It seems we are all either facing fear or acting in the face of our fears these days. A once simple trip to the grocercy store is now a strategic undertaking that requires serious reflection on how much personal protection I will need. A recent conversation with colleagues reminded me of this post, from a […] Read more “Diving In? Reflections on Fear”
Category: Process Work
When to Hold ‘Em and When to Fold ‘Em
As the year comes to a close, I take a bit of time to reflect on the year that was, and the year to come. It’s one of my favorite parts of the year, because it’s the time when we get to think long and hard about things (long dark nights help) — about things we’re […] Read more “When to Hold ‘Em and When to Fold ‘Em”
The Art of Noticing: Exploring Shifts in Attention
Theoretically I am a strong believer in carving out creative time. I believe as a practice, it aids in self-reflection, cultivates connection and in turn, empathy. It has the power to remind us why we live. In the last several years though, I have struggled to make time for creative expression and prioritize it as […] Read more “The Art of Noticing: Exploring Shifts in Attention”
My One Problem
It is always foolish to oversimplify complex problems. Nonetheless from the viewpoint of the Dreaming, regardless of the complexity of your life, you can have only one problem – ignoring the Dreaming background to reality. Ignoring the Dreaming means marginalizing the deepest unformulated experiences that create your actions in everyday life. Every time you ignore […] Read more “My One Problem”
Understanding Your Dreams: Doorways to the Self
This post was originally published in Psychology Today. I have been simply, truly, and totally amazed by dreams for the past 40 years. In 1992, it led me to study with Jungian analyst, Dr. Arnold Mindell, which meant leaving my career as a management consultant, moving across the country, and studying full time for over five […] Read more “Understanding Your Dreams: Doorways to the Self”
Cultural Competence and Bias
As therapists, we recognize our ethical obligations to know and acknowledge the limits of our training and skills. We know that our expertise grows over time with experience and supervision, training, reading, dialogue and further training. These activities contribute to our mastery of specialized areas, methods or skills. But what about cultural competence? How do […] Read more “Cultural Competence and Bias”
Power: A User’s Guide
We are excited and pleased to announce that our friend and colleague, Julie Diamond, Ph.D., has a new book out — Power: A User’s Guide. Power corrupts. The question is: how? What are the traps of power and how we can avoid falling into them? From bosses to parents, politicians to protesters, power rests in […] Read more “Power: A User’s Guide”
8 Ways to Take Action Against Islamophobia
Prejudice, stereotyping, bias—however we understand these tendencies and attitudes, we can learn to identify, confront, wrestle with, accept, and change them within ourselves. Sometimes, however, doing so is possible only with great difficulty. Discrimination takes many forms, including harassment, bullying, hate speech, and scapegoating. Such behaviors put others at risk, cause harm and—at times—may even […] Read more “8 Ways to Take Action Against Islamophobia”
Knowing Yourself is Power
“Knowing yourself really well and deeply is the best power you can have.” Julie Diamond, Ph.D. is an executive coach and leadership consultant who helps individuals and organizations create cultures of learning and growth. Julie’s upcoming book, Power: A User’s Guide, is due for publication early next year. Read more “Knowing Yourself is Power”
Returning to Therapy — A Profound Act of Self-care
by Cindy Trawinski, Psy.D., Dipl. PW & Rami Henrich, LCSW, Dipl. PW “I can’t believe I’m here… again.” Some people returning to therapy for the second, third, or fifth time often wonder “why do I need to go back to therapy?” “was there something I should have handled the last time around?” “maybe I am […] Read more “Returning to Therapy — A Profound Act of Self-care”
Going Down with Depression
Process work or process-oriented psychology often takes a paradoxical point of view on disturbance and conflict. In his post below, fellow Process Worker, David Bedrick shares insights on the ups and downs of depression. DEPRESSION The word comes from the latin “depressare”- to press down. Our culture heavily favors being “up” and many of us have […] Read more “Going Down with Depression”
Beliefs and Success: What Box Did You Crawl Out Of?
Beliefs and success – are they connected? How much do your expectations influence your ideas about success? And where do those deeply-held beliefs originate? Our friend and colleague, Julie Diamond, has written extensively about these issues, and we would like to share the following article, which originally appeared on her site. One day, early in […] Read more “Beliefs and Success: What Box Did You Crawl Out Of?”
Thich Nhat Hanh
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered around the world for his powerful teachings and best selling writings. This quote got such a strong positive response when we posted it on Tumblr, that we wanted to share with you too. People have a hard time letting go […] Read more “Thich Nhat Hanh”
Everyone Has Bias
No one is immune from bias, not even us therapists! Everyone has bias. Therapist bias takes many forms, especially with regards to clients’ sexuality, gender, erotic orientation, etc… Bias ranges from misinformed opinions about BDSM to confusing polyamory with infidelity to other subtle perceptions, beliefs and attitudes. Bias is a part of us all and […] Read more “Everyone Has Bias”
Therapist Bias
by Cindy Trawinski, Psy.D. & Rami Henrich, LCSW Bias influences all of us — even therapists. In fact, one 2011 study indicates that as many as 50% of clients identifying as polyamorous had seen therapists that they felt lacked cultural competency or were biased. Meanwhile, a 2006 study by Drs. Keely Kolmes, Wendy Stock, and […] Read more “Therapist Bias”
Meditation on Weathering
Weathering My face catches the wind from the snow line and flushes with a flush that will never wholly settle. Well, that was a metropolitan vanity, wanting to look young forever, to pass. I was never a pre-Raphaelite beauty and only pretty enough to be seen with a man who wanted to be seen with […] Read more “Meditation on Weathering”
Impermanence
Pema Chodron, in her book entitled Comfortable with Uncertainty (2002), writes: “Nothing in its essence is one way or the other. All around us the wind, the fire, the earth, the water, are always taking on different qualities: they’re like magicians. We also change like the weather. We ebb and flow like the tides, we […] Read more “Impermanence”
Am I a Marginalizer?
What do you think of when you hear the word marginalization? People living in poverty, persons of color, those who do not share fully in the privileges some of us are enjoying these days? I would say yes to all of the above, and would include a list that would be broader and more inclusive […] Read more “Am I a Marginalizer?”
My New Companions — Curiosity & Fear
Why should you befriend experiences and things that you are afraid of? Things that unnerve you, disgust you or freak you out? A week ago, I had a moment when my curiosity overcame my fear and I started to reflect on how curiosity can help us overcome inner as well as outer fears. Curiosity is […] Read more “My New Companions — Curiosity & Fear”
Power: Is There More in Me?
In her blog on leadership, my friend and colleague, Julie Diamond, poses this challenging set of questions for leaders: “Are you using your power fully, in the way you want to, to create the worlds you want to create? Are you using this opportunity to do amazing things, to be creative, to make your team […] Read more “Power: Is There More in Me?”