Joanne Hackett Ching

“Our ultimate artwork is our life itself.” Ira Progoff, PhD

Diaries and journal writing have been a part of my life since I was a child. At one rather challenging time in my early life, I found that the writing wasn’t really helping. I needed something more - something with structure - something to help me make sense of my life.

It was at this point that I came across the Intensive Journal Process at a 90 minute introduction. I was amazed at the clarity I got about my life from writing in that short amount of time. I knew intuitively that this was right for me.

I took advantage of the opportunities that were available to me in Hawaii where I was then living to take more workshops. I even flew to San Francisco to attend workshops from Dr. Progoff himself. My use of this process became the basis of my spiritual life.

In 1980 I married and moved to Manhattan. I joined the training program at Dialogue House to become a certified leader and attended workshops at Dialogue House doing volunteer work in exchange for the tuition. The volunteer work soon turned into a full time job. It was a very exciting and rewarding time!

I continued learning about the process from Dr. Progoff and the many consultants who gave monthly workshops at Dialogue House during those years. I learned so much about the presentation of the workshops and also about what goes on behind the scenes to make them happen. During my four years of working there, I also became a certified leader and began teaching the process.

In 1985 I moved to Fresno, CA, and began teaching (English as a Second Language) ESL at the adult school there. I also continued leading Intensive Journal workshops that were sponsored by Dialogue House or myself. This continued until I retired from my ESL career in 2009.

With more free time, Dialogue House offered me the opportunity to do many 6-day retreats at various locations in California, the western region of the United States and in the United Kingdom. I found I loved leading these extended writing sessions. The retreats are a perfect way for individuals to get into the Intensive Journal work and benefit from the breadth and depth of the process.

I was impressed with the results that people experienced in the prolonged quiet times of the retreats. The feedback was quite profound about what was being discovered and integrated by the participants. This method gives us an opportunity to go into the depth of our lives to discover the seeds of potential within us and to touch the inner wisdom that every human has. The work helps us become self reliant and to evolve into who we uniquely are.

I lead these workshops because I love doing them! I’ve experienced the power, integrity, and wisdom of this process in myself and in others. Finding Ira Progoff and the Intensive Journal Process has been a great gift. My life has been much richer and fuller because of this work. Not only have I benefitted personally from using the process, but I’ve also found my life’s work by teaching it to others. It’s a wonderful way to spend this time of my life.