and personal decision (i.e. beliefs about gender roles, concepts of masculinity and femininity, physical appearance, sexuality, sexual stereotypes, relationships, etc.). It helps you to solve blocks in forming and maintaining profitable relationships, assists you to interact easily with anyone, male or female, and enhances your relationship with yourself. Second Language Integration: When people become fluent in a second language, the emotions of the first language often get separated from the emotions of the second language. This Core Belief Engineering process integrates both emotions and enables people to feel and express feelings more deeply in their second language. Word Chains: This process identifies and changes any automatic, negative reaction you may have to any given word or phrase. It returns the word or phrase back into a useful tool of communication rather than a trigger for an uncontrollable reaction. Aligning the Chakric Body: This process unblocks and upgrades the functioning of the chakric body by identifying and changing outdated beliefs to achieve better health, greater manifestation of desire, clearer thinking, increased confidence, and a strengthened conscious connection with your inner self. How Can I Learn More? If you would like to know more or have any questions, feel free to call me or e-mail me (lisa@thecore.ca). If you would like to read more about Core Belief Engineering, the book Changing the Mind, Healing the Body by Elly Roselle is available for $22 CAD, taxes included. If you wish to have the book mailed to you, please send me your mailing address and a cheque for $25.00 CAD. I also conduct seminars on Core Belief Engineering several times a year in the Toronto area.