Electronic Newsletter: Volume 1, Issue 1

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Studying Cancer Patients

Dear Friend:

Welcome to the premiere issue of our email newsletter - the Intensive Journal® Newsletter.

We have lots of new things to share with you. Check out our latest listing of workshops. By clicking on the city, you can connect into our new website to obtain workshop details. Our new website has expanded information about the Intensive Journal method, what a workshop is like and how our method can benefit many diverse groups. One such audience involves helping people cope with the reality of having a major illness. Accordingly, we are pleased to announce that a study with prostate cancer patients at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions is being organized. Dr. Jacek Mostwin, the primary research person, describes the study in the interview below.

Thanks for your involvement. We look forward to see you at a workshop soon.

Jonathan Progoff

Schedule of Intensive Journal® Workshops!

Our summer program is in full swing now, with retreats being offered around the country and overseas (Australia). We are offering our extended retreats this summer in nine major metropolitan areas, many retreats are still to occur. (See table below for locations and dates.)

"We are very committed to offering these programs," adds Jon Progoff. "They offer participants the full scope of the method in a continuous experience, in a retreat atmosphere that is such an important component of our process." The three part series consists of the three core workshops: 1) Life Context: Gaining a Perspective on Your Life; 2) Depth Contact: Symbolic Images and Meaning in Life; and 3) Life Integration / Journal Feedback Process: Integrating Your Life.

The format is designed to offer maximum flexibility; participants can reside or commute, and take any or all of the workshop modules.

In the 3-Part series, we cover the integrative aspects of the method in detail through the Life Integration / Journal Feedback workshop. We take a broader view of our lives - focusing on developing the connections between different areas. Dr. Progoff believed that the Journal Feedback Process is one of his main contributions to the field and a key feature of the method. (See description of the Journal Feedback process)

Many participants return to the workshop retreats periodically, providing a sabbath from which to take stock of their changing lives. A participant from New England stressed that attending the retreats has helped her "live a more purposive life because I have been able to stay in touch with priorities. I am free of daily interruptions so that I can reflect on my life. "


"I have been attending Intensive Journal retreats since 1994... I particularly like the opportunity to deepen my understanding of myself. I have a career and family, so it can be difficult to set aside time to do the process. However, once a year, I can take a vacation from busyness and with guided meditations delve into areas of my life and aspects of myself through the Intensive Journal process... The retreat takes me out of my rut. There is always something new in my life to explore. I feel more centered after these retreats. This method is an amazing process that helps me keep in touch with my soul."

Carol         
Oakland, CA         


Scroll down to see the workshops and module locations or click below on a specific region.  Click on the city to see be connected to the details of the workshop on the Intensive Journal website.
Northeast United States
Southeast/Southcentral United States
Midwest United States
Western United States

International
Canada
 

Northeast United States
State City Module Begin End Leader
Maryland Baltimore LC 7/28/06 7/30/06 John McMurry
Maryland Baltimore DC 7/30/06 7/31/06 John McMurry
Maryland Baltimore LI 8/01/06 8/02/06 John McMurry
Maryland Baltimore LC 9/30/06 10/01/06 John McMurry
Maryland Baltimore DC 10/28/06 10/29/06 John McMurry
Massachusetts Springfield LC 7/05/06 7/06/06 Ruth McGoldrick
Massachusetts Springfield DC 7/07/06 7/08/06 Elizabeth Oleksak
Massachusetts Springfield LI 7/09/06 7/10/06 Elizabeth Oleksak
Massachusetts Springfield LI 11/17/06 11/19/06 Elizabeth Oleksak
New Jersey Morristown LC 8/06/06 8/07/06 Avis Smalley
New Jersey Morristown DC 8/08/06 8/09/06 Avis Smalley
New Jersey Morristown LI 8/10/06 8/11/06 Avis Smalley
New York Esopus LC 9/23/06 9/24/06 Thomas Travers
Pennsylvania Chester Cty LC 12/02/06 12/03/06 James Miller
Virginia Alexandria LC 10/28/06 10/29/06 Vic Kryston
West Virginia Morgantown LC 11/04/06 11/05/06 Jane Martin

Southeast/Southcentral United States
State City Module Begin End Leader
Louisiana Ponchatoula LC 9/29/06 10/01/06 Joyce Kemp
Louisiana Ponchatoula DC 10/01/06 10/02/06 Joyce Kemp
Louisiana Grand Coteau LC 2/01/07 2/02/07 Joyce Kemp
Louisiana Grand Coteau DC 2/03/07 2/04/07 Joyce Kemp
Texas Dallas LC 9/08/06 9/09/06 Wally Chappell
Texas Dallas DC 10/27/06 10/28/06 Wally Chappell

Midwest United States
State City Module Begin End Leader
Illinois Naperville LC 6/23/06 6/24/06 Joyce Kemp
Illinois Naperville DC 6/25/06 6/26/06 Joyce Kemp
Illinois Naperville LI 6/27/06 6/28/06 Joyce Kemp
Illinois Naperville LC 8/24/06 8/26/06 Mike Gajda
Michigan Grand Rapids LC 10/07/06 10/08/06 Kelley Williams
Minnesota St. Paul LC 7/07/06 7/09/06 Faye Schwelitz
Minnesota St. Paul DC 7/09/06 7/10/06 Faye Schwelitz
Minnesota St. Paul LI 7/11/06 7/12/06 Faye Schwelitz
Ohio Cleveland LC 8/18/06 8/20/06 Faye Schwelitz
Ohio Cleveland DC 8/20/06 8/21/06 Faye Schwelitz
Ohio Cleveland LI 8/22/06 8/23/06 Faye Schwelitz
Wisconsin Racine LC 7/14/06 7/15/06 Kelley Williams
Wisconsin Milwaukee LC 10/06/06 10/07/06 Tom D'Alessio
Wisconsin Milwaukee DC 12/01/06 12/02/06 Tom D'Alessio

Western United States
State City Module Begin End Leader
California Grass Valley DC 10/27/06 10/29/06 Marcella Hardt
California San Rafael LC 7/31/06 8/01/06 Joanne Hackett Ching
California San Rafael DC 8/02/06 8/03/06 Nancy Markham
California San Rafael LI 8/03/06 8/04/06 Nancy Markham
California Los Angeles LC 8/10/06 8/11/06 Joanne Hackett Ching
California Los Angeles DC 8/12/06 8/13/06 Joanne Hackett Ching
Colorado Denver LC 8/18/06 8/19/06 Donna Frysinger
Colorado Denver DC 8/20/06 8/21/06 Donna Frysinger
Colorado Denver LI 8/22/06 8/23/06 Donna Frysinger
Washington Seattle LC 8/13/06 8/14/06 Evelyn Wemhoff
Washington Seattle DC 8/15/06 8/16/06 Evelyn Wemhoff
Washington Seattle LI 8/17/06 8/18/06 Carol Ladas Gaskin
Washington Issaquah LC 9/16/06 9/17/06 Evelyn Wemhoff
Washington Issaquah DC 9/23/06 9/24/06 Evelyn Wemhoff

International
Country City Module Begins Ends Language Leader
Australia Melbourne LC 15 Jul 06 22 Jul 06 English Jan Watson
Australia Ivanhoe LC 2 Aug 06 2 Sep 06 English Jan Watson
Australia Melbourne LC 9 Sep 06 10 Sep 06 English Jan Watson
Australia Greensborough LC 7 Oct 06 14 Oct 06 English Jan Watson
Australia Baulkham Hills LC 2 July 06 3 July 06 English Kate Scholl
Australia Baulkham Hills DC 4 July 06 5 July 06 English Kate Scholl
Australia Adelaide LC 25 Aug 06 27 Aug 06 English Kate Scholl
Australia Pymble LI 9 Sep 06 10 Sep 06 English Kate Scholl

Canada
Canada Winnipeg LC 29 Sep 06 1 Oct 06 English Virginia Evard
Canada Winnipeg LC 19 Jan 07 21 Jan 07 English Virginia Evard
Canada Winnipeg DC 16 Feb 07 18 Feb 07 English Virginia Evard

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Check Out Our Updated Website!  www.intensivejournal.org

Our website has been recently renovated - adding much more information on the Intensive Journal program and applications for diverse audiences. The site is also much faster and easier to use.

Naturally, you may use it to locate the details on workshops, using our calendar and detailed descriptions under "Schedules and Locations". These sections are updated frequently - even before you receive our mailings.

Our description of how the Intensive Journal method functions has been greatly expanded (see "About the Method") to include descriptions about the attributes of the workbook and key processes such as the Journal Feedback technique. There are in-depth descriptions about specific areas such as Dreams and Imagery and Entrance Meditation process. We have also included a sample exercise of the Period Log.

Telling a friend what occurs in a workshop can be challenging at times. We now describe the workshop atmosphere and many of the reasons why people attend our program.

Dialogue House is reaching out to diverse audiences in such areas as wellness, ministry, criminal justice and writers. Literature which describes how our method can address the needs of these groups has been added, together with relevant articles and statements from professionals.

Over the past few years, participants have described in detail how the Intensive Journal method has helped them deal with major issues such as an physical illness, addiction, or emotional situation such as trauma or bereavement. These insightful writeups comprise the Life Histories section.

We have added a section called "Endorsements" where you can provide us with a statement about your experience in the program. Please take the time to think about how your life has been impacted by the Intensive Journal program; your statement can be anonymous.

Please refer your friends and have them sign up for our mailing list. Our website will continue to evolve and expand - your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

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Pilot Study with Prostate Cancer Patients Begins at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions

A pilot research study using the Intensive Journal method will be conducted with prostate cancer patients from Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland.

The study will seek to determine the effectiveness of the Intensive Journal method in addressing the emotional needs of cancer patients as a means of fostering greater integrated wellness. These patients face either life threatening issues of the illness, or at minimum, transitional life issues in coping or adjusting to the reality of having cancer.

The study will be supervised and coordinated by Jacek Mostwin, M.D., D.Phil., a senior urologist in the Department of Urology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and is a professor in the Urology Department of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Mostwin has also attended several Intensive Journal programs. The Department of Urology is a widely recognized cancer treatment facility and has treated approximately 7,500 patients to date.

Patients who are selected for the study will attend public workshops in their locale, principally in the greater Baltimore area. They will then share their experiences with the research team, such as by participating in outcome studies or interviews, or providing other written documents, to see if there is a statistically significant change in the quality of life measurements. Dr. Mostwin emphasized that the research team would honor the privacy of each participant and would not read their workbook entries. This is one example of how the study seeks to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the workshop experience.

The proposed study is subject to possible review and approval of the hospital’s institutional review board.

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