Attitudinal Healing

My friend called last night. She doesn't own a TV or DVD player. Could she come over to watch a DVD of Jerry Jampolsky and Diane Cirincione, talking about Attitudinal Healing with a Japanese interviewer in Hawaii.

So I got a chance to watch with her. It was very interesting. Much of what they teach is quite congruent with my own philosophy and approach to counseling. It is a combination of the principles of CBT and a lot of Glasser's Choice Theory along with ideas from existentialism and mindfulness. There were a couple of things that were very similar to techniques I use to help people stay in the here and now.

All together, I was quite happy that people are being exposed to these ideas. Perhaps more people will actually learn to use them for their lives.

This wasn't the first time I've encountered Jampolsky's work, but my exposure in the past has been second hand. I've heard Jampolsky before but not clearly laying out his ideas. This time he was being very specific in answering some questions being asked by the Japanese woman. I didn't get her name but she was quite bright and insightful in her input.

Jampolsky began formulating all this many years ago when he was working with terminally ill children. In the intervening years, he broadened his reach to include all manner of people. The Center for Attitudinal Healing, which he founded in 1975, has now become an international network of attitudinal healing with centers in many countries.

Though a couple articles I have read associate AH with Positive Psychology, I think Jampolsky has a stronger handle on reality. From my association with a few people at the old Center for Attitudinal Healing in Sausalito, CA which was the original locus for Jampolsky's work, I have been given to understand that there is a new regime which has not only changed the name to Corstone, but has also abandoned the Attitudinal Healing structure and has simply become associated with the Positive Psychology movement.