Tight/Loose Patterns and Order/Freedom Capacities

These concepts refer to the Inner Critic Dimensions Group chart and the Personal Dimensions Group chart.

Tight and Loose Patterns

The patterns on the left side of the chart tend to be oriented toward excessive amounts of inner control, which may be enforced by self-criticism. That’s why they are called the Tight Patterns. When you have one of those patterns, you tend to try to force yourself to be a certain way, e.g. perfect, hard working, powerless, etc. If you deviate from this standard, an Inner Critic Part will attack and judge you to try to get you back on track.


Some kind of control is necessary in some cases because your opposing pattern is extreme. For example, if you have an Indulger Pattern in the Pleasure Dimension, you do need be more conscious about your consumption. However, the left-side pattern tends to be too harsh and judgmental. In other cases, the left side control actually isn’t necessary at all. For example, in the Conscience Dimension, you might have a Guilt-Tripper Part that attacks you for something you did that didn’t violate your true sense of values but is nevertheless considered bad by your family, culture, or religious training.

The right-side patterns tend to be too much out of control, where you don’t exercise enough containment over your behavior or feelings. That’s why they are called Loose Patterns. For example, in the Risk Dimension, the Reckless Pattern involves not being prudent enough about what risks you take.

Order and Freedom Capacities

We can also classify the healthy capacities on each side of the chart. The ones on the left side tend toward having more order and self-containment in your life. For example, working well, producing high quality results, being prudent about taking risks, and being conscious about your consumption.

Each Order Capacity is the healthy versions of the Tight Pattern next to it in its dimension. Instead of controlling yourself too much, you keep a healthy sense of order in your life. For example, having the Cultural Integration Capacity means being able to appreciate the positive aspects of your culture as opposed to Conforming to your family’s or society’s mores.

The capacities on the right side involve being free to be yourself and to feel good about yourself, so these are called Freedom Capacities. For example, Ease, Courage, and Pleasure are all ways of being free to enjoy life and get what you want.

Each Freedom Capacity is the healthy version of the Loose Pattern next to it in its dimension. For example, Aliveness is the healthy version of the Manic Pattern.

If you have a Loose Pattern, you need to develop the Order Capacity across from it on the chart in order to shift that pattern to a healthy capacity. For example, if you have a Callous Pattern, you need to develop appropriate Remorse. And if you have Tight Pattern, you need to develop the Freedom Capacity across from it. For example, if you have an Inner Critic Pattern you need to develop Self-Esteem.