What does the 8 Steps to Becoming You program do?

• The program helps women identify issues in their lives that may prevent them from achieving happiness and objectives in social situations, work and in relationships.
• The aim of the program is to improve women’s confidence, self-esteem, daily mood, health and relationships.

How does it work?

• You are asked to look at 8 key areas of your life that contribute to and form the foundation of physical and mental health.
• You complete exercises in a workbook that asks you to reflect on the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that run your life.
• The workbook is complemented with a series of videos by Laurie Marsden LCSW, which guide you through the concepts and the worksheets to be completed.  The videos and workbook are accessible after purchase of the 8 Steps to Becoming You.
• Once you are doing the program you can also access a community board to share your stories and experiences with the program.

Is it difficult?

• The program is easy to follow and easy to understand.  The concepts are straightforward and presented in an engaging manner.
• It does require you to take an honest and realistic look at what you are doing, thinking and feeling.  This process may be a bit challenging for some women who are out of touch with themselves and their own needs.  But they are the women who will most benefit from the program.

What makes it different from other personal growth books or programs out there?

• The 8 Steps to Becoming You program connects therapeutic and self-help ideas to your own experience.
• The program presents the topic ideas precisely and then focuses your attention on how the topics relate to you and your life.
• The workbook is visually engaging, with a calm and thoughtful aesthetic.  It is designed like a beautiful magazine.
• It is tailored specifically to address a woman’s life and needs.
• The program uses the unique combination of workbook, video guide and community board.

How is it therapy?

• This program evolved out of group therapy sessions and there are many therapeutic techniques used including cognitive behavior therapy, some psychodynamic exploration and encouraging self-care strategies.  Keep in mind though that traditional therapy involves an assessment and treatment plan, as well as outcome monitoring, which this program does not individually tailor.  If you are in crisis, this program is not for you.
• If you cannot access traditional therapy due to cost or location, then the 8 Steps can help.  It walks you through many of the topics you would cover in face to face sessions and has you meaningfully reflect on those issues and how they relate to your life.  The program can also be used as a complement for and in conjunction with traditional therapy.  It works well as part of discharge planning and serves as a great after care program.  It should not be used as a sole replacement for traditional clinical intervention for those in great need.

What type of women have done the program? Is it for me?

• Many different women have done the program through the years and benefitted from it.  Ask yourself these questions to see if it is a good fit for you.
  • Are you feeling a general dissatisfaction with life or key relationships?
  • Are you going through major life transitions such as separation, divorce, empty nesting or are you changing jobs or career?
  • Are you in period of reflecting on life due to a major health diagnosis for yourself or someone close to you, or the death of a partner or friend?
  • Are you in a period of self-reflection as you approach a milestone birthday?
  • Are you plagued by perfectionism?
  • Are you interested in self-help, personal growth and development?

What benefits can I expect?

• The program helps you to be more in touch with your feelings and thoughts.

• It clarifies what you are currently doing and suggests strategies to adopt more healthy behaviors.  It helps you identify areas where you can change your behavior to achieve your goals.

• The benefits can be your improved mood, more assertive relational style, better communication skills and increased self-esteem.

• It helps you identify your strengths.

• It gives practical and easy to implement advice on how to be more considerate of your own personal needs.

• Improves well-being.

• Promotes healthy living

• The program will give you a complete overview of your life.

 Why does it cover so many topics?

• The program covers many topics because the topics are interrelated.  Women are not one dimensional and the various aspects of life affect each other.  For example:
  • If a woman is not in touch with her feelings she cannot communicate what she feels to another.   If she cannot communicate with her partner, she will struggle with relationship.
  • If she is passive in a work environment she may be looked over for promotions and this can affect her self-esteem.
  • If a woman eats well and exercises her stress levels will decrease and her mood will improve.
  • If she is respectful of her body and her sexuality she will be able to draw boundaries in relationships.
  • If she presents herself well and is well groomed people will respond to her more positively.
  • If she can process traumatic events in her history her mood will improve and she will be free to make better choices.

• The connections within the topics and subtopics are many and fluid.

How long does it take to complete?

• The program can be completed in 6-8 hours. It is recommended to do a section at a time in sequential order and there are 8 sections in total.  Sufficient time needs to be given to reflect and complete the exercises as well as listen to the videos.

• These sections can be completed one weekly for 8 weeks.  Doing the program over 2 months helps to digest the concepts and gives participants the opportunity to adopt the practices into their lives.

• It is possible to do more than one section at one session.  You can do 2-3 sections at a sitting and work through the program at a more rapid pace.

• The sections are designed and laid out in the order in which they are meant to be completed.

Can I just do one section? Or chose a section I feel I need most?

• All the topic areas are interrelated and it is important to do them all.  i.e. You cannot just brush up on your communication skills if you are out of touch with your feelings (you won’t be able to communicate effectively unless you know what is going on for you internally).  See the question “Why does it cover so many topics.”

Why do I have to download and print the workbook pages at home?  Can’t I get a bound copy?

• Printing and binding at home keeps the price of the program down and more accessible. If you prefer to work with a bound copy print out the sections at home and/or go to a local print shop.  These places will be able to bind it for you as well.

Where did this program come from?

• See the About the 8 Steps to Becoming You page

The 8 Steps to Becoming You is

Accessible: via the internet and able to be done in your own home

Achievable: broken down into digestible sections

Affordable: 8 sessions for the cost of 3 copays

Anonymous:  you won’t run into anyone in the waiting room.  There is none!