The first question on the first day is, 'What brings you to see me?' This gives you an opportunity to describe your current and/or past life situation, which then naturally brings us to making a list of the problems you want to solve during your Quick Change week and, in some cases, a list of specific memories from childhood.

The next step is to clearly identify how positive you will be once the problems and/or memories are sorted and to identify what blocks might pop up to try and keep you from getting there. A little questionnaire called The Well Formed Outcome is used to do that.

Once the Well Formed Outcome is complete you are ready to start disconnecting beliefs and problems that have not served you well. This is done through using a few different PICT visualisation tools. When some people hear the word 'visualisation' they worry that perhaps they can't do it very well and so the therapy might not work for them. It is important to keep in mind that visualisation is done differently by everyone. Some people see clear and precise pictures in their minds eye while others have a vague idea of what it would look like if they could actually see something. It does not matter how you visualise - clear, fuzzy or with vague impressions - the tools work equally well with everyone.

You will be asked to follow a specific, although flexible, structure to create the desired result in five days. This means that your time will be mainly focused on utilising the visualisation tools that create change rather than long discussions about past events. You will be expected to follow the steps in the visualisation structures and be ready and willing to offer information, support and love to your 'younger self'.

Failure, mistakes, wobbles, blocks, despair, anger, fear, etc. are very important moments of feedback in therapy. It is at those times that you know you are close to important issues and all such times are opportunities. Therefore, it is important for you to be honest - it will not be useful to say things because you think it would please the therapist or because you feel that you 'should'. Honest feedback is needed to give you the best service and you need to give honest feedback to receive the service you are paying for.

If you wish, it is permissible to have a friend or partner sit through the therapy week with you. There will be time at the end of each session for any questions the friend or partner may have but they must agree to remain silent during the rest of the session.

You will feel emotionally uplifted at the end of each session, but you will feel physically tired and it is recommended that you not schedule any strenuous activity in the afternoon or evening. Most people find a nap in the afternoon quite handy.

Parks Inner Child Therapy is a flexible structure and to start with it usually follows these steps:

1. At first you will be given the opportunity to explain the circumstances which have brought you to therapy.
2. Then you will be invited to describe exactly what you wish to achieve in therapy. Within PICT this is called setting the Well Formed Outcome. It establishes your desired outcome in a way which will help you measure progress during therapy and to know when you have achieved a satisfactory goal. The Well Formed Outcome also helps identify information which could hinder your progress.
3. Next you will be asked for a list of problems that you wish to be rid of, and in some cases a memory list of the worst and most significant memories from childhood.
4. After this the therapist will explain how we create our personal reality through our beliefs and the way we apply them. You will be given handouts to assist you understand this and how it has resulted in the restrictions you experience in life.

Once these steps are complete therapy commences and this consists of visualisation techniques and occasional written work, which will usually done as homework.