January newsletter: more constellation healing groups, plus personal growth for the new year

Imagine a constellation in the sky – a grouping of stars that depicts your ancestors.

Each one has an invisible string connecting one to another and to you. As you live your life, you are tethered to these people of the past. You’ve inherited some of their characteristics: Grandma’s love of baking, your dad’s eyes, Aunt May’s red hair…

But there’s more.

You also have inherited their joys and sorrows, and you may be carrying pain, guilt, anger or other burdens from past generations that impact your life today – even if you do not exactly how or why.

The “Ancestors, Constellations and Healing” groups at Lake House Health & Learning Center are a new and profound way to help you connect and correct the past so that you can move forward with a sense of inner peace. Each participant may be involved as much or as little as they are comfortable with, sharing general issues, not details.

Whether you merely observe or actively participate in this safe and confidential setting, you’ll learn a lot about yourself and how you are a part of those who came before you. .

We're adding more dates for 2011, alternating between day and evening times to accommodate your varied schedules. See calendar for more details.

This unconventional healing process of Family Constellation Work comes from Germany and I've started a web page with article links and information to newcomers and interested others.

Groups begin on Monday, Jan. 10. Your insurance may cover some or all of the fee, although a sliding scale may be available for those without insurance. Contact Karen at (262) 633-2645 for reservations or questions.

Help with constellation survey

The International Systemic Constellation Association (ISCA) is currently creating a research study on the effectiveness of constellation work. If you have taken part in a group or individual constellation session with Karen at Lake House and are willing to complete a preliminary questionaire based on your experience, please follow this link. Your input is greatly appreciated.

More on the blog

We're all about the new year. See Happy new change and A llittle ritual to say a good farewell to 2010.

Schedule at a glance

Jan. 10 Ancestors, Constellations & Healing

Jan. 13 Ancestors, Constellations & Healing
Jan. 14 Make A Vision Board For Meetup
Jan. 14 Professional Training: Make A Vision Board
Jan. 15 Tarot For Self Discovery
Jan. 19 Learn to Make Your Own Flower Essence To Ease Emotional Challenges
Jan. 20 Natural Health, Homeopathy & Other Remedies
Jan. 18-20 Homeopathy appointments with Marybeth Buchele

Services at Lake House Health & Learning Center

Psychotherapy
Coaching
Professional training with continuing education credits
Wellness classes
Personal growth groups
Homeopathy
Massage
Reiki
Feng shui
Referrals

Happy new change!

It's the new year, and how are those resolutions going for you? Are you committed, motivated, dedicated to what new change you want to bring into your life?

Or has that great resolution already faded into obscurity in the first week of the new year?

I had the pleasure on Thursday to take part in the annual Whole Body Detoxification program at Roots and Legends, with the invitation of the program's originator Arthur Shattuck. The invited topic was change: how not only approach change but to sustain change over a period of time.

It's an important subject because the four-week detox program involves changes in food (no cheese), in storing foods (nuts and oils in refrigerator) and personal habits (no deodorant, aluminum pots or plastic bags.)

That's the challenge. I always refer to Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward by James Prochaska, John Norcross and Carlo DiClemente. The trio has elegantly sketched a six-stage process of change. It begins with "pre-contemplation: -- which most of us would call "clueless" -- to the final stage of "termination" -- which most of us would call "success." In the middle, there are the steps of contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance.

It's those middle steps that we need to identify. We identify them because we need to know where we fit with them.

Among the first questions that we need to ask is, "Am I really serious about this change?"

Most of us hope (secretly!) that the change will happen  magically and we won't have to take responsiblity for it. Other times we may be wishing for change, but the people around us  don't want to change. Then we need to have a plan to pursue our goal even when other people may not approve, support or understand.

So, good luck and good contemplating and good planning to those of us in the detox program. And for you? You don't need to wait until 2012. Just figure out where you stand in the six steps of change and start again.