How to Use These Pages

Self-Therapy For People Who ENJOY Learning About Themselves

Many ways to learn and enjoy!

AS ADVICE ON HOW TO HELP YOURSELF

Read every article here at least once. If you find yourself EITHER very interested in a topic OR wanting to run away from it, read that article at least once each day for a few days.

AS A "SELF-THERAPY TRAINING PROGRAM"

For those who really want to "dive in."

Follow the advice under "applied self help" AND read every other article critically(meaning both "closely" and "to see if I agree with it"). Correspond with me about differences of opinion.  (What I learn from you will help me, and it will eventually help all who visit this web site.)

AS A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONALS

If your work puts you in the role of "advisor" in any sense, you might want to use these pages as part of your professional training or the training you offer for others. Therapists, counselors, sponsors, ministers, and supervisors of all types can benefit. Correspond with me for help to apply this material to your specific concerns.

ANY WAY YOU WANT TO!

Many people have selected certain topics, shown them to the important people in their lives, and invited "open discussions." Some people have made copies of certain articles and distributed them in therapy groups, church groups, at AA meetings, etc. (Ethically, you should always make sure my name and credentials are shown.)

If it HELPS you or someone you care about, it's a good idea!

(If you use this material as part of a profit making endeavor, however, you will need to make an agreement with me before you begin. See "Practice Building" information.)

ABOUT THE TOPICS

My goal is to put as much useful information into these topics as possible. Each topic is written under the assumption that the person reading it really needs to learn about the topic right now!

From this assumption a style has evolved which is insightful, rather blunt, and sometimes provocative. Most topics include a listing of easy-to-use "things to do" designed to show readers how to make specific improvements in their lives.

TWO BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

1. That most people in our culture now are well-educated and rather sophisticated when it comes to figuring out what they need psychologically and socially.
2. That the average person does not need to be diagnosed and treated by a therapist in order to receive real, significant help and minimizing daily problems and maximizing daily opportunities.

"DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY"

Some people are under the false assumption that in order to feel and do better in their lives they need to learn something complicated, difficult, or "brand new."

If you are one of these people, you are missing the point of this endeavor.

The real advantage of the self-therapy training program does not come either from its simplicity or from its complexity. The real advantage comes from having the right information in the right hands at the right time!

Each topic is written using a conversational style with sometimes "unusual" punctuation and formatting - all designed to enhance immediate understanding! (When you are trying to teach, making something unnecessarily complicated is precisely what you do not want to do!)

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