Friday, July 26, 2013

LESSONS FROM OZ: Feet are made for walking


"And remember, never let those ruby slippers off your feet for a moment or you will be at the mercy of the Wicked Witch of the West."
Glinda, the Good Witch of the North

Have you ever thought about the power you have in your feet?

Our feet are engineered to move us in new directions - to act.  Action is a powerful tool we can use to solve our own problems. Action can take us away from adversity and toward our dreams. Action is integral to physical, mental and spiritual health.

It's an American childhood  tradition to watch Judy Garland's classic performance as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz. The story begins with action as Dorothy and her dog Toto, run through the Kansas farmlands to escape the evil Miss Gulch and later, race to escape a tornado.  Unable to escape the storm, Dorothy and Toto are swept into the maelstrom and dropped into the Land of OZ.  When she wonders aloud what direction she should go to find her way back to Kansas, it is the Scarecrow who advises Dorothy that the path to the left is the good, but the one to the right is equally fine.  It doesn't matter what direction she moves, It's the process of moving that's important.

It is Dorothy's feet that lead her toward companions of integrity: The  Cowardly Lion (Courage/Spirit).), The Scarecrow (Wisdom/Intellect) and Tin Woodsman (Love/Compassion).  Their journey together down the Yellow Brick Road  ultimately leads them, one step at a time, to their destinies.  During the process, a life lesson Dorothy learns that it is the feet she has encased in ruby slippers themselves, that contain the power she needs to reach her dream.  Dorothy wants to find home and clicking the heels of those ruby shoes gets her there - but it is her feet that perform the action.

Don't know where you are today? Who you are today?  Make a change.  One small step forward, backward or to the side adjusts the hard reality of where you are at this moment. Each small step can start a chain reaction that reaches a dream.  Ultimately the direction in which you step doesn't matter.  All steps are positive actions towards dreams.

How do you know what will happen? You don't, and no one else does, either,  But oh, the adventures you will miss if you do not try!  Action is it's own victory.  Be confident, like Dorothy, that your own actions and your personal companions of integrity - Lions for  (Courage/Spirit), Scarecrows for (Wisdom/Intellect) and Tin Woodsmen for (Love/Compassion) - will help you direct your feet in the way they should go.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Helping You Become All That You Can Be!


My name is Eileen Wynne and I'm a licensed psychotherapist (LA LCSW) and life coach and it is my pleasure to welcome you to my blog!

Let me tell you a little bit about what I do. I've been providing psychotherapy to clients in my private practice and in hospital and university settings for over two decades. I help individuals resolve crisis situations, develop more effective ways to cope and gain resilience and ultimately, help my clients to achieve their goals. I am passionate about this work and I have helped many people change their lives for the better.

I believe that all of us have the ability to make our lives as rich and full as we want them to be. Coaching and therapy can be resources that help you get what you want out of life--in your relationships, work and dreams.

One of the areas I specialize in is in helping individuals cope with life transitions--those times of life that often seem difficult, painful, frightening and/or confusing. I have extensive experience in working with university student and young adults on a multitude of issues including anxiety, depression, grief, relationships, career challenges and more.

Regardless of your age, background or challenges you can improve your problem-solving skills, build an internal support system, heighten self-esteem and enhance your creativity and it would be my pleasure to assist you in doing so.

I hope you'll return to my blog often and allow me to share with you some of the wisdom I've gained over my years of practice is psychotherapy, counseling and coaching.

I also invite you to check out my website at www.eileenwynnephd.com and follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/eileenwynnephd) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/eileenwynnephd).