 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 2010 Using Story to Heal the Past and Change the Future When we think of "story," we tend to think of three bears, a girl with loathsome step-sisters, or the latest novel we've read. But story is integral to our personal lives, as well as our collective culture. The U.S. was birthed as a nation based on a shared story of "equality for all." Our individual lives also are shaped in this way. John grew up in extreme poverty, and as a result decided as a young man that he wanted to help end hunger. As head of The World Bank in a Third World country, he contributed to the welfare of millions of people. He was a wealthy banker, yet the core story that fueled his life was that he was a man who fed hungry people.Change Your Story, Change Your Life Current popular teachings contend that we have the ability to transform our lives by changing our thoughts. This transformation is facilitated by the recognition that our thoughts are part of an organized structure of reality-a story-that we are living. Rather than having to catch endless chaotic thoughts midstream, examine the story you tell about yourself to yourself and decide how you want to rewrite it. Jim Loehr, author of The Power of Story: Rewrite Your Destiny in Business and in Life, says the success of our lives is at stake: the stories we tell about our work, relationships, accomplishments and shortcomings become our destiny. Here are some exercises to facilitate awareness of the stories that shape your life, and to diminish the influence of stories that work against you: Discover what you have learned from the stories of your life. Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, list significant stories-your version of events that occurred-from all stages of your life. In the right-hand column, write a brief description of what you learned or decided as a result of that experience. Heal past experiences by transforming the story. Choose a difficult incident from your childhood, or one that prompted you to make an unhelpful decision, and write it down. What happened? How did you feel? Now, rewrite that story with a different ending. Be imaginative. Any outcome is possible. Discover your core stories. Explore how you see yourself in five areas: Work, Family, Health, Money, and Love. Write a page on each subject. How do you feel about this area of your life? What did you learn as a child? Does the story you tell in one area sabotage your values and beliefs in another? If any story does not support your goals, start telling a different one. Seeing your life as a story is a powerful way to recognize the significance of your life, and to emotionally connect with and share the wealth of your experiences. And when you recognize that your stories can be altered, you have the power to improve your life. Author's content used under license, © 2008 Claire Communications Psychology News In Brief
Children who were coached athletically using positive communication and motivation techniques instead of traditional athletic coaching stated they enjoyed the game more and "were less ego-oriented than athletes who played under traditional coaches." The researchers studied children participating in a 12-week basketball season. The research was led by sports psychologist Ronald Smith, PhD of the University of Washington and the findings were published in Motivation and Emotion (Vol. 33, No. 4). "On every journey you take, you are met with options. At every fork in the road, you make a choice. These are the decisions that shape your life." ~ Mike DeWine "You get the best efforts from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within." ~Bob Nelson "You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life." ~Zig Ziglar Programs to Help You In addition to the traditional counseling services we provide, Clinical Psychology Associates also offers a variety of other services, including free screenings, free consultations and a therapist blog. For a full listing of our services, please visit our website at www.clinical-psychology-associates.com. About Clinical Psychology Associates Clinical Psychology Associates is a state-certified outpatient
counseling center providing a high level of care to its clients
for over 25 years. To read previous editions of this newsletter, please visit our archived newsletter section on our website at: http://www.clinical-psychology-associates.com/newsletter.htm Written by Gary Breuer, MA, LPC |
||
 |
Clinical
Psychology Associates State Certified Clinic 262.251.1112 |