Growth and Self-Empowerment

It has been said that the most sophisticated, complex instrument in all the universe is the three pounds of organic tissue called the human brain. Yet, we also know that in our entire lifetime, we access only a very small portion of the brain’s potential. With all the choices we have available, it’s sometimes too overwhelming to know what to focus on first. Or, we know what we want to do, only to have our best intentions sabotaged by some part of the brain we don’t understand or fully control. Many people want to change or grow in some area of life, but they don’t know how.

I’ve devised a four-step process to facilitate change:

    A. Understand your current developmental challenge—Are you at a plateau or in a transition?

    B. Create a vision for your future – What are your intentions, goals, priorities?

    C. Identify blocks to change – Which past experiences and current beliefs and feelings cause you to resist change?

    D. Develop good time/life management skills

To find out which of the above steps you might want to focus on, see which set(s) of questions/statements below relate to you:

Group A.

  1. I’m young and I have my education, but in this current economic climate, I’m afraid I won’t be able to be successful.
  2. My career is going well, but somehow I feel bored and empty inside.
  3. What keeps me stuck at this same level of performance?
  4. I’m a full time mom. I love my kids, but I also need to feel I’m growing as my own person. What can I do?
  5. My children will be leaving home soon. What’s my next source of fulfillment?
  6. I’m about to retire. How do I want this next chapter of my life to unfold?
  7. I’ve been retired for a while, and now the novelty of having leisure time has worn off. What do I do next?

Group B.

  1. What are my goals? I’ve never really had time to sit and think about it.
  2. If I knew I had only five years to live, what would I want to focus on?
  3. What does success mean to me, and how can I achieve it?

Group C.

  1. Is it the fear of success or the fear of failing that holds me back?
  2. I had learning difficulties as a child, and I have never thought of myself as smart.
  3. My past experiences have led me to wonder how others perceive me.
  4. I have a history of psychological problems, and they’re still holding me back.

Group D.

  1. Why do I procrastinate, and what can I do to change that habit?
  2. Is there any way to bust through the clutter in my life and get organized?
  3. There are many things I’d like to accomplish, but time keeps slipping away.
  4. How can I unblock my creativity?

How does the therapeutic process work?

I’m excited about new advances in neuroscience that can help clients unlock more of the brain’s potential by utilizing neural plasticity. The following therapeutic tools can help you break unproductive habits and establish new behaviors that support you in achieving your goals:

  1. Mindfulness training
  2. Hypnotherapy
  3. Cognitive behavioral therapy
  4. Narrative therapy
  5. Psychodynamic exploration
Content and webdesign © 2009 Karen Robson, MFT