Wednesday, November 28, 2012

New Deck Arrived

This week, the new "Toolkit for Transformation: Heal Trauma Fast" decks arrived.

It's a reformatted version of the first round. This new deck has fewer cards (30 instead of the original 52) and a few new ones. It has the new Heal Trauma Fast logo and will be given to those who participate in the training.



I'm still trying to figure out how much to sell the decks for and once I decide, I'll put a button on the HealTraumaFast.com website and include the cost of postage/shipping.

In the past week or so, I've noticed that new tools are dropping into my awareness. Last week, as I was listening to a show on NPR, something the speaker/interviewee said prompted me to think of a tool related to it. I jotted a few notes on a Post-it... and now I can't make complete sense of the darn thing! I didn't write down who was talking so I could at least dig a little to find out more.

Here are the notes I made:

WHAT IF...

What would you FEEL if there was another way, another solution to what is happening?
What would you THINK if there was another solution or path to follow?


I haven't applied it yet with someone else, so let's try it out as a tool on something I've been trying to work through recently:

My dog, Max is 13 years old. He's REALLY old in dog years. And he's not doing too well. I'm struggling with figuring out what to do about him. I'm sad that he's not quite up to his former self and there's a part of me that wants to try everything possible. There's another part of me that's praying, "God, take him FAST if he's even CLOSE to crossing over."

That's Max, the Beagle, on the left. Emma is next to him and Shadow, the kitty is above.
 
If there was another way, another solution, I would FEEL... relieved. I'd be able to take a deep breath and relax into what IS, rather than struggling with it. And, in so doing, I would be open to other possibilities... hmmmm, this might be working.

If there WAS another solution, I would THINK, "I wonder what that solution could be?", which would activate my curiosity and I'd also be open to looking for solutions. Lately, I've noticed that just being open -- asking a question in my mind, then noticing when ideas come to me -- has brought some amazing solutions.

What's happening now is that although I feel sad that I'm starting to lose one of my "best friends", I'm able to see how he has enriched my life in the 13 years I've had him. I'm starting to remember/think about the funny stories, which makes me chuckle.

It's hard to laugh and be sad at the same time.

The laughter brings lightness. And a reminder of a different perspective for me.

Relief.

It doesn't make the situation less serious. That's not going to change. But what's happened is that I have a different perspective -- it's not all one-sided. Which changes everything within ME.

Ok, so that tool worked pretty well for this situation.

Now YOU try it on something in your life!

Let me know how it goes. Leave a comment for me and I'll be sure to respond.

Dr. Suz





Friday, November 16, 2012

Toolkit Background

A Little Background…
By Suzan K. Thompson, Ph.D.

Early in 2009, I was feeling distraught and stuck – until I read Joe Vitale’s book, Attractor Factor, and was inspired to begin jotting notes about the various tools and techniques I’ve used in my counseling sessions with clients. Only this time, I was the one needing some help! In the middle of feeling distressed, the ideas flowed. And in a matter of a few days, these cards were born. They made me feel better – and the tools in this TOOLKIT have helped many other people feel better, too.

About the original cards and deck:    
The original deck of 52 different tools and strategies were cards. This “Toolkit for Transformation” blog will come from a variety of psychological, spiritual, energy-based, complementary, and integrative approaches. They could help you change your negative energy into positive or shift your self-defeating thoughts into ones that support you better. The strategies have been tested by many people -- clients, students, friends and colleagues,  as well as by me – helping us all to manage and transform difficult the feelings, concerns, and situations that you may also be facing. 

This Toolkit for Transformation blog is designed to provide handy assistance in troubled times.  It is not intended to deliver counseling or psychological services by itself. Please be sure to consult a professional counselor for information and advice on the suitability of the use of the information in this blog.

I hope you will let me know about your experiences using the Toolkit For Transformation. You’re welcome to respond to this blog or email me with your stories of personal growth and transformation. And if you have another idea for a tool that could be added to the Toolkit, let me know that, too!

Supporting your courage on life’s journey,

Dr. Suzan K. Thompson, Ph.D.
Licensed Professional Counselor, Virginia Beach, Virginia