Transformative Counselling: Cognitive Therapy Approaches

The College of Mental Health Counseling presents:

Transformative Counseling: Cognitive Therapy Approaches A Course in Empathy, Finding Wisdom: Verbalizing Your Inner Dialogue, Creative Solution Development, Counseling Assessment Self-Healing Life Story Questionnaire, Your Spirituality Score, Counseling for Depression, Practicing the Presence of God: Spiritual Mindfulness, Sixteen Principles for Anger, Thirty-Five Positive Suggestions for Ego Strength

Daniel Keeran, MSW, President, www.collegemhc.com

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Copyright ďƒ“ 2014 by Daniel Keeran All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without specific written permission from the author except for use in public schools and in the case of brief quotations in reviews for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast. Photocopies and electronic copies may not be sold.

Special permission requests and inquires can be directed to the author at collegemhc@gmail.com

ISBN-13: 978-1503292567 ISBN-10: 1503292568

Printed in the United States.

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Dedicated to my loving wife and daughter

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Table of Contents A Course in Empathy: The New Revolution of the Heart

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Finding Wisdom: Verbalizing Your Inner Dialogue

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Counseling Assessment Self-Healing Life Story Questionnaire

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Reaching Agreement: Steps To Peace Through Creative Solution Development

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Your Spirituality Score

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Counseling for Depression

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Practicing the Presence of God: Spiritual Mindfulness

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Sixteen Guidelines for Anger

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Thirty-Five Positive Suggestions for Ego Strength

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About the Author

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A Course in Empathy The New Revolution of the Heart How do you think society might be affected if empathy was taught in the home, the workplace, and in schools? Imagine a world in which everyone, children and adults, knew how to care about how others feel and what they need, want, and think.

While each individual has a unique capacity for empathy, some more than others, the author believes empathy may be assisted and encouraged for those who possess some aptitude.

Empathic development requires an awareness of one's own emotions, addressed in the first exercise on page 12, in order to begin to recognize and feel connected with the emotions of others.

Now for the first time, we have a set of tools to actually learn empathy so that it becomes part of one's way of relating to others.

On completion of assignments* for A Course in Empathy, with no more than a two-page report for each chapter including your responses to questions found at the end of each one, the Certificate of Empathy Development is awarded by the College of Mental Health Counseling.

In this concise volume, the author describes ten practical exercises to enable the development of empathy and thereby aid the transformation of the self and the community.

The way to peace with everyone is empathy for everyone, including and especially your opponent in any matter. Empathy for self and others is the key to inner peace and world peace.

For connecting with a social media group about empathy go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/empathicskills/ *Assignments and inquiries should be directed to Daniel Keeran, MSW, at the College of Mental Health Counseling collegemhc@gmail.com

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1 Introduction: What Is Empathy?

Lesson Objectives: 1. To understand empathy.

2. To acquire an increased sense of empathy for the emotions and circumstances of others.

Empathy Definition: To sincerely and accurately feel and reflect the specific emotion(s) of another person. Empathy also means to value others’ emotions.

Why teach and learn empathy? The important reason to teach and learn empathy is that if individuals are able to learn empathy skills, they will be most likely to apply the skills in their current life with peers and future adult relationships.

The ability to have empathy is important as a foundation for caring and compassion between and among people and contributes to positive relationships in all areas of life.

Empathy builds a sense of community and reduces the tendency to discriminate or exclude others. Someone who bullies or excludes others can benefit from being aware of the emotions of a potential victim and to value those emotions.

While some people may have difficulty feeling or communicating sincere empathy more than others, everyone will derive some benefit from the exercises in this lesson.

Select those exercises that correspond to the overall capacity of the age group and modify exercise descriptions for the comprehension level of the group.

Group Discussion: 1. What is empathy? How are empathy and sympathy 10

different? Empathy is not sympathy. Empathy means to feel the emotion of another person. Sympathy means to agree with the thoughts of another person.

2. Empathy means that you must set aside your own thoughts and feelings and pay attention only to the other person’s thoughts and feelings. Why does this ability require inner strength?

3. How is empathy communicated? Empathy is communicated in the sincere accurate reflection of the emotions of another person, conveyed in accurate facial expressions for the emotions, accurate voice tones for the emotions, and accurate words for the emotions.

4. How are thoughts different from emotions? Emotions are not thoughts. Emotions are sensory experiences in the mind and body such as relaxed, fear, caring, anger, guilt, happy, sadness, confident, low self-worth, hopeful, despair.

Thoughts are ideas about another person, thing, or situation.

5. What is sincerity and why is it important? Sincerity means to be genuine, to truly value the other person’s feelings as important, and to take his or her feelings seriously. If sincerity is missing, then empathy will not be communicated.

6. Are emotions OK? Yes. Emotions are neither good nor bad.

Having emotions is an important part of being human.

Believing this is necessary in order to have sincere empathy for another person’s feelings. What you do with an emotion can be healthy or unhealthy.

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2 Exercises For Empathy Training Exercise One: Building Your Emotion Vocabulary Description: The leader introduces the exercise by saying that having a vocabulary of words for different emotions, is helpful for making sentences that communicate empathy. Many feeling or emotion lists can be found on the internet.

Emotions can be separated into categories of pleasant and painful feelings. For example, pleasant emotions are: happy, excited, peaceful, relaxed, calm, hopeful.

Examples of painful emotions are: fear, anger, guilt, sad, empty, low self-worth, and despair.

An acronym can be used to help remember a list of words. For example, the acronym FAGSELD is a way to remember the painful emotions listed above.

More information: Painful feelings can be divided into hard and soft emotions. Examples of hard painful feelings are anger, frustration, irritation, and annoyed, while examples of soft painful feelings are fear, sadness, guilt, emptiness, low self-worth, and despair.

Invite group members (in group or as an assignment) to make a list of emotions or feelings they have about different experiences during the day. Examples: waking up, getting dressed, smelling breakfast, getting on the bus, hearing people arguing, hearing people laughing, entering the room, sitting at the desk, listening to the teacher, going to recess,

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taking a test, having lunch, doing homework, seeing parents, playing with friends, sitting down to dinner, going to bed.

Post-Exercise Discussion: 1. What do you realize about emotions and experiences?

2. Why is it important to be aware of your emotions as you feel them in the moment?

3. How does being aware of your own emotions affect the way you understand other people and things that happen in their lives?

Assignment: Make a list of your experiences between the end of group today and the next group meeting and then write the emotions related to each experience.

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3 Exercise Two: Distinguishing Emotions and Thoughts Description: In this exercise, group members are asked to make three sentences beginning with “I feel” followed by a feeling word such as happy, sad, frustrated, or other emotion.

Examples: “I feel happy when it’s time to play.”

“I feel excited when I get to do math.”

“I feel sad when my friends have to go home after visiting.”

More information: Remember that a thought, instead of an emotion, is expressed if “I feel” is followed by the word “that” rather than a feeling word. The phrase “I feel that....,” really means “I think” or “I believe.”

If you begin a sentence with “I think” followed by an idea such as “I think this subject is interesting” or “I think this group is fun,” you are communicating a thought instead of an emotion.

Post-Exercise Discussion: What is the difference between a thought and a feeling? A thought is an idea. A feeling is an emotion.

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4 Exercise Three: Making Sentences for Empathy Description: Practice making sentences that communicate empathy using this form and words from the feeling list. Fill in the blanks, followed by checking to see if you are accurate: “You feel____________ because ___________. Is that accurate?”

Scenario examples: Here are examples of two scenarios followed by examples of sentences that show empathy and checking for accuracy.

1. Jill has a frown on her face and says her best friend just moved away.

Empathic reflection: “Jill, you feel sad because you best friend just moved away. Is that what you feel?”

2. Dad is very quiet when he comes home from work and says he just lost his job.

Empathic reflection: “Dad, you feel worried because you lost your job. Is that what you feel?”

Practice Scenarios: After each scenario below, write a sentence that shows empathy followed by checking to see if you are accurate.

1. Your brother comes home crying and then says he was called hurtful names at school.

2. The boy at school that others just called hurtful names, is sitting quietly and looking down.

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3. Your friend says he does not want to go home because he received low scores on his report card.

4. Your friend says she can’t invite you over because her Mom doesn’t feel well.

5. A person at school is sitting alone at lunch time and not eating his lunch.

Post-Exercise Discussion: 1. What questions do you have about writing a sentence that shows empathy?

2. Why is it important to check to see if you are accurate?

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5 Exercise Four: Role Reversal Description: In the Role Reversal exercise, empathy skills are increased when individuals are asked to imagine he or she is someone else who will be interviewed in pairs. The group is divided into pairs, and each person takes turns telling the other person basic personal information in answer to a brief set of questions. Then each person imagines he or she is the other person and speaks to the group in the first person as if he or she is the other person. Mary interviews Rosie and then presents herself as if she is Rosie by saying, “My name is Rosie. I am 12 years old,” etc. Then Rosie does the same by saying, “My name is Mary. I am 12 years old,” etc.

Accuracy is important for building empathy skills in this exercise.

The following is a list of basic questions for collecting basic personal information: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

What is your name?

What is your age?

What is your favorite color?

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

Where did you go on vacation?

What do you like to do most?

Demonstrate to the group: “Now I need a volunteer to show you what role reversal looks like. Who would like to volunteer?” The leader asks the above questions to the volunteer as you sit together in front of the group. Then the leader presents herself as the student 18

speaking in the first person and relating the information collected in the interview using the questions above.

Then the leader says, “What questions do you have about what you will be doing?”

Instructions to the group: “Now I want you to divide into pairs and interview each other using these questions (written on the board or given as a printed handout). Remember what the other person says, and then you will present yourself as if you are the other person starting with the name and so on. You will have to listen very carefully and remember what the other person said. What questions do you have about what I am asking you to do?”

Post-Exercise discussion: 1. What was it like hearing your partner speak as if he or she was you? Was he or she accurate?

2. What was it like being your partner? What did you feel or think when you were being someone different than yourself?

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6 Exercise Five: Doubling Description: In the Doubling exercise, similar to the Role Reversal exercise, the individuals build empathy skills by becoming a double or alter ego for another person. This is done by inviting students to walk around the room in pairs (or to sit in chairs in parallel position) while one speaks as the other doubles.

The speaker talks about a happy memory or expected future event. As the speaker is talking, the Double also talks in the first person as if he or she is also the speaker and reads between the lines by inserting feeling words.

Example: Speaker: “I am going to visit my grandparents next week.”

Double: “And I feel happy.”

Speaker: “My grandma makes the best cookies.”

Double: “I am excited to eat the cookies.”

The speaker can let the Double know if she or he is accurate or not by saying what the accurate feeling is.

Demonstrate to the group: “Now I need a volunteer to show you what Doubling looks like.

Come here and sit with me (chairs in parallel position facing the group). Talk about a happy memory or something you look forward to in the future.”

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As the volunteer talks, the leader speaks in the first person as if she or he is the student and fills in feelings or emotions not spoken by the volunteer.

After a brief while, the leader turns to the group and says, “What questions do you have about what I am asking you to do?�

Instructions for the group exercise: Divide the group into pairs, and as they are engaged in the exercise, let them know when to switch roles with one as the speaker and the other as the Double.

Post-Exercise Discussion: After each person has had an opportunity to experience both roles (speaker and Double): 1. What was it like being the speaker and hearing the Double speaking as yourself?

2. What was it like being the Double? What was the hardest part?

3. How did the exercise of Doubling help you understand the other person?

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7 Exercise Six: Listening with Empathy Description: Practice listening to another person talk about something that is personally important, and make sentences for empathy that reflect his or her emotions. Remember that empathy means to set aside your own thoughts and feelings and to pay attention to what the other person thinks and feels.

Demonstrate to the group: “Now I need a volunteer so that I can show the group what a sentence for empathy sounds like. Think of something you can say about what is important to you or something that happened or you hope will happen in the future. Who would like to volunteer?”

After a brief demonstration, thank the volunteer and ask the group, “What questions do you have about what you will be doing?”

Instructions for the group exercise: “Now we will practice making sentences for empathy. I want you divide into pairs. One of you will speak for a little while and the other will listen. The speaker can talk about something that happened last night or today or something in the future. The listener will make a sentence for empathy and check to see if it is accurate. Then I will tell you when to switch, with the speaker becoming the listener, and the listener becoming the speaker. Remember that empathy means to set aside your own thoughts and feelings and to pay attention to what the other person thinks and feels.”

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After giving instructions, ask the group, “What questions do you have about what you will be doing?”

Post-Exercise Discussion: 1. What was it like being the speaker and hearing the listener make sentences for empathy (reflections)?

2. What was it like being the listener? What was the hardest part about it?

More information: In making an empathic reflection, an overstatement of the other person’s thoughts and feelings can give added support when the reflection is accurate and sincere. This involves seeing implications of what the speaker says and including these implications in the sincere reflection while being careful to check for accuracy. If the empathic reflection is an understatement and leaves out accurate basic information given by the speaker, the speaker will feel a lack of empathy and support.

Additional exercises can be created to assist group members to recognize and reflect empathy for different specific emotions such as fear, anger, guilt, sadness, celebration, humiliation, and others. See an exercise for empathizing with anger below.

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8 Exercise Seven: Becoming Another Character Description: In this exercise, members are asked to break into groups of three to do the following: 1. Write the dialogue for and then enact a scenario for three people: a victim, a bully, and an observer.

2. Each group enacts the scenario three times. Each time the scenario is enacted, each person rotates to take on the role of a different character.

3. After all scenarios are enacted with each person rotating to each role, each person then discusses what it was like to take on the role of each character, what emotions were felt, and what thoughts came up in each role.

Post-Exercise Discussion: 1. What emotions did you feel as the bully?

2. What emotions did you feel as the victim?

3. What emotions did you feel as the observer?

4. What decisions have you made after doing this exercise?

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9 Exercise Eight: Understanding the Story Description: This exercise is about understanding the story of another person. “An enemy is someone whose story you have not heard.�

1. Ask members of the group to think (and write) about someone they are afraid of or someone with whom they do not want to be friends and to give a reason.

2. Ask group members to imagine they found out reasons why the person behaves in a negative way and to write the reasons down.

3. Ask group members to share how they feel about the person after realizing there may be a story that explains the negative behavior of the person.

Example: (corresponding to the three points above) 1. I do not want to be friends with Rosie because she never talks to me.

2. I found out that Rosie is unhappy and lonely at home, and she is afraid her Mom may not be able to pay the rent.

3. Now that I know this may be true, I want to be friends with Rosie because her not talking is not about me but about her feelings about what is happening at home.

Post-Exercise Discussion: 1. How has this exercise changed the way you think about people you are afraid of or with whom you do not want to be friends?

2. Imagine how understanding the story of the other person could affect the way people feel and think about their perceived enemies, nations in conflict, and groups of people that you or perhaps others dislike.

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10 Exercise Nine: Imagine the Emotions of a Historical Character Description: This exercise is about understanding the emotions of a historical character. The leader asks group members to make a list of five people from history and circumstances. Then write emotions that each person may have felt about what was happening in history or in the life of the person when they were experiencing the emotions.

Alternatively, the leader can make a list of historical people, describe their circumstances, and then invite group members to list emotions the person might have had.

Example: Abraham Lincoln sees slaves being sold in the town square, and in that moment he feels sad that they have no families of their own, angry that men would treat other men as property, and hopeless that he could do nothing about it.

Post-Exercise Discussion: 1. Who would like to share your list of historical people and circumstances with the group?

2. What emotions did you come up with and what are the emotions about?

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11 Exercise Ten: Having Empathy for Anger Description: This exercise assists the development of ways to cope with the anger of another person by using empathic reflection. Empathy for anger can sometimes have the effect of reducing the anger of a person.

A scenario is demonstrated by the leader who makes a reflective empathic statement when someone is very angry.

After observing this, group members are asked to form pairs and to practice making a reflective empathic statement to the other person who makes an angry statement.

Example: (demonstrated) Angry Person: “You never do what you’re told, and so now I have to do it for you.”

Empathic Listener: “You feel angry because I didn’t do my work, and that makes more work for you. Is that what you are feeling?”

Following this demonstration, ask group members to enact the same scenario in pairs with each person taking turns being the angry person, then the empathic listener. Use the statements provided in the above example and repeated them to help you feel more of the emotion and what it is like to say and hear the words.

Post-Exercise Discussion: 1. What was it like making the angry statement?

2. What was it like making the empathic reflective statement?

3. What was it like as the angry person hearing the empathic reflective statement of the listener?

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4. Imagine how empathic reflection could be used between nations to reduce hostility. How could it work?

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Finding Wisdom Verbalizing Your Inner Dialogue New generation psychological technology can improve conditions in persons with normal or average cognitive functioning. The cognitive mental functions give humans a particular advantage in terms of creative solution development.

Humans are constantly engaging in a process of internal dialogue across a variety of subject areas. Mental distress may be at least partly remedied by verbalizing, understanding, and perhaps modifying the internal dialogue.

For persons suffering from chronic dependency as well as anxiety, depression, and relationship issues, the following technique may be useful: 1. Invite the client to talk about what they know will improve their situation and what could worsen their situation.

2. Identify the parts of the self as the knowing confident self and the unknowing negative self.

3. Ask the client to verbalize each part of the self in response to the other (like Golum in Lord of the Rings).

4. Discuss ways to strengthen the knowing confident part of the self. This is also the observer will part of the self that is able to evaluate and modify the dialogue and draw a conclusion that works best.

The above technique can be easily learned, recorded through journaling, and repeated as a core process in therapy in order to make the inner dialogue most conscious and useful to the client. This psychological technology can improve conditions in persons with normal or average cognitive functioning.

The therapeutic use of inner dialogue can focus on a specific issue or area of mental distress and invite the client to have a 32

conversation between the knowing confident part and the negative self-doubting or unhealthy part.

Here is an example of an exchange using this inner dialogue approach: Client: I feel so inadequate and lacking in self-confidence.

Counselor: So, part of you feels inadequate and lacking in self-confidence. I wonder if there is another part of you, a knowing part, even a small part, that feels adequate and confident about some things.

Client: Yes, there is. I moved out here on my own. I have a job and pay my rent (client smiles).

Counselor: You are very resourceful, capable, and independent. You can strengthen the positive, capable part of yourself just by talking more about it. Tell me more.

In this example the counselor further supports the knowing supportive self by adding to the dialogue. The counselor can also invite the client to verbalize the inner dialogue between the positive knowing part and the negative doubting part.

Counselor: Now I want you to speak your negative thoughts and also your positive thoughts.

An exchange with someone suffering from depression Counselor: If there’s a conversation inside you about the depression, how does it go? Speak the conversation out loud.

Client: I am a failure. Nothing I do is good enough.

Counselor: So that is the negative part of you that feeds the depression. There is another part of you, even if it is a small part, that knows more and that can see the big picture. What does that part say?

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Client: I have been resourceful, independent, and self-reliant. I pay my own rent, buy my own food, hold a job, moved far from home, and have travelled to Europe on my own.

Counselor: Yes. Which part of you feels better than the other part of you: the negative part or the other part?

Working with different personality disorders The beginning of the process is to identify the central issue defining the personality disorder.

Personality disorders are understood as a pattern of behaviour beginning in childhood, causing subjective distress and affecting social and occupational functioning.

The central issue of each disorder is actually the voice of the negative unhealthy self that is larger or stronger than the positive confident self. The goal of therapy is to strengthen the positive confident self and thereby relieve mental distress. This occurs by bringing the inner dialogue into conscious awareness and by focusing attention on the positive healthy confident self by talking about, elaborating, and affirming it.

The negative unhealthy self is significantly fed by negative uncaring experiences during childhood, usually the parental relationship. A way to strengthen the positive self is to say, “What would you say or do if what happened to you happened to your own child?” and “If you were the healthy caring adult or parent in the situation you describe, what would you say or do for you, the child?”

This approach utilizes the person’s own cognitive ability and sense of empathy to create and define healthy choices.

Another approach is to say, “If you had power to change any three things about your childhood or family when you were growing up, what would they be?” and, “I wonder if you can imagine how you might be different today in some ways if things had been different as you describe.”

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This approach helps the person use memory to identify significant unresolved issues from childhood that require healing as well as visualization in order to identify and strengthen the positive healthy self. A key to moving forward is to hold two opposite realities simultaneously, the reality of loss of parental caring or other loss and also one’s power to make healthy choices in thought and action now: “Maybe you could not choose what happened in your childhood, and you can choose what you do now.�

Paranoid Personality Disorder Central issue: No one can be trusted because they want to harm me in some way.

Common associated major negative life experience: Loss of caring and closeness in the parental relationship during childhood. Possibly physical or verbal abuse.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: What happened in your childhood or your past that you think has contributed most to your distrust of others?

I wonder if part of you knows what someone would be like if they could be trusted.

How much is your fear and distrust based on what you think about other people? If you could allow yourself to think differently about others, how might your fear be affected?

How would you feel toward others if you could believe that people are generally sincere and well-intentioned?

Schizoid Personality Disorder Central issue: No one understands me because I am different.

I prefer to be alone.

Common associated major negative life experience: Childhood abuse, loss of parental caring, bullying.

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Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: When in your life did you first start feeling alone or of being lonely?

What happened in your childhood or your past that you think has contributed most to your desire to be alone?

I wonder how you might be different today if there had been something different in your life when you were growing up.

What is your image of the person you want to be? Describe this person for me.

Part of you prefers to be alone. Another part of you has a different need or different idea about people. What does that part say?

Schizotypal Personality Disorder Central issue: I have odd or delusional thoughts but I may not recognize them as odd or delusional; no one can be trusted.

Possible abuse or abandonment experience in childhood.

Common associated major negative life experience: Loss of parental caring; lack of social skill development in childhood.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: Part of you thinks what you described (the odd thought) is true, and maybe you need to have those thoughts for now.

Part of you believes no one can be trusted, and everyone wants to harm you in some way.

There is another part of you that may have a different idea about your thoughts and knows what you need and who you can be. What does that part of you say?

Antisocial Personality Disorder Central issue: I am willing to violate the rights of others to serve my own profit and pleasure.

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Common associated major negative life experience: Lack of parental discipline during childhood; loss of parental caring.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: Part of you is use to surviving on your own, believes sometimes you must take advantage of other people to look after your own interest, and that the end justifies the means. Is that accurate?

There is another part of you that feels a little guilty about taking advantage of others to meet your own needs. What does that part of you say?

Borderline Personality Disorder Central issue: I don’t have control over my emotions. “I hate you, don’t leave me.” I am afraid of abandonment.

Common associated major negative life experience: Abuse and/or abandonment during childhood.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: Part of you hates people, feels emotionally negative toward others, and also fears being left alone by others. Who was the first important person in your life who hurt or left you?

Another part of you, perhaps a small part, believes that you are capable of being OK and surviving even if people leave you.

What else does that part know? Maybe that you can manage your emotions, especially your anger?

Histrionic Personality Disorder Central issue: I need the attention and approval of others in order to be happy. My worth depends on my physical attractiveness.

Common associated major negative life experience: Childhood abuse and learning to believe that value is associated with sexuality or external appearance. Lack of training in healthy values and beliefs during childhood.

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Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: Part of you believes your worth depends upon your sex appeal and physical appearance.

There is another wiser part, even if it is a small part of you, that knows more about you and your worth as a person. What does that part say?

Narcissistic Personality Disorder Central issue: My ideas and abilities are superior to those of others.

Common associated major negative life experience: Parental abandonment or rejection by the father.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: Part of you thinks your ideas and abilities are superior, perhaps far superior, to those of others.

Another part of you thinks you may be an imposter or feels very inferior to others. What does that part say?

And part of you thinks others are capable of having important ideas and abilities. What does that part say?

Avoidant Personality Disorder Central issue: I am afraid that others will criticize me in social situations.

Common associated major negative life experience: Critical parenting during childhood or bullying by peers or siblings.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: There is part of you that is afraid of criticism in social situations.

Another part of you is able to reassure you or encourage you.

What does that part say?

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Dependent Personality Disorder Central issue: I fear being alone and must subordinate my own needs and feelings to those on whom I rely.

Common associated major negative life experience: Dominating parenting that makes obedience and subservience a condition of caring.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: Part of you believes you must serve others in order to be accepted by them, and you must be accepted by them in order to be happy.

Another, knowing part of you believes you are worthwhile even if others do not accept you. This part wants you to be true to yourself and to assert your own needs and feelings even if others are displeased. What else does it say?

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Central issue: I must control my environment and finances, because of my fear of chaos, disorder, or poverty. Things, working, and financial security are more important than people.

Common associated major negative life experience: Poverty or financial stress or financial loss during childhood.

Therapeutic statements supporting the healthy self: Part of you thinks you must achieve and maintain financial security even if you must sacrifice closeness and caring in your relationships with others. If that seems accurate, elaborate on this a little.

Another part of you believes people and the quality of your relationships are more important than things or even than keeping order.

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Counseling Assessment Self-Healing Life Story Questionnaire Instructions: Only say as much as you want to. Skip questions that are too uncomfortable, but think about why they are. Simply completing this questionnaire can be a healing experience in itself.

To understand the deeper meaning of the questions and your answers, consider this important resource Effective Counseling Skills.

Introduce Yourself 1. What is your first name?

2. What is your age and gender?

3. What is your marital status? Single, married, separated, or divorced? How long? Explain the reasons for separation(s) or divorce(s). What happened?

4. What is your race, ethnic, or cultural background?

Caucasian, Chinese, East Indian, Aboriginal, Other?

5. What are your children's genders and ages? If they are adults, give their occupations and marital situation.

6. Do you live alone or with someone? How long?

What Happened?

7. What problems and concerns do you have now?

8. What emotions have you been having and what is each one about? Fear, anger, frustration, guilt, sadness, low self-worth, despair, other feelings?

9. How long have you been feeling this way? (for each feeling or problem) 10. What happened at the time you began feeling this way?

11. When have you felt like this in the past and what happened?

12. Any health problems? E.g. epilepsy, diabetes, etc.

13. Any counseling or hospitalized for emotional reasons?

How old were you? Please give the reasons.

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The Family You Grew Up In and Your Childhood 14. How many brothers and sisters do you have? Give each person's gender, age, occupation, and marital situation.

15. Which one are you in the line of birth? First, last, second or third, etc. How many years separate you from the others nearest you?

16. Who were you closest to when growing up?

17. Are your parents still living? What was your age at their death?

18. Have your experienced any other deaths of family members or friends? What was your age?

19. Describe your father's (and step-father's) personality and your relationship to him when you were growing up.

Were you close, not so close, distant, affectionate? Give an example of something that happened that shows this and how old you were.

20. Talk about how your relationship with your father (or father figure) during childhood may have affected you in both positive and negative ways.

21. How have the negative experiences with your father figure(s), come up again in your relationships with other people up to now?

22. Describe your mother's (and step-mother's) personality and your relationship to her when you were growing up.

Were you close, not so close, distant, affectionate? Give an example of something that happened that shows this and how old you were.

23. Talk about how your relationship with your mother (or mother figure) during childhood may have affected you in both positive and negative ways.

24. How have the negative experiences with your mother figure(s), come up again in your relationships with other people up to now?

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25. What were your spiritual or religious beliefs before age 10 and how have your beliefs changed since then?

26. What was your role in the family when you were growing up? Think of a word, e.g. peacemaker, black sheep, victim, outsider, assistant parent, invisible, baby, etc.?

Give an example of what happened.

27. Describe your parents' relationship. Were they affectionate? How did they deal with conflict? Give an example of what happened.

28. Was anyone in the family or extended family ever hospitalized for emotional reasons or commit suicide?

Any mental retardation?

29. How did family members relate to each other when you were growing up? Give an example.

30. How were feelings of anger, sadness, fear, and guilt expressed? Give an example.

31. Describe a time when you were disciplined that was most painful for you. How old were you? What happened?

32. What personality features do you have which your parents also have?

33. Who was there for you when you were hurt as a child?

34. What messages about your worth and the worth of others, was communicated by each parent both verbally and nonverbally?

35. How old were you when you left home, and why did you leave?

36. If you had power to change your family when you were growing up and your childhood in any three ways, what would you choose?

37. If your family experience had been different in the ways you mentioned above, how do you imagine your life might be different today?

38. Do you know if your mother had any problems with your birth?

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Your School Experience and Friends 39. What was the first day of school like?

40. How many moves and school changes occurred during school years? How old were you, what grades did you move and why?

41. Describe your relationships with teachers.

42. Describe your relationships with peers.

43. Do you believe you achieved your best in school? Why? What grade or education level did you complete? What happened?

44. Did you have a group of friends during the first six grades? If not, why?

45. Did you have one or two very close friends as a teenager? If not, why?

46. Did you tend to be a follower or a leader with friends as a teenager?

47. How old were you when you first started go out with someone (or dated)?

48. Do you have a satisfactory network of friends, family, groups? Describe these briefly.

49. How would you describe the types of people you associate with? (What is your role with friends and acquaintances? Helper, victim, other?)

Your Work Experiences 50. How old were you when you first went to work?

51. What types of jobs have you had and how many? Why did you leave each job?

52. What has been your role at work? Helper, invisible, responsible, victim, other? And how have you gotten along with bosses?

Your Social Life and Relationships 53. What was your first date like for you?

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54. How old were you with your first sexual experience? And first intercourse?

55. How many sexual partners have you had over time? And what is your sexual preference or orientation? (heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual) 56. Describe your partner’s personality and your relationship. Aggressive, passive, abusive, caring, other? And describe previous meaningful relationships, their personalities, and why they ended.

Your Legalities, Use of Substances, Financial Situation 57. Have you had any past arrests, warrants, charges, suits against you? How old were you and what were they about?

58. What amount of debt do you have?

59. Any drug or alcohol use? Why do you use it? Has anyone complained that you use too much or too often?

Your Mood 60. Have you ever had suicidal thoughts at any time in your life? How old were you? What happened?

61. What is your mood right now on a scale of zero (0) to 10, with zero meaning ‘life is not worth living’ and 10 meaning you are very optimistic and life is wonderful?

What number do you give your mood?

62. Any thought of wanting to harm yourself or anyone else?

Your Final Thoughts and Understandings 63. What are your greatest strengths? And what skills or abilities do you currently have the most confidence in?

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64. Having looked at your life from early days until now, what do you think may have contributed most to your present difficulties?

65. Of all the questions above, what has been most difficult for you to face?

66. If you were to continue on a path of change and growth what would you hope to achieve or what would be your goals in counselling?

67. What has it been like completing your Life Story Questionnaire?

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Reaching Agreement Steps To Peace Through Creative Solution Development* The process can involve a single individual, a couple, two or more parties having issues, or a large group, and moves beyond control to mutual agreement or majority decision.

Explain that the process depends upon acceptance of the following guidelines by all participants: 1. Do not judge, criticize, or evaluate any ideas as you engage in the solution development process.

2. Do not use attempts to exercise power or control of any kind: such as anger, yelling, name-calling, put-downs, threats or intimidation or manipulation.

Step One: Identifying Issues 1. The facilitator invites participants to say “what issues and challenges need to be addressed.�

2. The facilitator writes these issues in a numbered list on a chalk board or flip chart.

(As the issues are being stated, the facilitator uses reflective listening as needed in order to clarify meaning. In the event a strong emotion is expressed or a participant becomes too verbal, the facilitator uses reflective statements, checks if the person feels understood, then directs the participants back to the issue.)

3. The facilitator then asks members to say the number of one of the listed issues that he thinks needs to be addressed first.

4. The facilitator makes a tick by the number of each listed issue selected by participants, then circles the one with the most ticks; this becomes the first issue for solution development.

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Step Two: Creating Solutions 1. Writing the issue on the chalkboard or flipchart, the facilitator makes a numbered list below it and says, “Now I would like us to brainstorm as many solutions for this issue as you can think of, and as you state them I will write them down on this list without judgment, criticism or discussion.”

2. To increase the number of ideas and with writing material, large groups can break into small groups or dyads and brainstorm using the following statements presented by the facilitator: a. Let’s write down what’s happening now, because that is always a choice. b. What’s the opposite of what’s happening now? c. What is a fantasy of what you might like to see happen but you don’t think is possible? d. Think of an approach that seems silly or ridiculous. e. Imagine what someone you respect (a relative or other wise person) might say as a solution. f. I can think of a possible solution that would work well and that no one has mentioned. Can anyone quess what it is? (the facilitator writes down ideas the participants guess) g. My idea is ...... (facilitator adds his or her solution to the numbered list) Step Three: Reaching A Creative Agreement 1. The facilitator says: “Now using your writing material, I would like each of you to take a separate sheet of paper and privately write down the number of up to three of the listed possible solutions or approaches that you think would be most practical or workable to address the challenge or issue.”

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2. The facilitator says: “Now tell me the number of the listed solutions you have chosen, and I will make a tick by each of the solutions.�

3. The three solutions most selected by the participants become the creative agreement or solution strategy for the issue addressed.

4. Depending on the issue, volunteers can be invited and a time can be determined to implement the strategy or action plan.

5. Repeat Step Two and Step Three for the second, third, fourth, etc. issue selected most often by the participants. *If the conflict is related to differences in philosophy, religion, personal taste, or if agreement cannot be reached, the following approaches may provide a solution: agree to disagree, flip a coin, take turns or agree to separate or alternating action plans, implement trial time periods to try different plans, or return to the above process.

Additional information is found in the practical manual How To Do Professional Mental Health Counseling.

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Your Spirituality Score Spirituality provides values and beliefs for making healthy choices, a foundation of hope and meaning for direction and optimism, and support and encouragement to face major life difficulties.

Strengthening your spiritual growth and awareness can set you on a path to find inner peace, physical and mental healing, and personal fulfillment.

Your Spirituality Score is based on how many questions of the total for which you can provide a confident answer, rather than saying, “I don’t know.� Responses can be written, verbal, or mental, but written may be beneficial for most people.

1. What is your age, gender, and ethnic/race origin?

2. What were the spiritual/religious views of your father? Your mother?

3. How has your spirituality changed from your childhood until now?

4. Is there anything more than the material universe? Do you believe anything is true that you cannot personally and directly perceive with your five senses? Explain.

5. Do you believe intelligence and creativity exist in the universe? Explain.

6. Do you believe in the existence of a transcendent intelligence or superior reasoning power? Explain why or why not.

7. Do you see evidence of creative intelligence in the design and complexity of the universe or do you lean toward a material natural explanation?

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8. Do you believe all human beings have equal worth and value? Explain why or why not? What are the implications?

9. Do you believe the human species has greater or superior value or greater importance or more responsibility compared to other life forms? Why or why not? What are the implications?

10. What is the meaning or purpose of human existence?

11. How do you know what is right and wrong?

12. What is the most important thing you can do with your life?

13. Is hope important? Explain.

14. What happens after you die? Does your individual identity or consciousness continue to exist? What are the implications?

15. Is the idea of the meaning of human life essential to the idea of hope? Explain.

16. Is the idea of right and wrong essential to the idea of meaning? Explain.

17. What have been some of the most important influences on you for what you value and believe?

18. What spiritual practices do you have? Prayer, centering prayer, meditation, scripture reading, worship, singing, other.

19. Does moral accountability only happen within the legal systems of nations? Is there ultimate accountability in a venue after death? What are the implications?

20. If people are reborn into new lives, what if anything determines the nature or quality of their existence? What are the implications?

21. Comment on this statement: “Many people think only tangible things are real, yet the same people admit intangible 51

things are most important: love, compassion, empathy, justice, morality, consciousness, wisdom, human value, meaning of life, and eternity... for without these, life is void and vain, and aspirations mere illusions.”

22. Have you ever experienced what you believe to be a sign or communication from God or other spiritual being?

23. What is your view of this statement? “Humans are spiritual beings existing in physical bodies.”

24. Do you believe you have convincing evidence of spiritual reality?

25. What is your idea of an ideal society? World? Life?

26. When does an individual human life begin?

27. What is the essence of the self?

28. Do you believe angels and demons exist?

29. Do you believe everyone after death goes to heaven or to hell?

30. Do you believe the superior reasoning power has ever communicated with humanity?

31. How open are you to exploring different aspects of spirituality?

32. If you saw someone raise the dead, what would you think or do?

33. If you saw a person die and then you saw him alive again a few days later, what would you think or do?

34. Comment on the statement: “Humans are a parasite infestation of the earth.”

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35. How can you prove to anyone else that you are aware of yourself, your own consciousness?

36. Describe a healthy relationship.

37. How important is your spirituality to your life? And do you want your spirituality to increase or decrease?

38. If we are made in the image of God, what qualities do we share with God? 39. Read Isaiah, chapter 53, written in 700 BC. Who is being described? See other amazing examples of future-telling here or http://goo.gl/uM1e7p 40. Do you now belong to or have you thought of joining a spiritual community to strengthen your values and beliefs for making healthy choices, to acquire a foundation of hope and meaning for direction and optimism, and to receive support and encouragement to face major life difficulties?

41. How has this questionnaire affected your awareness of your belief in non-material things?

Final instructions: Count the number of questions for which you struggled to give a sincere answer, and then subtract the number from the number 41. The answer is your Spirituality Score.

How to use this assessment: Whatever your score may be, give further consideration to questions you are unsure about or for which you have difficulty giving a response.

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Calculating Your Spirituality Score 1. Make a mark indicating any question for which you feel unable to give a satisfactory answer or that you find especially challenging.

2. Add the number of marks in #1 and subtract this number from 41.

3. The answer to #2 is your Spirituality Score.

NOTE: This score and your answers to questions are to be used only by you and anyone to whom you grant permission.

Total number of questions

41

Number of difficult questions Your Spirituality Score

For assistance to explore or discuss your score, email collegemhc@gmail.com

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Counseling for Depression Depression can be caused by chemical changes in the body, physical illness, and different types of loss. Very often, depression and anxiety are the result of self-defeating life patterns forming unhealthy neural pathways that can be healed by incorporating caring self-talk and by supporting self-worth and assertiveness. We tend to do to ourselves and to others that which was done to us in childhood. Now as adults we must give to ourselves all the healthy things we needed from healthy parents. Here are some things to do to change the innerdialogue foundations of depression and anxiety: Step 1. Write down the negative things you think about yourself, others, and your circumstances.

This activity will bring to your conscious awareness the negative thinking and self-talk that is common to many kinds of depression and anxiety. The negative and self-critical self-talk demoralizes the ego and manifests as feeling down, blue, sad, anxious, fearful and self-doubting. This low mood and anxiety then affect sleeping, eating, and low energy. Common examples of negative self-talk are: I am incapable, I can't do it, I am unlovable, I am a failure, I failed again, I can't do it, No one wants to talk to me, No one cares about me, etc.

Step 2. Write down statements that are self-caring, nurturing, reassuring, supportive, and validating.

This exercise helps to identify the opposites of the negative self-talk: I can do it, I have strengths and abilities, I am caring and kind, I can get what I need and want, I deserve to be happy, I can succeed, I am just as important and valuable as anyone else, My pain is normal for what I have been through, etc.

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Step 3. Write down negative things parents said or communicated to you when you were growing up.

Here you can write down what you thought parents felt about you by what they said or did such as: I wish you were never born, I do not like you, I do not care about you, I care about alcohol more than I care about you, I do not want to be around you, You are in the way, You are a bother, You should be seen but not heard, You can’t do that, You could have done better, You will never amount to anything, Don’t cry, etc.

Step 4. Write down things you needed or wanted parents to say to you as a child.

Here you can write the things you wanted or needed parents to say or do such as: I love you no matter what happens, I am so glad you are in my life, You can succeed, It's OK to cry when you're hurt, Everything will be OK, I felt the same as you sometimes, Imagine the possibilities. You are good at that, You are so helpful, You are so kind and caring, etc.

Step 5. Write down what you would do or say if you saw another child being treated the way you were treated in #3.

If you heard someone say mean things to a child or slap a child, what would you say? Maybe you would say things like: You have no right to say that, Be nice to the child, The child needs your love, You need to support your child and be reassuring and caring and loving and affectionate, You need to be encouraging, etc.

Step 6. If you had all the positive things as a child that you needed from healthy parents, how do you imagine your life might be different today?

If your parents had said encouraging, caring, and supportive things to you as a child, how do you imagine your life might be different today? This step helps you formulate and create a vision for how your life can be different in a healthy way.

Depression that comes from negative self-talk is a form of self57

abandonment and self-abuse. The ultimate self-abuse and selfabandonment is self-harm and suicidal thinking. Conversely, hope, optimism, self-worth, and self-confidence form the basis of a stable mood and sense of security, safety, confidence, well-being, inner peace, personal power, and happiness.

Step 7. Now you must be for yourself all the things that you needed your parents to be for you: encouraging, nurturing, loving, caring, supportive, and reassuring.

This means you need to say to yourself and be for yourself all the positive things you needed from healthy parents. If no one else can give you the caring that you need, who does that leave? Ultimately, you are the one who must care for you. So this means you must choose healthy people to be in your life, and you must be supportive of yourself and of that other healthy caring person you have chosen to be in your life. In this way you will be caring of yourself. Another important piece is to stand up for yourself and support yourself when you are treated badly by others.

Step 8. You must be assertive.

Stand up for yourself by saying things like: I don't like your tone, I deserve more respect than that, I deserve a raise in salary, I feel annoyed when...., etc. Take care of that little boy or girl who was abused and mistreated. That little boy or girl is still inside you and needs your protection. Be for yourself now what you needed then as a child. Will you stand up for him or her? When will you start?

The Angel View When depressed some years ago because of a painful loss, I was sinking and stuck in despair. Then I thought that the angels are watching, looking down from above, and able to see my life from beginning to end. They can see the valleys and mountains of my life, and they are wondering how I will face the present 58

challenge. Will I be stopped and give up, defeated? Or will I move forward and on to the next challenge?

On realizing this and seeing my life from beginning to end, I understood that life is an adventure with obstacles and opportunities, mountains and valleys. I concluded that my life will change if I can persevere. I saw that the sense of loss and depression were only temporary and that other challenges await.

When I saw the angel view, my depression lifted, and I felt free to go forward in my life knowing that I am able to move through the momentary difficulties and challenges of life.

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Practicing thePresence of God Spiritual Mindfulness

by Daniel Keeran, MSW, College of Mental Health Counselling www.ctihalifax.com

1 John 3:6 ...and people who stay one in their hearts with him won’t keep on sinning.

If they do keep on sinning, they don’t know Christ, and they have never seen him Contemporary English Version (CEV) Spiritual Mindfulness definition: Focusing one’s conscious awareness upon the attributes and thoughts of God as fully present in the current moment.

“Where is God? I don’t see any God. Show me God, and I will believe.”

How many times have you heard this? And maybe you are hearing it more as time goes by. We all have friends or family members who doubt that God exists, and sometimes you may have doubts about God’s presence or sometimes you may feel very distant from God or may simply not be aware of his presence.

Peter says our confidence is not about seeing Him but about loving and believing in Him. 1 Peter 1:7-9 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

The difference between a secular mindset and a sacred mindset is that in the secular life, one engages in daily life disconnected and without awareness of God. In the sacred life, 60

one engages in daily life with a strong awareness of God. In the sacred life, the child of God sees everything and every moment in the context of the spiritual and says, “The God of the universe who holds everything together is fully and personally present right here, right now.”

When you read sacred scripture, you are struck in every verse by the writers’ constant awareness of God. This is in stark contrast with the secular life in which one merely seeks the good life in harmony with one’s neighbour but without any awareness of God. When a child is very young she is aware of God, then from pre-school to university, the secular worldview is taught, and the secular media and the secular workplace prohibit God, or place faith in a negative light. So the faith community is an oasis where we fill up on God. Then we leave the community, the secular chains go back on, and God is left behind. Is that what happens?

To live spiritually and to break off the secular chains, believe God is always present, always caring, always guiding and directing and nurturing, always eager to hear from you, always forgiving, always loving, always reaching out to you, always watching and waiting for you to turn to him, and when you do turn to God, he sings and rejoices over you. Do you believe it?

If you believe it, you can know it, then you can see God at work everywhere and hear God’s constant reassurance and encouragement.

Psalm 139:7-10 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

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God is present and near to you right here, right now. What emotions do you feel? If you believe it you can see and feel God with your heart right now.

God loves you and He is so proud of you.

Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Listen to God singing and rejoicing over you. What do you feel?

Maybe you feel so loved, so accepted, so cared for by the Creator of the universe that you think for a moment it could last forever, and that is exactly what God wants for you.

Psalm 147:11 “The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

Believe the Lord is proud of you. What do you feel? Yes, God is proud of you. Maybe you feel peaceful and happy, a sense of deep contentment. This picture of delight the Father feels about you is described in the story of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:20-23 “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.”

If you believe God delights in you, loves you, and rejoices in song over you, then you can see and hear God with the eyes 62

and ears of your heart. Can you begin to see and hear God and sense his constant presence and love for you?

Suppose God told someone to write a note and give it to you and the note said, “You can’t see me, but I am very close to you right now and I want you to know that I love and care about you and that I am working in your life to make good things happen.” How would you feel if you received that note? Wouldn’t it be wonderful? Wouldn’t you feel special and confident and have such peace that would never fade away? God has written such a note. It’s called the Bible...the holy scriptures. It’s a bit longer than a note.

Psalm 119:64 “The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees.” If you believe, you can know, and then you can see the evidence of God’s love everywhere. Look around the room. See those in whom the Spirit lives. See all the gifts of God around you.

2 Corinthians 5:16 “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”

God works directly in your life. to make everything work for your good and for his purposes.

Psalm 138:8 “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever....” God is making things happen in your life to serve his purposes. You do believe God will fulfill his purpose for you. You do feel his constant enduring love for you.

Psalm 145:20 “The LORD watches over all who love him...”

You do believe God watches over you. God is looking at you right now, right here. Do you know it? What emotion comes 63

up inside you right now as you sense God’s attention focused on you? Does it make you want to smile?

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” You have the confidence that God is working in your life and will make everything work out even through suffering and tragedy. Look for ways God is working in your life and give thanks in everything, knowing God is working in all things for your good.

Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”

Ephesians 5:20 “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Remember the words of Job: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed is the name of the Lord.” And “Even if the Lord slays me, yet will I serve him.” You can have the faith of Job. You can feel those chains of doubt and unbelief falling away.

God will always love you and nothing will ever change that.

You are surrounded by his love and that will never change.

God’s own love has been poured into our hearts.

Romans 5:5 “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

If you believe God’s love is in you, then you can love everyone as God loves. Remember that God loves the world so much that he gave Jesus to suffer and die and take away the sins of the world. What a wonderful gift to have inside you!

God’s own love.

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Romans 8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Faith is how we enter into eternal reality; how we come to God. Today I want you to be aware of God’s presence and nearness.

God is Spirit, so you cannot see Him with your physical eyes, but you can see God with the eyes of your heart, the eyes of faith. You can believe and know that God is near you and in you. Then knowing this, you can look at God and see God looking back at you. You can speak to God and hear God speaking to you. God is always speaking and saying more than you can hear. Your mind and heart cannot possibly contain or hear all that God is saying. Can your mind contain all that is written? His word is living and active. Your heart must be selective because if you heard all that God is saying to you, you would be overwhelmed. The more of God’s word you know, the more you will be able to hear what God is saying to you personally.

2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Things that are seen are temporary but things unseen are eternal. So through every word of God, that Jesus says we live by, we know about God and about his relationship with us. So 65

when we read or hear God’s word, we believe it, and by this we know God, see God, and hear God, not with physical eyes and ears but by the eyes and ears of our hearts, the eyes and ears of faith.

Jesus made this direct reference when he said, “Having eyes they see not and ears they hear not”....he’s talking about having the eyes and ears of faith.

Being aware of God requires engaging in certain kinds of activity that encourage faith. Our physical eyes see material things, and so God is often not in our minds. The saying “out of sight out of mind” is true. Because we do not see God with our physical eyes, God is not in our mind. Yet God is always present, and so we must encourage one another to be aware of God’s presence by talking about spiritual things and listening to spiritual teaching, singing praises and spiritual songs, and reading God’s word.

We are made alive.

Since we walk around and breathe in these bodies, we naturally think we are alive. The following words must be taken to mean we are made alive (with Christ) in a spiritual way and forgiven of sins, and this is associated with the act of baptism (overwhelmed with physical water) when it is done as a conscious act of faith: Colossians 2:12-13 “….having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ.

He forgave us all our sins….”

Identical terms are used in Ephesians 2:4-6, but without a direct mention of baptism: 66

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ….”

Why doesn’t God just show himself, or work a miracle, or shout with a booming voice from the sky?

1 Corinthians 1:22-24 “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

“The just shall live by faith” Romans 1:17, and by this faith we know God, we know his presence, we know his love. If God’s word says it, then we know it is real even if we do not see with our physical eyes.

Faith says: James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Believe and know that God is near you right now.

What emotions are you feeling? Maybe a little anxious but also loved and assured.

Faith says: Hebrews 10:22 “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith...”

Faith says: 1 John 4:12 “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

Faith says: Acts 17:27-28 “...reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets 67

have said, 'We are his offspring.' “ Your life depends upon God. God gave us the spirit of life in each of us, and he is near you right now. Know and feel the presence of God right now.

Faith says: John 14:23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” You follow his teaching. You are living in the center of his will and trusting his grace. Then you know God is with you right now, and when you sleep, when you go about your daily activities, in every moment God is present and living with you and in you because “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God” 1 Corinthians 6:19.

Faith says: 2 Cor.1:3-7 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”

Believe God cares about you so much that he is here right now to comfort you, to reassure you, to let you know that he is working everything out for your good. He is the God of all comfort for every kind of trouble.

Faith says: Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

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Do you know Christ?

Paul says in Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, so that I may somehow attain to the resurrection from the dead.

In Hebrews 1:1-3 we find these wonderful words: After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

The Spirit of God can live within.

In order to have the Spirit of God living within, one must live according to or bear the fruits of the Spirit.

Romans 8:5-11 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he 69

who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Have you seen Jesus our Lord?

Matthew 25:39-41 ‘When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I like this fictional version of the 4th wise man. The story is that there was a 4th wise man but he became ill and could not go with the other three to see the baby Jesus and to lay their gifts at his feet. So they left without him. Then when he was feeling better the wise man started out to take his precious jewel as a gift for the new Saviour King of Israel. But on his way, he met a poor dying beggar, so he sold the jewel to buy the beggar some food shelter and clothing, then came a leper, then a man robbed and left for dead, and after many years he had spent all he had on caring for those in need. Many years later, he was in Jerusalem and heard that Jesus was condemned to be crucified. The wise man hurried to see Jesus carrying his cross.

Jesus looked at the wise man and smiled.

When you see the homeless or anyone in trouble, draw near to them, attend to them, and then you will draw near to Jesus.

Don’t walk by on the other side.

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Who is this God? John 1:3 “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” The universe from the smallest atom or single-cell organism to the vastness of space and billions of galaxies...He made it all.

Colossians 1:17 “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

When you think about God being present, think about who God is. Then think about his promise to be near you and words of faith that this God is really present in you and with you.

This almighty all-powerful creator God who holds everything together is sitting right next to you right now.

Look at him with the eyes of your heart.

Then listen with the ears of faith. God is always speaking to you more than you can possibly hear.

What is God saying?

I love you more than you can imagine. I care about you. I know you better than you know yourself, and I will always give you what you need. I love you so much that I suffered and died and took all your sins and punishment upon myself. I forgive you. I forgave you when you were immersed into Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins as my servant Peter spoke in Acts 2:38.

Psalm 139:1-4 “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” God knows 71

you personally and intimately. He knows you far better than you know yourself.

Matthew 10:30 “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Does anyone here know how many hairs are on your head? That’s just a tiny example of how thoroughly God knows you.

Matthew 6:8 “...for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” You don’t have to worry about what you need.

God already knows what you need and what is best for you.

God says, I will make good things happen from suffering. I will comfort and guide you when you trust me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.”

God says, ask me for anything and I will do it when you want to serve my purpose. When we ask God for something, we need to humbly say, “Lord I ask this only if it serves your purpose and gives you glory, because otherwise I don’t want it.”

God says, when you ask for my forgiveness, you know that I will forgive you and will not be angry with you.

God is eager to hear from you.

God is eagerly waiting for your conversation. Talk to him now and often.

“I love you Lord, and I give my life to serve and worship you.

Thank you for always being here for me. Thank you for my life, and for my health. I depend on you for everything. Help me to always remember to talk to you and to serve you. Give me wisdom to do great things for you my Lord. Open doors for me.

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Make things happen and give me opportunities to share your love and forgiveness with the lost and hurting around me.”

Psalm 42:8 “By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.” Remember God’s love directed toward you today.

1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer...” Remember God is present, watching and waiting for you to speak to him.

James 4:2 “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” He is ready to answer your prayer.

1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

God says we can go to him with confidence that he will answer when we ask anything to serve his purpose.

James 1:5-7” If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.”

Are you confused about what to do? Ask the Lord for wisdom, and know that you will receive it.

Psalm 16:7 “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.” When you lie awake at night, listen for counsel from the Lord.

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Spiritual Practice Here is an example of what you can say to come near to God in faith.

First, remind yourself: “God made the universe and holds everything together. Jesus promised to make his home with me. God is always near and present because I live and move in God who is all around me.

This God is here now, near me and seeing me, and eager to hear from me. Now in faith believing and knowing God is as close as my breath, I can hear his voice loving and forgiving me. I know that I can tell him what I feel and what I want to do, and he will do it if it will serve his purpose and glorify him because that’s all I ever want to do.”

Then think something like: “Thank you, God. I know you are here right now. God, use me up. Show me things that will encourage others and serve your purpose. Thank you for always being with me to guide me and make good things happen. I will always trust and never doubt you, Lord. But if I do doubt, I know you will still be there patiently and eagerly waiting for me. In Jesus’ precious name.

Amen.”

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SIXTEEN GUIDELINES FOR ANGER! from the College of Mental Health Counselling

by Daniel Keeran, MSW www.ctihalifax.com People abused by angry discipline as children, may tend to abuse or overly punish other people or themselves for perceived wrongs in their adult life. In some individuals, aggressive personality traits may be genetically inherited.

Anger is a normal human emotion, and these guidelines can help express anger in a healthy way: 1. no yelling 2. no name-calling 3. no humiliating or demeaning sarcasm 4. no threatening behaviour 5. no pointing your finger or standing over a person 6. no physical anger 7. no obscene language; no profanity 8. no long punishing lectures or emails 9. no dominating conversations 10. use only assertive forms of expression: "I feel angry when you....(observed description of behaviour)" 11. no long punishing silences 12. no passively-aggressive anger, e.g. burning dinner 13. no humiliating sarcasm 14. no serial accusations or criticisms 15. no getting back or getting even or taking revenge 16. no angry discipline 76

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Thirty-Five Positive Suggestions for Ego Strength

by Daniel Keeran, MSW, President, College of Mental Health Counselling, Victoria, Canada YOU ARE OPEN TO INFORMATION IN YOUR SEARCH FOR MEANING

Different personalities may require different approaches. The selfabsorbed person may need “constructive feedback” while the one with low self-esteem may benefit from positive suggestions. People tend to become more of a positive quality and the sense of self-worth is strengthened when you commend their positive quality. The encourager looks for positive qualities already existing in the person, that can be nurtured and strengthened. The person being encouraged must perceive your sincerity, and giving an example as proof of a quality, increases the therapeutic effect. The person you commend feels a desire to fulfill the expectation of the positive quality you acknowledge in them.

The intentional use of positive statements for a predictable benefit, can accurately be termed “Positive Suggestion Therapy,” and the reader can add more examples to values listed here: 1. “You are a kind and considerate person, yet balanced, often thinking of others while supporting yourself in the process.”

2. “You are very loyal and responsible. If you commit to a task, you can be trusted to fulfill it.”

3. “You are honest and transparent. For you, personal integrity is a greater treasure than immense material wealth.”

4. “You think of the needs of others, and you look for ways to help people thrive.”

5. “You speak up for yourself and for people who cannot speak for themselves.”

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6. “You possess a high level of self-awareness, and you can be very positive, supportive, and encouraging of other people as well.”

7. “Your knowledge and intelligence are assets that you use for the good of others and yourself.”

8. “Your creative ability is obvious from your thinking patterns requiring many aspects to be organized.”

9. “Your compassion is apparent from the way you care for others.”

10. “Your insight and self-awareness help you understand your patterns in life and how they work for you and against you, and how you can heal and find solutions, and how to create your own positive suggestions.”

11. “You are making important contributions to the improvement of your own life and of the well-being of others.”

12. “What are some examples of strengths or positive things about you that people sometimes, or perhaps often, overlook?”

13. “Your interest in spiritual things gives depth, inner peace, meaning, hope, and health to your life and the people whose lives you touch.”

14. “What qualities do you see in yourself and others that you think are important or helpful?”

15. “You are a kind and generous person.”

16. “You are sensitive to others needs and feelings.”

17. “You are very respectful of others, and people know you value them.”

18. “You are gentle even with those who oppose you.”

19. “You possess empathic ability and connect well with others emotions.”

20. “You listen well to others.”

21. “You are very patient.”

22. “You are slow to become angry or irritated and you never become hurtful of others.”

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23. “If you have a need or emotion, you are able to let people know in a respectful way.”

24. “You are interested in getting to the truth and telling others about it.”

25. “Your honesty is what helps people trust you.”

26. “You can keep a secret when asked to do so.”

27. “You won’t let yourself be walked on or taken advantage of.”

28. “You like to have order but not by demanding, controlling or intimidating others.”

29. “You encourage others by acknowledging their positive qualities.”

30. “You are emotionally available when people near you need your support.”

31. “You place people above things as a basic value or belief.”

32. “You have effective practical approaches to problems.”

33. “You are not defensive in the face of criticism but rather accept as much responsibility as you can for what others accuse you.”

34. “You express gratitude and appreciation for what others do for you.”

35. “You give hope by creating choices and keeping an optimistic outlook when challenges arise.”

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About the Author Daniel Keeran, MSW, has been a counselor and therapist for over 30 years in hospital and private practice settings. He is the author of Effective Counseling Skills: the practical wording of therapeutic statements and processes, and the founder and President of the College of Mental Health Counseling providing practical online skill training in counseling, for personal and professional development.

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