Lucy: So you want me to find out what each part's concern is?

Secondly. First I want you to know what its function is, what it's in charge of. If that doesn't give you an understanding of what its concern is about having this new part, then ask.

Lucy: I'm not sure if I understand. For instance, there is a part that doesn't want me to put pressure on my husband, and a part that doesn't want to give me what I want. Now would those be two parts?

OK, now, what's the function of the part that «doesn't want to give you what you want?» I'm sure that you don't have a part that just sits around and says «What can I keep from Lucy today?» It's got to be in charge of some other task. The question is «What is its job?» It may be a part that doesn't want you to have unrealistic expectations. All I want to know is what its function is, and what its concern is. If you do have a part that doesn't want you to have «unrealistic expectations," then you already know what its concern is. Its concern is that the new part isn't going to work and that you'll be disappointed. You don't have to worry about that one, because what we build will work. You want to know the function of each part that objects, and a little bit about what concerns it about having this new part around.

This new part that you want to build is going to influence your behavior. You want to know if there are other parts of you that object to it having existence in you. We want to know about every part that objects to the idea of having this new part. And we also want to know specifically what it is about having this part that concerns the other parts. That is very, very valuable information. We need to know that so that when we build the part, we can build one that is going to be satisfying to the total person, rather than just ramming something in and letting conflicts evolve. There are usually plenty of conflicts already; we don't need to build in more.

I've said nothing yet about actually installing these parts. So far we're just designing. The fifth step is what we call «satisfying well–formedness conditions.» The well–formedness condition of our design is going to be that no other parts object. We are going to take all of their concerns into account and modify the new part accordingly. We don't want to step on anybody's toes here except the conscious mind's. It's the only one who deserves it.

The fantasy that you had last time is the basis upon which those parts made their objections. You made up a fantasy, and a certain part went «Ugghh, boy, that's going to be hard.» Another part said «I don't want that!» Some other part said «If we do that, we won't be able to do this.» All the parts that had concerns based their objections on that fantasy. So now you're going to make a new fantasy. We now have a list of well–formedness conditions to use to modify the last fantasy and take into account all of the concerns of those other parts. Before you build the new fantasy I would like you to redefine your part so that it takes into account all of those concerns. This is the importance of the amount of time I spent on definition. For example, what were the functions of some of the parts that objected?

Teri: There was a part of me that said that if I maintained the weight I wanted, I might not be a therapist. I wouldn't want to do therapy; I'd want to be outside doing other things.

That was an objection?

Teri: Well, if I stay overweight, I'm comfortable doing what I do now, because I don't feel like doing much outside. But what is that part's function? Teri: To keep me the way I am.

No, that's not its function. If there's a part that says «Look, if you lose all this weight and maintain it, you're not going to want to do therapy," then you say «Well, OK, that's a possibility. What's your function?» If it says «Well, my function is to keep you the same» that's called «jive.» In this group we know that that's not a function, that's a behavior. What we're looking for is a positive function. You don't have a part whose function it is to keep you the same. You have a part that Wants to keep you the same so that X, Y and Z won't happen, or will happen. If you don't get functions, you're not going to be able to come up with a good set of well–formedness conditions.

Teri: For example, I wouldn't have much time alone with my husband.

OK, so there's a part whose function is to make sure that you spend time with your husband. And one way of carrying out that function is to do therapy, so you can hang out with him at work.

Teri: Right.

Now, that's a concern that makes sense. However, there are lots of ways to build in spending time with your husband. So the part of you that is going to maintain your weight is going to make sure that this part is very satisfied. It will build spending lots of time with your husband into the maintenance program. This now becomes part of the fantasy that you have to build. You don't become thin and run off, because this part isn't going to go for that.

OK, now I want another example of a function.

Pat: The function of my new part is to let me know when I know something. The concern is that it will defeat my motivation to learn more.

OK, so if you had a part that let you know when you know something, then you would be less motivated to learn. So now you have to build a desire to know what's over the next horizon into the new part that you are going to build. That's got to be an integral part of having a sense of what you know. «I really know reframing; I wonder what else there is to learn?» That's got to be built into the new fantasy part.

For each objection, you're going to have to modify the fantasy until it satisfies each of those conditions.

Bill: I've got one, the function of which is to keep me honest.

That is not a function. That is a behavior. That is an example of what we do not want. What is it trying to do by keeping you honest?

Bill: Protect me from being accused of lying … or to be honored if a person tells me I'm honest.

Well, make sure which it wants. There's a real difference between being honored and—

Bill: It feels more aversive than it does—

All right, but be persnickety. Go in, set up a yes/no signal, and find out which it is. Check it out and be thorough.

Teri: I came up with the main thing behind all this. The only time that I've ever been thin, I was crazy. There is a part that's not willing to let me become thin, because I don't want to be crazy.

Well, I certainly think that you could build strict controls on your mental health into a part that was going to put you on a weight maintenance program. Think about it this way, Teri. Poundage and sanity have no relationship to one another, other than anchoring. Whatever weight you weighed when you were whatever you are calling «crazy» had nothing intrinsically to do with being crazy. That time it was a coincidence. There's no causal relationship between losing weight and your being crazy again.

It's the same as when we did the lying exercise last week. I said «OK, it's time to lie.» Everybody else said «Yay, we're going to lie!» but you said «If I lie, I'll be crazy. I lied before and I was crazy, so if I lie now and I can't tell the difference, I'll be crazy, because that's how I was crazy before. If you want to make them crazy, that's all right, but I'm going outside!» … And the rest of the people were muttering «Well, we have to stay in here and be crazy.»

When I came outside I said to you «Look, lying, and not knowing whether you were lying or not, was an anchor for being crazy for you. The rest of the people in the room haven't done that—as far as they know. When you do it this time, we're going to give you a new anchor. We're going to make some black lines around your pictures when you lie, and they are really important black lines. Now you can lie, and know you are lying, so you won't be crazy this time.»