ROI Model: Change the Roles, Change the Story
- Dr. Jing Baer
- Oct 15
- 4 min read
A Friendly Guide to the ROI Model
Dr. Jing Baer
The ROI (Role-Oriented Integrated) model treats mental health as a roles problem, not a willpower problem. You map the roles you play across four dimensions—social, emotional, family, somatic—spot what’s overworked or under-skilled, design a better role, and rehearse it until your nervous system runs the new pattern under stress.
Why Roles? Because Roles Are Trainable
You don’t “fix” anxiety, shutdown, or conflict with more information alone. Under pressure, your system defaults to the role that’s been most rehearsed: people-pleasing, stonewalling, overthinking, bracing, etc. ROI says: keep what’s useful, upgrade the role, and practice until it sticks.
Think of your life as an ensemble cast. When the same two actors keep hogging the stage (say, Overthinker and Peacemaker), other roles never get reps. ROI expands and coordinates the cast.
The Four Dimensions (Your Role Map)
1) Social (work, friends, community)
When stuck: People-Pleaser, Lone Wolf, Conflict Avoider, Bulldozer
Trainable upgrades: Clear Communicator (say what you mean), Boundary Setter (say no cleanly), Collaborator (ask/accept help), Repairer (own, apologize, reset)
2) Emotional (how feelings show up)
When stuck: Worrier, Overthinker, Numb-Out, Hot Reactor
Upgrades: Steady Observer (notice/name), Self-Soother (down-regulate), Choice-Maker (pause & pick), Responder (act from calm)
3) Family (patterns learned in your system)
When stuck: Fixer, Peacekeeper, Parentified Helper, Scapegoat
Upgrades: Equal Adult (share power), Boundaried Partner (self-respect), Shared-Load Teammate (give/receive help), Repair Initiator (apologize & re-enter)
4) Somatic (what the body does under stress)
When stuck: Bracing, Shallow Breathing, Hypervigilance, Freeze/Flight
Upgrades: Grounded Posture (feel feet), Full Breather (lengthen exhale), Safety Orienter (look around; register “safe enough”), Flexible Mover (shift between rest/action)
Key idea: We don’t erase old roles—we rebalance them. Your goal isn’t “never people-please again.” It’s having more options and a smoother hand-off between roles.
How ROI Works (Five Practical Moves)
Spot the DriverWhat role hijacks you most often in hard moments? Name it plainly.
Understand the WhyWhat does that role protect? Where did it learn the job description?
Design the UpgradeDraft a new role (replace or complement) with clear qualities + specific skills.
Rehearse SafelyPractice in guided, low-stakes scenes until your body learns the pattern.
Make It StickBrief daily reps → use it under mild stress → debrief → refine.
A Quick Micro-Vignette
Old role: Conflict Avoider—goes quiet, hopes the moment passes.
Problem: Partner interprets silence as indifference → escalation.
Upgrade: Clear Communicator + Self-Soother duo.
Rehearsal: Practice one line + one breath: “I want this to go well. I need 5 minutes to settle, then I’ll reply.” (exhale longer than inhale; feel feet)
Result: The body learns that naming a pause is safe. Over time, the new duo shows up before the spiral starts.
Why ROI Tends to Stick
Whole-system lens: Social, emotional, family, somatic—no silos.
Roles = jobs: If a job is rigid or under-skilled, we redesign it.
Bottom-up learning: Body-based practice wires patterns that hold under stress.
Team coordination: Roles learn to hand off and repair after slips.
Built-in transfer: Tiny between-session reps + quick progress checks move gains into daily life.
60-Second DIY: Name & Draft One Role
Name your driver: “When stressed, I become the Overexplainer.”
Pick a replacement or complement: “Clear Communicator.”
Write the job card (one sentence each):
Cue: “Heart racing + urge to justify.”
Action: “One sentence, one need, one ask.”
Body: “Exhale longer than inhale; drop shoulders; feel feet.”
Rehearse once today in a low-stakes chat or even to the mirror.
Quick FAQs
Is ROI just “fake it till you make it”?
No. We don’t act as if—we train roles with nervous-system support until they’re authentic and available.
Do I have to give up parts of me that worked?
No. We keep what’s useful, retire what’s costly, and add what’s missing.
What if my culture/family context is unique?
Great—ROI is culture-centered. Roles are designed to fit your values, not overwrite them.
The Roots (For the Nerds)
ROI draws on role theory and psychodrama (J. L. Moreno) and integrates elements from:
Therapeutic Spiral Model (Hudgins & Toscani): trauma-responsive safety & pacing
Internal Family Systems (Richard Schwartz): parts clarity & Self-leadership
Post-Induction Therapy (Pia Mellody): re-parenting skills (affirm, nurture, boundaries)
Robert Landy’s Role Method: mapping, testing, integrating roles
Rehearsals for Growth (Daniel Wiener): improv to build spontaneity and transfer
If You Remember One Thing…
Roles are trainable. Name the one that runs the show, design its upgrade, and give your body a chance to learn it. That’s how the story changes—one rehearsal at a time.
At Roiya Center for Experiential Healing, we offer pathways for different needs:
Roiya Counseling trauma-responsive psychotherapy for deeper healing.
Roiya Lab prevention-focused workshops on boundaries, body awareness, and resilience skills.
Roiya Circle community talks, conversations, and connection without the therapy frame.
Roiya Intensive immersive programs for concentrated growth and role practice.
Safety note: This site isn’t monitored for urgent messages and isn’t for emergencies. If you’re in crisis or feel unsafe, call 988 (US) or your local emergency number right away. You don’t have to go through this alone.
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