As mentioned in the last post, I have started a workshop series in NYC called “Create Change Now!”. In researching the self-help industry to find a way to protect its consumers, I have seen so much “self-help” that is just hype and superficiality. The aim of these gurus is to get into your wallet, and any help to you is fairly secondary. But we know that real self-help is about empowerment–empowering you to create real and lasting change in your life. As a social worker and counsellor, with years of education in psychology and in the self-help process, I want to take on the challenge of helping you empower yourself in your self-help journey and in your life. In teaching concrete skills and proven strategies needed for change, I will also be sharing the principles of the Empowerment Guide and the SEEK Safely Promise to encourage safe and productive journeys that can be meaningful and lasting. In this series, I will draw upon the work of Dr. John Norcross and site the research from his book, “Changeology.” I recognize that sometimes a person is so inspired by an author or speaker that the exposure itself becomes a life-changing event. As an educator all my life, I have always believed the ancient dictum, “When the student is ready, the teacher shows up.” We are surrounded by multiple teachers each and every day. However, a person begins to learn when they are ready. 
In the world of self-help, there is often a presumption that what the “guru” has to teach is so valuable that it will change your life. The caveat is usually “if you let it,” which leaves people with feelings of personal failure if the lessons of the master do not transform their life. But what the research on change shows us is that we have to first be ready to embrace change, and then we must develop the skills necessary to work towards new behaviors. When we have incorporated this new thinking and some of the new behaviours into our lives, we then maintain that change by adding more skills so that the changes become a life style. Creating meaningful and lasting change is entirely possible, but it won’t happen overnight, or even over a weekend with your favourite guru. It requires real work, the tools to do that work, and your decision to change. SEEK Safely wants you to embrace the growth journey with real knowledge so that you realize your personal goals are develop self-efficacy. If you would like a workshop on Creating Lasting Change in your area, get in touch!
