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From: dsn@tove.UUCP (Dana S. Nau)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: self-actualization
Message-ID: <319@tove.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-Aug-85 23:46:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: tove.319
Posted: Mon Aug 12 23:46:17 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Aug-85 21:15:59 EDT
References: <1744@reed.UUCP> <621@ttidcc.UUCP> <1680@hao.UUCP> <313@tove.UUCP> <1690@hao.UUCP>
Reply-To: dsn@tove.UUCP (Dana S. Nau)
Organization: U of Maryland, Laboratory for Parallel Computation, C.P., MD
Lines: 67

>>> ... The Lifespring course, and other awareness training courses, are
>>> designed for people whose lives basically work, but somehow know they
>>> could have it better than they do ...  [GREG WOODS]

>> So is therapy.  [DANA NAU]

> Therapy is for treating things defined as "disorders" or, in extreme
> cases, "diseases".  [GREG WOODS]

Certainly.  But it's also for people "whose lives basically work, [etc.]".
For example, consider the work of Maslow, Perls, Rogers, and others.

>> ... avoiding the stigma that some people (apparently including you!)
>> associate with therapy.  [DANA NAU]

> ... I would appreciate it if you would not put thoughts in my head that
> are not there, especially negative ones.  I associate no stigma with
> therapy.  [GREG WOODS]

You stated that Lifespring is "*NOT* for people whose lives are a total mess
that need therapy".  To associate the need for therapy with having one's life
in a "total mess" sounds pretty pejorative to me.

>> I think that the ways these groups are advertised encourage ... expectations
>> [of achieving some of the growth one might achieve in therapy].  [DANA NAU]

> I would like to see an example of this. That has not been MY
> experience.  [GREG WOODS]

Glad to oblige.  A Lifespring advertising brochure (dated 4/80), entitled
"Reasons or Results?", contains several examples, including the following
passage:  "The Lifespring perspective is consistent with the work of a
number of modern educators and psychologists including Abraham Maslow, Fritz
Perls, Gordon Allport, and Carl Rogers.  These theorists believe that each
of us has an infinite capacity to experience more joy, fulfillment and
generally to have life work better.  The Lifespring Basic Training is the
practical application of this point of view."

> In the case of Lifespring, there is no "advertising" at all, except through
> word-of-mouth from those who graduated from the course and felt that it was
> sufficiently valuable for them that they want to encourage those they care
> about to have that experience too.  [GREG WOODS]

I have seen at least five different pieces of Lifespring advertising
material, including the one from which I quoted above.

>> Personally, I think seeing a therapist would work out better in the long
>> run--provided that the therapist is a good one.  [DANA NAU]

> Given your beliefs, I have no doubt that that is true FOR YOU, should you
> ever feel such a need.  [GREG WOODS]

As I mentioned in a previous posting, my current point of view is based on
personal experience.  That experience, by the way, ran COUNTER to what I had
previously expected.

> But don't presume to speak for everyone.  [GREG WOODS]

That's precisely why I said "Personally, I think ...".  Sorry if that didn't
make my position clear!

By the way, if you choose to reply, I won't be around to respond for several
weeks.
-- 

Dana S. Nau, Comp Sci Dept, U of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
dsn@maryland	seismo!umcp-cs!dsn	(301) 454-7932