What isFIRES?
FIRES™ is a Whole-Person,
Everything-Else Approach to
understanding why people experience
and respond to life so differently—
even when they are in the same
environment.
Rather than beginning with judgment
or “What’s wrong with me?”, FIRES
begins with curiosity:
What’s going on right now,
and what might be shaping
this experience?
The goal isn’t to fix the person.
It’s to understand more—with greater
curiosity, compassion, and less blame.
Looking at the whole person
Same
Environment.
Different People.
Different
Experiences.
What we see on the outside is only
part of the story. Each person brings
their body and nervous system,
history, relationships, culture, health,
responsibilities, resources,
expectations, experiences, and
circumstances into every moment.
FIRES gives us five windows through
which we can begin noticing what
may be happening.
Feelings
What am I feeling?
Interest
What is engaging, meaningful, or difficult to connect with?
Restoration
What has helped me rest, recover, and recharge?
Environment
What is happening around me?
Sensory
What am I taking in through my senses and body?
FIRES™
Five windows into the person
Some of the Everything Else That May Matter
Health& BodyRelationshipsCulture& IdentityHistory& ExperiencesGrief & LossResponsibilities& DemandsWork/SchoolResources& AccessLife Stage& AgeNutrition& MovementMedications& Medical ConditionsOtherCircumstancesThese are five windows into the person.
They are not the whole person.
The model should remain smaller than the person.
What is
FIRES?
FIRES™ is a Whole-Person, Everything-Else Approach to understanding why people experience and respond to life so differently—even when they are in the same environment.
Rather than beginning with judgment or “What’s wrong with me?”, FIRES begins with curiosity:
What’s going on right now, and what might be shaping this experience?
The goal isn’t to fix the person. It’s to understand more—with greater curiosity, compassion, and less blame.
Looking at the whole person
Same Environment. Different People. Different Experiences.
What we see on the outside is only part of the story. Each person brings their body and nervous system, history, relationships, culture, health, responsibilities, resources, expectations, experiences, and circumstances into every moment.
FIRES gives us five windows through which we can begin noticing what may be happening.
FIRES™
Five windows into the person
- F · FeelingsWhat am I feeling?
- I · InterestWhat is engaging, meaningful, or difficult to connect with?
- R · RestorationWhat has helped me rest, recover, and recharge?
- E · EnvironmentWhat is happening around me?
- S · SensoryWhat am I taking in through my senses and body?
Some of the Everything Else That May Matter
These are five windows into the person.
They are not the whole person.
The model should remain smaller than the person.
HOW DO I USE FIRES?