FRAMES is an acronym for:
F = Formation of external and internal sensory impressions
R = Reactions in the body (neurology and endocrinology)
A = Action
M = Mental reflections
E = Emotions
S = Self as a social being
The model is psychodynamic in the sense that each factor influences the others. It is an attempt to capture the complexity of human experience in a framework that both therapist and client can use to gain insight into their patterns. It is about becoming aware of how we shape and interpret our experiences, how the body reacts, how we act, think and feel, and how we understand ourselves in relation to others.
The text begins with a personal description that sets the stage for the reader's understanding of both the author's professional experiences and the theoretical framework that the FRAMES model constitutes. There is a parallel between the early psychoanalytic ideas (Freud) and the author's own development of the personal model, which creates an interesting contrast between established theory and personal practice. The text is a reflective, non-academic non-fiction book that mixes personal experience with psychological theory. It shows how the author has, over the years, formed his own model for understanding people's inner lives, a model that is both practically useful and theoretically interesting. By combining visual aids with a personal narrative and historical references he manages to make complex psychological concepts more understandable to a wider audience.
