Today I was going through some old papers I have collected around THE ENCHANTED SELF which is now about 14 years old. My intitial positive memory work and the resultant shift for the treatment room actually happened perhaps 15 or 16 years ago. Time flies! In fact, I wrote the rought draft of THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy at least 5 or 6 years before the movement of Positive Psychology was give its name. When I put up my first website, THE ENCHANTED SELF in 1996 I did not use the term Positive Psychololgy, as it was not ‘coined.’ Instead I talked about the disease model in Psychology and the need for a shift in the treament to help clients use their memories to retrieve and celebrate what was right about themselves instead of what was wrong. I talked about rediscovering our talents, our lost potential and bringing positive states of being back into our lives. I talked about courage and hope and also the need for therapists to go on the same journey as their clients as we too, get depleted, discouraged and even forget what is best about ourselves.
The only thing I didn’t talk about was Positive Psychology! How ironic as I am indeed a passionate Positive Psychologist1
Anyway, I was pleased to find in a pile of papers a remark made by Helen. I’m sorry, I don’t remember who Helen was. She said, "Memories are the embroidery of our lives. Those are heirlooms you are making!"
How beautiful and true. May we all find the emotional energy to embroider the most beautiful heirlooms!
Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, www.enchantedself.com Positive Psychologist and Happiness Coach
