We wrote these papers to make the unknown known, because if we do not out our own cobwebs how can we expect our client to? In order to be a good therapist you need to be comfortable in your own skin-people pick up on this confidence and it makes them feel more comfortable around you-and more likely to open up to you.
OVERVIEW
Task: To conduct personal reflection about your most difficult and most positive experiences and to apply academic learning.
Purpose: Apply theory and concepts to your life and to gain greater self-awareness.
Please Spend Time Thinking About Your Life.
1. Please determine the most difficult experience of your life (or it could be the worst series of experiences or the worst period).
(Example: being homeless was the overall awful experience and within it there were series of experiences that were difficult and yet, they were directly connected to this overall chronic trauma/difficulty experience of being homeless).
2. Please consider your childhood. Consider racism, parental dysfunction, oppression, sexism, abuse (of which has many variations that cannot be seen), drug abuse, depression, rage, siblings/extended family, schooling, peer experiences/groups, etc.). Some people have a hard time and feel that they did not have any lowest point but everyone does. Email me if you need help.
3. Then determine the best experience of your life.
Required Format: This paper can be a report format where you have headings for each required section listed below. You can list discussion information when applicable. You will lose points if you do not respond to every single requirement listed.
WRITTEN REQUIREMENTS
I. PART I: The most challenging time/experience of my life (approx 4 pages total)
A. 1 page—no more than 1.5 pages. Write a synthesis of my worst experience: Briefly synthesize the overall experience from a literal perspective. What happened –share this in a way that is concise but touches upon what happened and how this affected your mental, emotional, physical, social, spiritual, cognitive wellbeing (do not need to mention every single domain but ensure that you consider all 5 domains when you share). This is difficult because you have to get to the core of the experience and tell only the core essence.
B. Theoretical/Literature Application: Analyze/Discuss your experience using theoretical lenses (psychoanalysis, enneagram, and attachment theory).
1. 1 page total--Use Psychoanalytic Theory: I will help you to use psychoanalytic theory to examine yourself and your unconscious. Please read the below 2 scenarios and respond to the psychoanalytic question set that best fits your situation.
Situation A: Your worst experience occurred under the age of 18.
a. How was I affected? Identify the ways in which this experience affected your emotional, social, physical, cognitive (ability to learn/think etc.), spiritual well being as a child, teenager and now.
b. Nature of the pain. How would you characterize the major aspects of the wounding? (Abandonment? Neglect? Betrayal? Abuse? Racism? Sexism? Homophobia?).
b. How does this wounding affect me today? Consider the following questions so you can respond to this question thoroughly.
• In what ways does the above issue(s) show up today in your intimate relationships and behavior?
• Do you avoid a certain type of experience because of your difficult experience in childhood?
• Does your partner or best friend exhibit similar characteristics to your mother or father figure (domineering, disinterested, demanding, unavailable, cheating, suffocating, etc.)? Or did your best friend/partner hurt you in a similar way?
FYI = This is not a mistake. This is the unconscious playing out so you can re-visit your wounding and choose to heal the original wound of childhood.
Situation B: Your worst experience was after age 18.
a. How was I affected? Identify the ways in which this experience affected your emotional, social, physical, cognitive (ability to learn/think etc.), spiritual well being then.
b. Link the past to the present. How are the above issues showing up today in your intimate relationships and behavior? To answer this question, consider the following prompts to help you to brainstorm.
• Consider how your worst experience repeats a childhood pattern? Did a friend abandon you and ironically, a parent abandoned you in the past? This might not be obvious at first and will take deep contemplation.
2. 1/2 page. Apply Attachment Theory to My Life.
a. My attachment imprint. Identify your attachment type with each parent.
Model of Self (dependence)
Positive – as a child the self that is seen as worthy of love and attentio
Resources/Help: Read about the theory using the posted materials in Modules of Canvas. Use the 4-window grid by Bartholomew & Horowitz (1991) and Bartholomew, (1990) to identify your attachment type to your primary parental figures (regardless of whether or not they were present or absent).
3. 1 paragraph. Enneagram.
a. How does knowing my enneagram type give me insight into my worst experience?
C. ½ page. List 3 Irrational Beliefs.
1. Write a list of 3 irrational beliefs that you adopted as a result of your worst experience. Irrational beliefs are simple, intensely honest, and often have language of a child.
Examples of Irrational Beliefs:
“All people with money are egotistical jerks”.
“The only way to survive is to drop out of society”.
“To be invisible is the only way I can escape uncomfortable situations”.
“I am worthless.”
“I am not lovable.”
2. For each belief explain why you have each irrational belief in 2-3 sentences for each irrational belief.
3. For each belief: Is this irrational belief healthy for you today? Yes or No
4. For each belief: Identify the degree to which you are open to changing each core statement. 1 sentence each.
5. For each belief: Re-write a healthy replacement belief that you can adopt as true and healthy. One sentence for each. If your irrational belief is “I am unlovable” the replacement could be “I am lovable.”
Irrational beliefs arise when we have an emotionally charged experience. In an effort to cope, we adopt a new belief about others, the world, or ourselves. When you do so you become imprinted with a core belief about who you ‘think’ you really are or ‘what is possible’ based on this lie (core belief). The truth is that you are beautiful, smart, loving, capable, and amazing.
D. 1/3 to 1/2 page. Coping and Defense Mechanisms: What Coping Mechanisms/Defense mechanisms did you use in order to survive your personal crisis (worst experience)?
1. Identify AND describe how you employed at least 2 Defense Mechanisms from Freud’s Psychoanalytical Theory in order to survive. Denial? Sublimation? Intellectualization? Please see the Educational Session handout on Canvas.
2. Write 2-3 sentences about 2 other coping mechanisms you used to survive your ordeal.
Examples: Numbing out? Drugs? Sex? Avoidance? Intellectualization? Cyberworld? Hiding/Isolation (in a relationship or a place like home)? Reading all the time? School? Overwork?
Use your course reader, PowerPoint theory teach-in, and internet to look up different published Coping Mechanisms techniques that you used to survive.
E. 1 paragraph. Positive Traits: What positive and healthy traits and/or characteristics did you gain as a result of this adversity? Even the worst of experiences help us to develop positively. What did you learn that is towards a positive end? For example, “I can persevere through the darkest of times” or “I am capable of forgiveness.”
F. 1 paragraph. Career Connection to Pain/Dysfunction: What is the relationship between your worst experience and your major? (It does not matter if RT was not your first choice or not. What matters is that now you are in RT….so what is the connection?)?
Hint: often we choose our major for unconscious reasons….now, perhaps, you can see a deeper reason for your career? Do you want to help people because you never received the kind of help/love that you needed? Do you have more compassion or awareness because of your worst experience?
II. PART 2: My Peak (best or most proud) Experience (approx 2-3 pages)
Analyze yourself through your greatest experience. Please contemplate an experience of which you have the greatest pride (or series of connected experiences). The below requirements are repeated from above so you can use that as a guide. Use all of the information above to help you to know how to thoroughly respond to each prompt.
A. 3/4 page. Write a synthesis: Briefly synthesize the overall experience from a literal perspective. What happened –the basics?
B. 3/4 page. List 3 Core Beliefs: Identify 3 core beliefs that came about as a result of your Peak Experience. Examples: “I am extremely resilient” or “I am really smart” or “I can do anything if I just decide to do it.”
1. Identify 2 core beliefs that arose because of your peak experience.
2. List 2 beliefs and write 1-3 sentences about WHY each belief arose.
3. For each belief imagine how, in 5-10 years, this SAME belief could eventually become limiting to your holistic health. This is not easy. Write 2 sentences for each core beliefs.
Example: “I can do anything” might eventually push me to become an overachiever which in the short-run is helpful but in the long run will lead me into overwork and not paying attention to my body or family.
C. 1/2 page. Coping Mechanisms: What coping mechanisms did you use towards your peak experience? See above description.
D. 1 paragraph. Career Connected to Joy/Strengths:
Your peak experience occurred in part because of your joy and because of your existing strengths. What is the relationship between your peak experience (joy and strengths) and your choice of major (It does not matter if RT was not your first choice or not. What matters is that now you are in RT….so what is the connection)?
E. 1 paragraph. Positive Traits/Characteristics: What positive and healthy traits and/or characteristics did you develop as a result of this experience? See above.
III. Conclusion
In 4-5 sentences, what did you learn about yourself because you wrote this paper (i.e., How did the process of writing this paper affect you)? In other words, what insights did you gain because of this paper?
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