In reflecting on the New Year, there are big changes afoot in my work. I am just as dedicated as ever to helping people heal psychological wounds and grow, and I still see IFS as the best way to do that. However, my work is shifting toward groups, teaching, training, writing, and producing other products to help people’s inner work.

Bonnie and I are currently focused on working with Inner Critic parts. We have already put up an questionnaire and various articles on this, and we are planning much more— downloadable booklets, a book, a web-based system for profiling Inner Critic and Champion parts, and probably CD’s of guided meditations, animated videos of inner work, and social networking sites. This feels very exciting and creative to me. Furthermore, even though I have already written four books in my career, I now have ideas for at least five more, and I plan to get them out much more quickly than I have in the past. Read the rest of this entry »

During this difficult week, seeing the shocking images in Haiti, some people were glued to the TV and some avoided watching altogether. I am a checker. I feel the need to know and be connected with what is going on, but in small doses.

I find myself startled that now most news crews have gone home and we are back to Senator Brown, Tiger Woods’ rehab, and illegitimate children of famous men.

How can I stay connected and not go back to business as usual. And why do I want to? There is something in my Jewish roots that holds that it is important to know what is going on in the world, to not ignore other people’s suffering.

And then there is a spiritual challenge to not shy away from horror but to be a witness and keep my heart open. My years as a therapist, working with survivors of sexual abuse, have taught me the importance of being a compassionate witness in the healing process. Read the rest of this entry »