Development of support courses
Back in January, in the post titled “My 3+1 helper in the next period”, I wrote that I had 3 courses waiting for me during this period. The courses are as follows:
- TRE® is an easy-to-learn, body-centered method that helps us release tension and stress and return to our body’s natural balance.
- Autogenic training: a method classified as a relaxation therapy.
- Writing and self-knowledge course.
I’ll write a brief summary of which training is taking place where and how I’m doing with it.
TRE®
TRE is a one-on-one training, meaning it’s just the trainer and I. I meet with the psychologist every two weeks who teaches me the TRE technique. A huge advantage in this working relationship is that I can work with a psychologist. Moreover, with a professional whom I applied to on the recommendation of a friend, and I was not disappointed in this recommendation. From the very first moment, the lady presents me with a prominent representative of the helping profession.
The first time we started the work, I answered the question why I wanted to learn the TRE method, what kind of help I expect from it, what my problem is. Already in this conversation, I received constructive thoughts that I have successfully incorporated into my thinking since then.
We have studied together three times so far. We also started the subsequent sessions with questions that help us arrive at the session. How am I, what am I going through, etc. During these conversations, some helpful thought always came to mind. I received information and recommendations on how to maintain my body, including breathing techniques.
In the past 8 years, I have been introduced to the Buteyko breathing technique by various friends, but it has never appealed to me. It is not that there was anything wrong with the recommendations, it is just that I did not receive them at the right time. Now the idea came at the right moment and in the right environment. So if all goes well, I will complete this training in July and August. Even before I leave.
The TRE method itself is easy to learn. Despite the fact that the trainer prepared me in the first conversation that controlled people may not be able to achieve results the first time, we are progressing nicely in the training from the first moment. I have no expectations and no “what if it doesn’t work out” ideas, but it is still better that I experience the operation of this method with very pleasant experiences.
In addition to the times spent together, home practice is also necessary. I was pleased to experience that home relaxations are successful accompanied by very intense physical experiences.
The last time I was surprised by the form and words I could use to express my body’s feelings. It’s a strange experience for me that I can start to observe, feel and talk about the signals that my body has always had.
I’m looking forward to what I’ll learn from this technique in the long term. The course is for 10 sessions, so the big one is still ahead of me.
Autogenic training
This is a twelve-course training, we have completed seven sessions so far. The trainer in this case is also a psychologist, but here we work in a group, there are six of us “students” together.
In the previous post “Tell me more, oh, my sweet God!” I wrote about what it is like to work with others in a group. You can learn a lot from observing the problems, obstacles, or – fortunately, not infrequently – the joys of people with similar interests.
This session usually starts with the question “how are you?”. There is always a joint relaxation and we always discuss how the home relaxations went and what experiences they brought. This method is also about mastering a technique, meaning that not only is it necessary to practice at home, but the goal is precisely to make relaxation a part of everyday life.
I have been into meditation for years, but I have never been able to make it a part of everyday life permanently. Now I feel like I’ve succeeded. For the past few weeks, I’ve been meditating at least once a day in some form. If possible, I start my day with that.
I can now apply the breathing techniques used in meditation to my everyday life. If I wait a few minutes, I simply sit down and breathe differently than I usually do.
A few weeks ago, I was in a spa all day, where there wasn’t really a suitable place for relaxation. So, guided by an idea, I relaxed in the pool, in the roaring crowd. The pool is not exactly an ideal location, but I managed to relax. Twice, because I repeated the exercise in the afternoon.
Last weekend, I was in Romania, in Dézna. We also hiked up the mountain towering above the village. That’s where the idea came to do my autogenic relaxation for the day, facing the Sun, on top of the rocks. It was a very pleasant experience.
Writing and self-knowledge course
This is an online course, where there are ten or eleven of us and I am the only man, including the teacher.
In this work, writing technique is not so much dominant as self-knowledge, as I mentioned yesterday. I had an expectation that there would be teaching about writing here that would help me write this blog better. But there is no such thing so far. The course consists of five sessions, and since we are already over three, I don’t even expect that there will be writing technique. No problem. At most, I will continue writing with the style I have already acquired.
The group dynamics are also very good in this group. Many points of view are shown. Every time I learned a lot of interesting things. I also received answers. Both to questions that had already been asked to me and to questions that arose then and there. In addition, I received quite a few questions to answer.
In the last three months, so many questions have arisen in my mind that I collected them in an Excel spreadsheet over the weekend. This way, I have a surface where I can summarize not only the questions, but also the answers and open questions, because quite a few questions still do not have an answer.
It is time to introduce the topic of the course. Actually, I decided to apply for this training after reading the keywords here.
Session 1
- The new beginning and me
- The areas of life of a new beginning, such as personal life – relationships, career change, moving, opening and closing doors – the topics of the participants.
Session 2
- Forks in the road and roadblocks
- Habit, excuses, procrastination. Obstacles to change. Captive to our habits. Excuses, fears, procrastination – internal resistance and overcoming them. To leave or to stay? How do I relate to change, to change? What is it that moves me forward, what holds me back? Letting go. How can I leave the usual lights of my port behind me?
Session 3
- A cake baked in ashes for the journey
- Our resources, coping strategies.
- Clarifying and activating our resources for a new beginning. Our internal and external incentives. Self-esteem, self-worth, self-confidence, belief in myself. Courage in life, or how to overwrite the negative narrative we have received. What do failures teach us? Let what must go go to make room for the new? Where does the phoenix bird live in me?
Session 4
- He who dares wins, or It will happen somehow. My goal, and what awaits me there. A new opportunity, a new beginning. From uncertainty to satisfaction. What does freedom mean to me? In harmony with myself and the world.
Session 5
- Discussion of discovered experiences
- We will feed back to previous topics, summarize what was discovered and experienced in the group. What is the essence that condensed and distilled in the participants during the process regarding the topic of starting over?
Here I would like to draw your attention to the title of the third session.
I had a very good feeling the third time, when two people from the group asked me to give them my opinion, because they always hear such positive things from me. I am glad that this brings joy to others.
In summary: this is where I am now with the three trainings. I still have some time left in each of them, but I can definitely say that all three were worth the energy invested.