| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
johnaccardi
USA
182 Posts |
 Posted - 10/16/2008 : 17:15:58
|
| Can journaling be as effective as psychotherapy? Can journaling really bring out the unconscious feelings like psychotherapy can? |
|
|
RageSootheRatio
Canada
430 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2008 : 22:18:46
|
| John, I think this is really a case of "it depends." Great journaling can be MORE effective than bad psychotherapy, but I believe GREAT psychotherapy would trump great journaling (although both together are an excellent idea.) If one has a great therapeutic relationship, the therapist can bring "more to the table" than you could bring alone, even if you are using great books to help with your journaling work. Having said this, journaling can certainly bring out unconscious feelings, but whether one can resolve the feelings on one's own depends on many things. So "bringing out the feelings" is just one part. Of course, bad psychotherapy can cause more problems than it solves, too. So ... it depends on specifics. In your case, if you can access free or low-cost therapy at your school, then that might be worth trying. A therapeutic RELATIONSHIP with a psychotherapist is much richer than a relationship with a journal. |
 |
|
|
johnaccardi
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 07:21:26
|
Thank you, I plan on calling a therapist next week.
When you resolve and unconscious issue, does it help your conscious feelings? For example, lets say someone needs control. They need complete control of their environment because they have unconscious feelings of inferiority. If you resolve these inferior feelings through psychotherapy do you still have this need for control? |
|
|
|
JohnD
USA
371 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 09:06:07
|
John,
Please go to the website www . thepathway . org and check it out. Its better than psychotherapy and cheaper. |
|
|
|
winnieboo
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 09:16:10
|
Hi John, quote:
When you resolve and unconscious issue, does it help your conscious feelings? For example, lets say someone needs control. They need complete control of their environment because they have unconscious feelings of inferiority. If you resolve these inferior feelings through psychotherapy do you still have this need for control?
Good question. I think you can aim to understand why you have inferior feelings. Resolution is more complicated. But, with an understanding of cause (inferior feelings) and effect (need for control), often, the effect or "need" will fall away. With understanding, there's a withering or a letting go. That need to control might not feel as "hot" or raw or important anymore. |
|
|
|
johnaccardi
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 09:39:59
|
Thank you Winniepoo, I think this is amazing. It's really cool what a person can do by exploring their unconscious, they can really heal their life.
JohnD, obviously I'm struggling with my obsession of my TMS symptom, can this site be effective in helping me stop obsessing over the symptom and ultimately make the physical disappear? |
|
|
|
moose1
162 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 10:14:41
|
quote:
Originally posted by JohnD
John,
Please go to the website thepathway and check it out. Its better than psychotherapy and cheaper.
i seriously question this statement.
edit: well, i'm sure it's cheaper, that probably about all it is, tho. |
Edited by - moose1 on 10/17/2008 10:43:44 |
|
|
|
johnaccardi
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 10:37:04
|
| yea, it's hard to believe it's better than psychotherapy |
|
|
|
JohnD
USA
371 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 11:48:16
|
Moose1 -I have no problem with your opinon, but what are you basing it on? A personal experience? Speculation? Could you please explain?
JohnA - go check the website out, or you can read the book 'The Pathway' to learn more. What do you have to lose by getting more information about it and deciding for yourself? |
|
|
|
moose1
162 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 12:19:09
|
quote:
Originally posted by JohnD
Moose1 -I have no problem with your opinon, but what are you basing it on? A personal experience? Speculation? Could you please explain?
JohnD,
Saying anything is better than anything is just too broad of a generalization for me. Is it really better than ALL psychotherapy? This may not have even been what you meant, but I guess I'm just skeptical of solutions for serious problems on the web. Of course, psychotherapy is not a cure all by any stretch, but having a highly personal, dynamic relationship with a good therapist can be very helpful, whereas a website selling a path to joy and calling itself 'The Solution' makes me a bit uneasy.
Best,
Moose |
|
|
|
JohnD
USA
371 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 14:11:21
|
Moose,
Thanks for explaining. I'm skeptical of how a book could be better than physical therapy.....oh wait thats exactly what changed everything for me and thousands of others!!
|
|
|
|
mala
Hong Kong
774 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2008 : 23:17:49
|
quote:
When you resolve an unconscious issue, does it help your conscious feelings? For example, lets say someone needs control. They need complete control of their environment because they have unconscious feelings of inferiority. If you resolve these inferior feelings through psychotherapy do you still have this need for control
Winnieboo is absolutely right when she says 'With understanding, there's a withering or a letting go'. And this is gradual not sudden. That is where journaling helps in that when you journal you not only reduce stress but over time you are able to reflect on certain behaviour patterns that keep coming up. Reading and rereading what you have written makes you even more aware of what these behaviour patterns are.
Most of the time recognizing these behaviour patterns is itself a breakthru. Resolution does not come immediately nor is it necessary. You will not become someone else or stop being who you are overnight but with time you will have better understanding of who you are.
Good Luck & Good Health
Mala
|
Edited by - mala on 10/17/2008 23:33:32 |
|
|
|
johnaccardi
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2008 : 07:04:00
|
JohnD, i'll definately check it out, but because I'm going to college I also have access to free therapy, so maybe I'll try both.
Thanks Mala, I will definately keep journaling and digging deeper into these scary and dangerous unconscious feelings, I think it's awesome how through doing this someone can change who they are essentaily. Before I knew about unconscious feelings I always just thought I was a nervous kid who worried a lot, but now I am beginning to see why and see the ways I can change this. It's really cool. |
|
|
|
RageSootheRatio
Canada
430 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2008 : 19:59:46
|
I am all for checking things out and deciding for one's self, especially if one can check things out with little financial or emotional or mental risk. And believe me, I am extremely skeptical of anything, given how many times I've been burned in my life, and how severely I've been burned!
I saw that 'The Solution' had a free 5-day course, so I just signed up and received Day 1. SO FAR, SO GREAT !! :o) With Day 1 I have had better results so far than a mediocre or run-of-the-mill therapy session (although I guess that's part of the ebb and flow of a therapeutic relationship.)
I don't think journalling of any kind or any self-help method would negate the benefit of a great therapeutic relationship .. many things work beautifully together.
And John, I believe one can resolve many (both conscious AND) unconscious issues/ conflicts etc in psychotherapy, and it is amazing how that can "automatically" (without effort) change what happens in your outside world ... |
|
|
|
mizlorinj
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2008 : 12:32:17
|
quote:
Originally posted by johnaccardi
Thank you, I plan on calling a therapist next week.
. . .If you resolve these inferior feelings through psychotherapy do you still have this need for control?
No, you do not have the need for control when the underlying emotions are released. There is a reason the person feels they need control. That is what is explored.
Happy to hear some are benefiting from The Solution method at thepathway . org. I was a chronic overthinker. Now I'm not. |
Edited by - mizlorinj on 10/21/2008 12:34:07 |
|
|
|
Webdan65
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2008 : 20:28:11
|
| that website for The Pathway seems to be under construction. I can't load the site. Hmmm... |
|
|
|
mizlorinj
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - 10/22/2008 : 06:42:34
|
quote:
Originally posted by Webdan65
that website for The Pathway seems to be under construction. I can't load the site. Hmmm...
I get on the site ok but I know it by heart and type it in or use dropdown. Type in using the text in JohnD's msg above.
They are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
|
Edited by - mizlorinj on 10/22/2008 12:14:43 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
journaling
