The 8 Steps to Becoming You began while I was doing group work with women in various settings as an intern in clinical social work. As a psychotherapist I worked with women individually as well, but the group work created a dynamic that uncovered and gave voice to real concerns and experiences women shared.
When women came into a group I listened to their stories, I made notes about what their core issues were, what their struggles were, what they loved, what they needed. I laughed with them and I cried with them. I HEARD them. I used my clinical skills and the psychotherapeutic techniques I learned to explore their feelings and challenge their thinking and ingrained beliefs. Many had an underlying self-defeating place inside of them where they felt that they were unworthy. Their core self had been damaged somewhere along the way. So they had grown up and fallen into unhealthy patterns, particularly in relationships and in the way they took care of themselves.
All these women knew that there was something wrong, that there was something not right about their circumstances. Somewhere inside of them they also knew they deserved more, even if the world or their partners or their families had told them directly or indirectly that they didn’t deserve it. They knew they did. And so they came to my group and they took those steps to change. Their courage and strength were inspiring.
As a natural extension of this work I began running women’s groups as part of my private practice. Seminars followed. It was in these early years that the 8 Steps to Becoming You program took shape. A combination of topic led discussions, worksheets and personal reflection made for a powerful combination. Women loved the program; they left feeling strong. They had greater clarity, more direction and a renewed vigor in their lives and their possibilities.
One of the things I still marvel at is the similarity of women’s experiences and stories. Women from all backgrounds, all races, all sexual orientations deal with the same problems. Whether in Harlem or the Hamptons, an inpatient psych unit or a wellness and fitness center. From the United States to Australia, women present with the same concerns and needs. Sure, the backdrop is different and sometimes the accent or first language, but there are always more similarities than differences. We are all sisters sharing these core issues, these core areas of life where we struggle.
These core areas are what the 8 Steps to Becoming You program focuses on:
- Self Awareness & Identity
- Thoughts & Feelings
- Communication & Assertiveness
- Relationships & Boundaries
- Getting through Tough Times
- Sexuality & Body Image
- Health & Relaxation
- Appearance & Grooming
Learn how your thoughts, actions and feelings all interrelate, how psychological and physical health connect and influence each other.
I have brought the program to LaurieMarsden.com because women are busy. Women find it hard to get away from family and work commitments long enough to attend a group seminar for themselves at a particular place and time. So I looked at the best way to move the program online.
I wanted to keep the powerful combination of topic led discussions, worksheets and personal reflection. I have created a more detailed workbook to cover the 8 Steps and produced videos to guide women through the program. Now women can do the program in the comfort and privacy of their home and still reap the benefits of a life examined.
Go to the 8 Steps to Becoming You home page to find out more. And read through the FAQ’s to get other questions answered. I’m so glad you found your way here. I hope you take the program and enjoy the many benefits it offers.