The Power of Attunement
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). This verse invites us into a powerful interpersonal skill called attunement.
According to Dr. Karl Lehman, attunement is an especially important form of interpersonal emotional connection in which the Receiver feels seen, heard, understood, joined, and cared about. Perfect attunement is when the Receiver feels all these things and that the attuner is glad to with them. It is more than simple acceptance, agreement, empathy, sympathy, active listening or reflective listening. It goes beyond seeing, hearing, understanding and even caring. It is joining or being with the other person in his circle. When the Receiver receives attunement, their Relational Circuits come on and the upset (Anger; Fear; Sadness; Shame; Disgust; Hopeless Despair) turns to righteousness, peace and joy. Mis-attunement, on the other hand, is when we miss that mark. The Receiver will feel not seen, heard, understood, joined, and cared about. He will not have his relational circuits turned on. He will not feel righteousness, peace and joy. Instead, he will feel any combination of anger, frustration and isolation. He will continue to try to explain and defend or he will give up without satisfaction. Biblical examples of attunement include person to person, God to people, Jesus to individuals, and individuals to God.
Instead of practicing this relational connection, we tend to accuse, explain, correct, instruct, threaten, theologize, give perspective, judge, or try to fix the person or problem.
In Immanuel sessions, Jesus will attune to the Receiver and then bring the Receiver into His circle and all of a sudden, the Receiver can only think of how great God is. The Receiver experiences God for who He really is. The Receiver’s relational circuits come on. The Receiver reports perfect peace and satisfaction– righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
For Pastor Patti’s complete Biblical study on this topic and other Immanuel related studies, check out this link: