Experiencebased Framing

Experiencebased Framing is an explanatory theory that deals with the way each person signifies past, present and future experiences. It provides an working model for professionals and significant others in every situation. The theory is considered one of the fundamental approaches for dealing with intellectual disability in the Netherlands and Belgium. But is also applies to interaction between parents and children, leadership and theological discussion. Experiencebased Framing is an important part of several methodologies for understanding and supporting people with intellectual disability.

Making sense of reality

The core concept of Experiencebased Framing is the notion that every person experiences reality in his or her own unique way, but based on a universal inner system. This system is specified in the four senses; the physical sense, the associative sense, the structuring sense and the constituting sense. Working together, these four senses provide us with the necessary information and strategies to experience, survive and possibly alter current reality. Past experiences provide information that is used to determine our current experience of reality and the way we can handle it. The four senses cooperate in a dynamic process and with such high speed that it is almost impossible to divide them with the untrained eye. But when properly trained, one can identify the function of all four in every momentary situation. And one can see whether the conditions for optimal functioning are met. If the conditions are met, we can alter the situation, based on a balance between desires and beliefs (we either want to change or not, but feel secure to do so). If this is not the case, the whole system is focused on restoring the imbalance (something ‘s got to give). This determines our behavior, both verbal and nonverbal, positive or problematic. Download English summary