Core Transformation

1. Unwanted Behaviors Are Doorways to Your Deepest Self

In this book you will be invited to identify the behaviors, feelings and responses you like least in yourself, and use them to take yourself on a remarkably healing and uplifting personal journey within, to the depths of your beingness.

Inside-out change. Many self-help approaches focus on understanding problems or using willpower and positive thinking to change. Core Transformation (CT) offers a radically different approach: it works from the inside out, using your most disliked behaviors, feelings, or responses as the starting point for profound inner change. Instead of fighting your limitations, you learn to see them as guides.

Limitations as pathways. The book emphasizes that our limitations are not obstacles to be overcome, but rather the very pathways to our inner wellspring. This process allows for rapid and lasting change by addressing the root of the issue, rather than just its surface symptoms. It's like finding directions to a desired restaurant instead of just visualizing it or analyzing why your own cooking is bad.

Natural unfolding. The changes experienced through CT are a gentle unfolding from within, not a forced imposition of "shoulds." By engaging with the process, you uncover the wisdom and truth already present within you, leading to an ongoing sense of well-being and a strong, resourceful self, even amidst life's challenges.

2. Every Inner "Part" Has a Profound Positive Purpose

An important assumption we make in the Core Transformation Process is that every one of our behaviors, feelings or responses has a positive purpose.

Unconscious decisions. Many of our unwanted behaviors, feelings, and responses are not conscious choices but rather automatic, unconscious patterns. These patterns are run by "parts" of ourselves, which, though seemingly problematic, are always attempting to achieve something positive for us. For example, anger might aim to protect one's sense of self, or smoking might be a part's attempt to foster social connection.

Inner allies. Instead of fighting these unwanted habits and tendencies, CT encourages befriending these inner parts. By discovering the positive intention behind a behavior, our relationship with that part shifts from conflict to collaboration. This appreciation transforms inner adversaries into powerful allies, fostering inner harmony.

Beyond surface-level. The positive purpose is often deeper than initially perceived. A part that makes you procrastinate might ultimately want you to feel safe from judgment, or a part that overeats might be seeking comfort. Recognizing these deeper, positive intentions is the crucial first step in the Core Transformation journey, laying the groundwork for profound change.

3. Uncover Universal Core States: Being, Peace, Love, OKness, Oneness

A Core State is the deepest level of what our parts want for us.

Deepest desires. By repeatedly asking an inner part, "What do you want through having that, that's even more important?", the Core Transformation Process guides you to uncover increasingly profound purposes. This "Outcome Chain" eventually leads to a "Core State"—the deepest, most fundamental desire of that inner part. These states are not external achievements but internal experiences of being.

Five universal states. Through extensive work with clients, five universal clusters of Core States have been identified: Being, Inner Peace, Love, OKness, and Oneness. While uniquely experienced by each individual, these states resonate with transcendent or spiritual experiences described across various traditions. They are not temporary highs but become a new "center" for living.

Beyond earning. Core States are not something to be earned through effort or external circumstances; they are states of being that are simply accessed and experienced. The irony is that our parts often pursue these profound states through self-defeating behaviors, unaware that the direct path is simply to "step into" and embody them. This direct access bypasses years of striving.

4. The Core State Exercise: A Direct Path to Inner Transformation

The Core Transformation Process works from the inside out. It is a series of simple, step-by-step exercises that allow us to change unwanted behaviors, feelings and responses easily and rapidly, and to have an ongoing sense of wellbeing that occurs naturally when we experience Core Transformation.

Structured journey. The Core State Exercise is the heart of the Core Transformation Process, providing a clear, ten-step framework to navigate your inner landscape. It begins by identifying an unwanted behavior, feeling, or response, then gently inviting the associated inner "part" into awareness. This initial welcoming sets a compassionate tone for the entire process.

Outcome chain reversal. After discovering the part's positive purpose and tracing its "Outcome Chain" to its deepest Core State, the process reverses. Instead of the part striving for the Core State through its old, unhelpful behaviors, it is invited to begin by having the Core State. This allows the Core State to radiate back through each intended outcome, transforming them from a place of inherent wholeness.

Transformative impact. This reversal fundamentally shifts the inner dynamic. For example, a part that sought "control" to achieve "inner peace" now starts with inner peace, making the need for control less important. The original unwanted behavior is then naturally transformed, often dissolving or taking on a new, more resourceful quality. The process is gentle, yet profoundly powerful, leading to lasting change.

5. Integrate Younger and Separated Inner Parts for Wholeness

As long as our parts are somehow separated from us by age or by location, we are not yet the complete, integrated being we are intended to be.

Frozen in time. Many of our unhelpful behaviors, feelings, and responses originate from "younger parts" of ourselves that became "stuck" at an earlier age due to difficult experiences. These parts, isolated from our adult wisdom and resources, continue to operate with childhood coping strategies. The "Growing Up a Part" step lovingly invites these parts to evolve to our current age.

Reuniting with wisdom. When a younger part, already connected to its Core State, is invited to grow up, it gains access to all the experiences, knowledge, and wisdom accumulated throughout our life. This integration allows the Core State to be experienced more fully and applied more effectively in current adult life. The Core State itself often dissolves any objections the younger part might have to growing up.

Full embodiment. Beyond age, parts can also be separated by location, existing outside the body or in a restricted area within it. The "Bringing the Part Fully Into Your Body" step ensures the Core State permeates every cell of your being. This complete reunification allows for a deeper, more grounded, and pervasive experience of the Core State, making it an integral part of your daily reality.

6. Embrace All Parts, Even "Objecting" Ones, for Complete Healing

When objecting parts come forward they are actually giving us what we need for Core States that are full, rich and strong enough to transform our lives.

No resistance, only allies. In Core Transformation, there is no "resistance" to be overcome; only other parts with valuable, positive intentions. If a part "objects" to the process or to having a Core State, it's simply another part that needs to be heard and taken through the Core Transformation process itself. These objecting parts often reveal deeper layers of an issue.

Deepening the Core State. Working with objecting parts is crucial because each part, once transformed, contributes to a richer, fuller, and more robust experience of the Core State. For instance, a part objecting to "inner peace" might reveal its own desire for "control," which, when taken to its Core State, also leads to inner peace, but from a different perspective, thereby amplifying the overall experience.

Comprehensive integration. Lasting change requires addressing all facets of an issue. This includes not only the initial unwanted behavior but also any subtle interferences like mind chatter, the urge to "figure things out," self-judgment, or even physical discomfort. Each of these can be treated as a part, leading to its own Core State, and ultimately contributing to a more integrated and harmonious inner system.

7. Heal Your Past and Future with Parental Timeline Reimprinting

Parental Timeline Reimprinting will also assist you in taking the powerful changes created by experiencing Core States into all life contexts.

Beyond the present. Once Core States are deeply integrated, Parental Timeline Reimprinting extends their transformative power across your entire timeline—past, present, and future. This process helps to solidify the changes, making them permanent and automatically available in all life situations, rather than just temporary "highs."

Generational healing. This unique process involves giving your Core States to your inner grandparents and parents, and then absorbing those Core States from them as you "grow up" again on your timeline. This addresses the automatic learning transfer of patterns within family systems, allowing you to absorb positive qualities from "enriched" inner parents, regardless of your actual childhood experiences.

Grounding and resilience. The final phase involves moving through your remembered past with your Core States already present within you. This transforms your perception of past difficulties, turning them into sources of strength and resilience. It's not about denying what happened, but about re-experiencing it from a place of inner wholeness, making even traumatic events contribute to your deeper well-being.

8. Transform Driven Patterns and Illness from Your Core States

When we are coming from a Core State, our goal is to take responsibility for the things that we have a choice about, and to be at peace with those things that are out of our domain of responsibility.

Freedom from "driven" states. Many people are "driven" by external goals like success, love, approval, or control, leading to a sense of neediness or desperation. Core Transformation helps shift from these driven states to acting from a place of internal wholeness. When you operate from a Core State, your actions align with your deepest values, and your well-being is independent of external outcomes.

Illness as a message. Serious illness can be a profound crisis, often serving as a "wake-up call" from inner parts that have been ignored or suppressed. Instead of self-blame, CT views illness as an opportunity for deep personal growth. By identifying and transforming the parts that created or maintain the illness, you can redirect energy towards healing and discover profound inner peace, regardless of physical condition.

Holistic healing. The process encourages working with all facets of an illness, including parts that actively created it, parts that maintain it (e.g., for nurturing), and parts that stifle emotions or blame. Even parts that "want to die" often reveal a desperate desire for peace. By addressing these, CT creates an internal environment conducive to healing, complementing medical treatment by fostering emotional and spiritual well-being.

9. Core Transformation: A Direct Experience of Spirituality

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

Beyond belief systems. Unlike many religious or spiritual traditions that impose external beliefs or rules, Core Transformation offers a direct, experiential path to spirituality. It reveals that spiritual states are not "out there" but are inherent at the core of every inner part, even those we deem "unspiritual" or flawed. This direct access is often more compelling than any theology.

Oneness and acceptance. The process naturally leads to the experience of universal spiritual truths: oneness, acceptance, and surrender. By finding the "God within" even our worst flaws, CT integrates spirituality with daily life, dissolving the polarity between "nice" and "not-nice" parts. This fosters profound self-acceptance and compassion for others, as judgment becomes meaningless when experiencing fundamental unity.

Congruent surrender. True surrender, as experienced through CT, is not passive submission but a dynamic alignment of personal will with a larger, universal purpose. Actions flow naturally from this deep connection, rather than from separate, often conflicted, personal desires. This grounded spirituality allows for a more authentic and vital engagement with the world, free from the rigidity of external spiritual doctrines.

10. Cultivate Ongoing Practice for Pervasive Life Integration

Those who get the most from the Core Transformation Process use it in an ongoing way.

Deepening layers. While a single Core Transformation session can yield significant results, consistent, ongoing practice leads to deeper and more pervasive levels of change. Regularly engaging with the process, even for short periods daily, allows you to embrace and integrate increasingly subtle layers of your self, making Core States more accessible and automatic in everyday life.

Generalized transformation. Once familiar with the process, you can apply a "Generalized Core Transformation Process" to groups of parts simultaneously. This allows for a system-wide shift towards greater wholeness and inner congruence, complementing the specific, one-part-at-a-time approach. It's like a daily meditation that continuously reinforces your connection to your Core States.

Life as a friendly place. The ultimate goal is for Core States to permeate all aspects of your existence. As exemplified by Samantha, who mentally connects her Core States with daily activities like preparing food or showering, this integration transforms your perception of the world. It fosters a profound sense of inner peace, vitality, and a feeling that the world is an "extraordinarily friendly place," making life's challenges easier to navigate with grace and resilience.

Last updated: September 17, 2025