| Self help is an oft used term that always sounds | | | | page of search engine results is not always the |
| kind of lonely to me. It conjures up the image of | | | | best, perhaps only the best marketed. Websites |
| a troubled or confused person, with nobody else | | | | will pay professional marketers to optimize their |
| around, searching her or his soul for the | | | | sites in order to appear on that first page. Dig a |
| knowledge and ability needed to solve the most | | | | little deeper into the results and you may find |
| pressing, most fundamental issues. Then she | | | | your gem on page 5 or 10.Credentials: As unfair |
| thinks, "If I could do all this by myself, I wouldn't | | | | to some self- educated people as it may seem, |
| have these issues to begin with - or, at the very | | | | one of the only ways we have to judge whom |
| least, I would have fixed this stuff already!"Well, | | | | to believe is by their credentials, i.e. degrees, titles, |
| thankfully, that's not what self help is about. You | | | | position, etc. It is no coincidence that credential |
| are certainly not alone in the universe and you | | | | and credence come from the same word root |
| don't have to pretend to be either. The real key | | | | meaning trust or believe.Here's a piece of advice |
| to self help is in finding and using the best | | | | about pieces of advice. If it doesn't make sense |
| resources available. There is no dearth of | | | | to you, it probably is not a good idea for you. |
| information or advice out there. However, sifting | | | | Understand what you are getting into before |
| through it all, finding the relevant, most | | | | leaping headlong into a particular course of action, |
| authoritative resources is job one in helping | | | | even if it's just a cursory understanding. To use |
| yourself. Here are a few ideas for accomplishing | | | | an example from my own field, you don't have to |
| that.On Location: There are usually a variety of | | | | be a practicing hypnotherapist to benefit from self |
| live and in person resources nearby, yours for the | | | | hypnosis, but understanding something about how |
| asking. Check with your local library, public school, | | | | hypnosis works, what it can and can't do, and so |
| or college. You don't have to tell anyone your life | | | | on, will help you to know if it is appropriate for |
| story. All you need to do is mention the general | | | | you.Please keep in mind that in your self help |
| topic you're interested in and ask if there are any | | | | quest you are not alone. Others have pondered |
| groups, books, videos, etc. that pertain to the | | | | your topic. Others are also seeking. It is possible |
| topic. For some topics, local government can be | | | | to be independent and not alone at the same |
| great resource, too.The Wide World: Diving into | | | | time.The work of Richard A. Blumenthal, MS, NCC |
| the sea of information available on the Internet | | | | has been published in such esteemed journals as |
| can be daunting. Sometimes it's a matter of | | | | Medical Hypnoanalysis, The International Journal of |
| choosing the right search terms. As you see the | | | | Psychosomatics, The Journal of Human Behavior |
| material, you may find new ways of saying your | | | | and Learning, and The British Journal of Clinical and |
| self help topic. Do a new search on each to see if | | | | Experimental Hypnosis. Mr. Blumenthal is the |
| you recognize more of yourself in any particular | | | | originator of Rational Suggestion Therapy, and the |
| phrase. Please use a couple of search engines, too. | | | | inventor of HypnoSoft Self Hypnosis Software, |
| They are not all the same, and can produce | | | | located at for which he was awarded a United |
| vastly different results. By the way, the first | | | | States patent. |