FAQ
Because The Three Lies™ Framework is new and evolving, practitioners naturally want clarity before using it in their own clinical work. Whether you're considering the introductory workshop, exploring TLAQ™, or simply curious how the framework fits existing practice, the answers below aim to offer honest, grounded guidance.
Honest questions, honest answers
Honest questions deserve honest answers, especially about a framework that is still developing. Here are the ones we hear most.
What do Coping, Adequacy and Belonging mean in the Framework?
Each theme describes a meaning a person may experience as true. Coping concerns ‘I can’t cope’ or ‘I can’t manage’: being unable to manage, tolerate or get through what is happening. Adequacy concerns ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘I’m not enough’: insufficiency or inadequacy. Belonging concerns ‘I have no value’ or ‘I have no worth’, in relation to connection, rejection, abandonment and relational safety, including the sense of having to keep proving one’s value. These describe the person’s experienced meaning, not a factual judgement about them, and the same words can carry different meanings for different people.
Is The Three Lies™ Framework a diagnostic model?
No. It is a proposed, practice-informed formulation heuristic, not a diagnostic model.
Is TLAQ™ a validated assessment tool?
Not yet. We currently present TLAQ™ as a developing, descriptive, practice-informed tool rather than a validated psychometric measure, so practitioners should use it with this context in mind.
Can I use the framework with clients immediately?
Only with appropriate caution, consent, competence, and clinical judgement. The introductory workshop does not constitute full practitioner training in the framework or TLAQ™.
How do the two programmes differ?
The Integrative Workshop on Anxiety provides 6.5 CPD hours exploring meditation, reflective practice and attentional regulation, alongside an introduction to The Three Lies™ Framework. The Three Lies™ Framework Foundation Programme provides 14 CPD hours across Days One and Two, developing understanding of the Framework and practical use of the TLAQ™ in collaborative formulation, agreed action and review. The first workshop is not a prerequisite for the Foundation Programme.
Is the word “lies” suitable for every client?
No. Therapists should never impose the terminology. Where it feels invalidating or unsuitable, gentler language such as “anxiety narratives,” “belief themes,” or “protective meanings” can be used instead.
Does the framework apply to all anxiety presentations?
No. It offers just one possible reflective lens, and should not override comprehensive formulation, risk assessment, cultural context, trauma history, or presentation-specific care.
How do I enrol or ask about future training?
Visit our Workshops page for programme details and current enrolment availability. For questions about future training, please contact info@thethreeliesinstitute.com.
Need more information?
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. We're here to help you.
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