II. Blog Articles and Podcast Recordings |
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IV. Virtual Seminars on June 19, 2021* |
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The Men's Group Seminar: Perspectives on Personal Growth and Transformation
The desire to change is often focused on a relatively narrow bandwidth of behaviors or tendencies viewed to be problematic, i.e., to be “better” I must learn how to be more assertive or to regulate my anger. This approach is rather myopic, limiting one’s attention to broader notions of growth, change, and transformation. A profusion of work in the self-help domain features an array of personal growth models, but all too frequently these models are merely anecdotal, not based on scientific findings or sophisticated theoretical frameworks. In the next virtual meeting of the Men's Group Seminar on Saturday, June 19, 2021 (10:15 to 11:30 AM), we will consider more refined notions of personal growth and transformation that I have curated from the psychological and philosophical literatures. We will explore a specific model of personal growth that consists of four components including social accomplishment, psychological growth, spiritual progress, and transformation. In our discussion, we will evaluate how various authors distinguish growth from transformation, i.e., the former typically referring to the conscious, intentional effort to advance while the latter captures more intense and immediate alterations of the self that commonly occur in the aftermath of trauma, grief and loss, or religious experience. An additional consideration will be the concept of linear vs. spherical progress. Finally, resistances to personal change will be explored, including the role of “surrender.”
To register for this upcoming virtual seminar, please see the directions below.
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The Relationship Group Seminar: Relational Self-Awareness
Alexandra H. Solomon, Ph.D., a clinical professor at Northwestern University, unveiled the significance of “relational self-awareness” in her highly acclaimed book, Loving Bravely: Twenty Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want. She argues that relational awareness, both in yourself and your partner, is the most significant indicator of a viable, successful relationship. Relational awareness refers to the accumulation of self-insight gained from your interpersonal and romantic experiences, i.e., a knowledge of your tendencies in relationships, your limitations, and your triggers. It also refers to your emotional capacity to request, receive, and offer honest and candid feedback to your partner and to perceive a problem from multiple perspectives. For Solomon, relational awareness moves beyond “knee-jerk flight-or-fight” reactions and enables partners to utilize emotional regulation and communication skills to negotiate the challenges of long-term relationships more effectively. Solomon’s TEDx Talk “Relational Self-Awareness: The Key to Navigating Modern Love” focuses on the cultural landscape of “sexual shame” and the relatively shallow understanding many hold of their erotic and intimate lives. The connection between self-awareness and one's relationships is complex and mutually interdependent, a theme many writers have addressed including one woman’s poignant synopsis I recently discovered in Tiny Buddha. The concept of relational awareness now informs the work of many relationship experts and marital therapists who target “relational myopia” among their clients and attempt to expand how their relational problems are approached, and responded to, in new ways. In the next virtual meeting of the Relationship Group Seminar on Saturday, June 19, 2021 (11:45 AM to 1:00 PM), we will explore the concept of relational self-awareness.
To register for this upcoming virtual seminar, please see the directions below.
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The Dynamic Psychotherapy Process Group
This therapy group utilizes the emerging dynamics among group members, and between the group members and facilitator, as a basis from which to examine one's characteristic ways of thinking, feeling, and relating to others. Our next virtual group session will be held on Saturday, June 19, 2021 (1:15 to 2:30 PM). The Dynamic Psychotherapy Process Group is a therapeutic experience and entry occurs only after a pre-group screening interview.
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* Registration Directions: If you would like to attend the virtual meeting of the Men's Group Seminar and/or the Relationship Group Seminar on June 19, 2021, please RSVP to me at 949-338-4388 or jt@jamestobinphd.com on or before Thursday, June 17, 2021. The fee is $25.00 (payable before entering the virtual meeting) and informed consent for participation in this telehealth event must be completed prior to the seminars. Please note that the Men's Group Seminar and the Relationship Group Seminar are psychoeducational in nature, not therapeutic, and do not constitute psychotherapy or counseling.
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