TheIntensiveJournalProcess:APathtoSelfDiscovery

AnInterviewwithIraProgoffbyKathyJuline

Acomprehensivelookattheextraordinaryapproachtoselfdiscoverythathashelpedthousandsofpeopleto
expresstheirfullestpotential.

Interviewer:Youhavebeenwidelyrecognizedasapioneerindevelopingtheprinciplesofdepth
psychology,andinparticular,holisticdepthpsychologyasopposedtotraditionalmainstream
psychologicalthought.Telluswhatyourphilosophyofpsychologyisandwhyyoucallyourselfa
holisticdepthpsychologist.

Progoff:Oneofthegoalsofpsychologyistohelpindividualstoliveandunfoldthepotentialsoftheirbeingin
termsofthewholenessoftheirinnernatureratherthanapartialorfragmentedaspectoftheirouterlives.Irefer
tomyownworkasholisticdepthpsychology.Holisticsuggeststhequalitativeevolutionofpeoplethattakesplace
whenalloftheirexperiencescometogether.Asthisintegrationoccurs,thereisanimprovementinthequalityof
peopleslivesinthattheprocessofbecomingwhotheytrulyaredeepens.Integrationresultsingreatercreativity
andspiritualgrowth.

Personalandspiritualdevelopmentalsocomesaboutthroughworkingataninnerlevel,atonesdepths,bywhich
Imeanalevelbelowourouterconsciousness....theworddepthisimportanttoo.

Thefocusofmyworkhasbeentoprovidemethodswhichwillenablepeopletoworkcontinuouslyintheirlives.It
givesaninnerperspectivetoguidethemthroughtransitions,evokingcreativepotentialsanddrawingforthnew
sparksofSpiritastheymovetowardbecomingwholepersons.Afterformulatingmytheoriesofpersonal
developmentasanauthorandpsychotherapistformanyyears,IdevelopedtheIntensiveJournalprocessinthe
mid1960stoprovideastructuredwayforpeopletoworkcontinuouslytobecomewholepersons.

Interviewer:Howdidyoubecomeinterestedinspiritualityinyouroverallphilosophyofdepth
psychology?

Progoff:Intheearly1950s,IconcludedthatifIcouldidentifytheconceptsthatwerethefinalconclusionsofthe
greatpersonsinthehistoryofdepthpsychology,Iwouldthenhaveastartingpointformymethods.Irealized
thatinthehistoryofdepthpsychology,thesepersonsnamely,Freud,Adler,Jung,andRankhadgonethrough
severalchangesintheirpointofviewfromthetimetheybegantheirworktothetimetheydied.

IfoundthatFreud,forexample,whilehehadbeentheoriginatorofseveralofthemainconceptsofdepth
psychology,hadendedhislifewithaverynegativeviewofwhathehadachieved.Anotherseminalpsychologist,
AlfredAdler,concludedthatmanisalwaysreachingforconnectionwiththeeternalandthat,althoughdepth
psychologybeganasaprotestagainstreligion,thenetresulthasbeenforittoreaffirmmansexperienceof
himselfasaspiritualbeing.

OttoRankexperiencedasimilarturnaround.AfterbeginninginpsychoanalysisasasecretarytoSigmundFreud,
herejectedthepointofviewofhisspiritualfather,Freud,concludingfinallythatweexperiencetherealityoflife
"beyondpsychology."

Similarly,C.G.Jungbeganasapsychiatristwedded,asFreudhadbeen,toamaterialistpointofview.Butthe
greattransformationthroughwhichJungpassedin1913changedthat.Heemergedfromitasthespokesperson
ofanewspiritualitywhichradicallyalteredhisoriginalpointofview.ThisspiritualpointofviewwhichJung
reachedbecamethebasisofmyfurtherstudies.

Interviewer:HowdidyourstudieswithJunginfluencethedevelopmentoftheIntensive
Journalmethod?

Progoff:MystudieswithJunghadamajorimpactuponthedevelopmentoftheIntensiveJournalprocess.The
tremendousvalueofJungsworkisthathedevelopedspecificmethodsforunderstandingtherealitythatlies
beneaththeconsciouslevel.Jungsconceptsgrewoutofhisdeepconcernforthespiritualproblemsofourtime.
WhenIbeganmyworkinpsychology,Jungsviewsinpsychologywerenotpopularandwereinfactridiculed.
Freudstheoriesofpsychoanalysiscomprisedtheprevailingviewpointintheprofession.Iknewthatthis
emphasisuponpathologyanddiagnosiscouldonlyleadtoadeadendandgreatdisappointmentintermsof
helpingpeopledeveloptheirlives.Rather,IthoughtthatJung'sbroadanddeepviewoflifeandhisbeliefinthe
innercapacitiesofpersonstodevelophadagreatdealofvalidityandwouldbecomethemoreaccepted
approach.

TheIntensiveJournalmethodseekstofulfillonapracticallevelamaingoaltowardwhichJungwasmovingashe
workedonhisconceptionofthepotentialofindividualstodevelopovertime.Irealizedthatavalidmethodmust
enableindividualstopositionthemselvesinthemovementoftheirlives.Themethodwouldhavetobeopen
endedinscopesopeoplewouldbefreetounfoldandexpresstheirlatentpotentials.

Interviewer:TheIntensiveJournalprocessiswidelyrecognizedasahighlyeffectivetoolforself
development,anapproachthatJosephCampbellcalled"oneofthegreatinventionsofourtimes."
Wouldyoudescribetheprocess?

Progoff:TheIntensiveJournalprocesscombinesoneoftheoldestmethodsofselfexplorationkeepingadiary
withanew,highlystructuredformatthatenablesjournalkeeperstogettoknowthemselvesoneverdeeper
levels.TheIntensiveJournalWorkbookisalargethreeringnotebookfilledwithpaperanddividedintofour
dimensionsofhumanexperienceLife/Time,Dialogue,DepthandMeaning.Eachofthesedimensionsisdivided
intoseveralsubsections.

Someofthesesubsectionsareusedtowriteourfactualrecapitulationoftheeventsofourlivesaswellasdreams
andimages.Othersareforstimulatinginsightsandcreativeactivity.

IntheLife/TimeDimension,weenterdataaboutthequalitativelyimportanteventsthatreflecttheinner
continuityofourlifehistory.InthesectionsoftheDialogueDimension,weenterintoadialoguerelationshipwith
eachoftheaspectsofourlivessuchaspersonalrelationships,work,body,societyorevents.TheDepth
Dimensionhastodowiththoseaspectsofourlivesthataresymbolicsuchasdreamsandimages.TheMeaning
Dimensionconsistsofexperiencesinwhichapersonfindsconnectiontoalargerthanpersonalreality.Iwill
discussindetailmoreabouttheWorkbooksectionsaswegoon.

Interviewer:WhydidyoudeveloptheIntensiveJournalprocess?

Progoff:Inthe1950sand1960s,IwasapracticingpsychotherapistinNewYorkCity.Thepeoplewhocameto
seemeweretryingtogrowandimprovetheirlivesinvariouswaysbyresolvingimportantmattersandrealizing
newpossibilities.

Istudiedhowpeoplegothroughtheprocessofworkingoutthevariousaspectsoftheirlives,throughtheirpeaks
andvalleys,theirpainandanguish,andhowtheyultimatelymaketheirdecisions.Also,whileservingasDirector
oftheInstituteforResearchinDepthPsychologyatthegraduateschoolofDrewUniversity,Istudiedthelivesof
creativepersonsthroughouthistorytofindoutwhathadbeeninvolvedintheircreativity.TheIntensive
Journalprocessisdesignedtoservesimplyasaflexiblemeansofmakingobjectivetheorganicprocessbywhich
thegrowthofpersonalityproceeds.Itisaninstrumentformirroringtheseinnerprocesses,forextendingthem
andforestablishingacontinuingrelationshipwiththem.Theseprocessesareveryelusivebecausetheytake
placebehindthemindandareexperiencedatadeeperthanconsciouslevel.

Yettheyarealsothekeytoeachpersonsgrowth.IdevelopedtheIntensiveJournalWorkbooktoprovidea
specifictoolforindividualstousetogetdirectanddefinedaccesstothisprocesssotheycouldworkwithit
constructively.

Interviewer:Whataresomeofthebenefitsofworkingwiththisprocess?

Progoff:Ithelpsustoseethemovementofourlifehistoryasawhole,fromthevantagepointofthepresent
moment.Italsohelpsustopositionourselvesbetweenthepastandthefuturesowecansupporttheunfoldment
ofnewpotentialsinourlife.Onapracticallevel,itoffersusawaytoclarifypersonalrelationships,addresscareer
concerns,facetransitions,meetchange,overcomeblockages,dealwithpasthurtsandpresentdifficulties,gain
newinsights,andintegrateourlifeexperiences.

Interviewer:WhyistheIntensiveJournalprocessmoreeffectivethanatraditionalapproachto
keepingajournalordiary?

Progoff:Aprivatejournalcancertainlybeanessentialinstrumentforpromotingpersonalgrowth,butthereare
situationsinwhichitbecomesastaticexerciseofmerelykeepingarecordofeventsorfeelings.Whenjournal
keepingisnotrelatedtothelargerdevelopmentofoneslifeasawhole,itlacksasustainingprinciple.Oftenitis
resortedtowhenapersonhasaparticulargoalinmind,suchasfindinganewcareerpathorestablishinga
specificloverelationship,butwhenthegoalisachieved,thejournalfallsintodisuseandthecontinuityofthelife
contextasawholeislost.Nooverallintegrationorselfexplorationresults.

Interviewer:WhydidyoumaketheIntensiveJournalprocesssuchastructuredmethod?

Progoff:WritingintheIntensiveJournalWorkbookisanactiveprocess.Itisthestructurethatmakespossible
JournalFeedback,whichiswhatIhaveaddedtothetypicaljournalprocess.JournalFeedbackistheway
theIntensiveJournalprocessreachesouttoworkwithmaterialwehaveinonesectiontostimulateexperiencesin
anothersection....inthesubsectionofDialoguewithPersons,awomaninthecourseofwritingadialoguescript
withherhusbandmaymentionherhusbandsloveofdrinking.IntheIntensiveJournalway,thismaterialwillbe
usedasa"Feedbacklead"tostartasubsectioninDialoguewithEvents,Situations,andCircumstances,andwill
evoke,amongotherthings,adiscussionofthepossibilitiesofalcoholism.Thesedialoguescomefromthe
unconsciouswithoutselfconsciouscontrols.Inthisway,wegetfreshmaterialasonethingleadstoanotherand
yieldsfurtherawareness.

Interviewer:DoyouconsidertheIntensiveJournalprocesstobeasignificanttoolforspiritual
growth?

Progoff:Yes,absolutely.Thisprocessisamodernapproachtospiritualitywithoutdogma.Inmybook,Ata
JournalWorkshop,Icompareittoenteringasanctuary,becauseitprovidesasafehavenfromthepressuresof
theoutsideworldwherewecanquietlyassessourrelationshiptolife.Workingwiththeprocessenrichesourinner
lifeimmeasurably,helpingustostayintouchwiththatunderlyingrealitywhichisourpersonalsourceofmeaning
andstrength.Infact,assistingustoestablishcontactwiththatdeeprealityisoneofitsmainpurposes.

Althoughmanypeoplepresentlyfeeltheydonothavethecapacityforspiritualexperience,theIntensive
Journalprocesscanhelp....Whenwereflectonourinnerexperiencesandlistanddescribetheminwriting,the
writingitselftendstoaddtotheexperience.Wefindourselvestobemoreincontactthanweoriginally
suppose...oneexperienceleadstoanother.

Interviewer:TheInterviewerteachesthatwehavethepowertochangeourlivesthroughchanging
ourthinking.IstheIntensiveJournalprocessatoolforapplyingthatprinciple?

Progoff:Definitely.TheIntensiveJournalprocessisapracticalwayofgettingintouchonadeeperlevelwith
beliefsandpatternsofthinkingthatmaybehiddenfromourconsciousawareness.Onceweknowwhattheyare,
wecantakestepstoeliminateoraltertheonesthatlimitus.

Interviewer:TheIntervieweralsoteachestheimportanceofworkingwithpositiveideas.Howcan
theIntensiveJournalmethodhelppeopletoliveinaccordancewiththisprinciple?

Progoff:Thecreativeprocessinpeopleslivestakestimetounfoldbeforetheycantrulyrealizetheirpotential
andknowwhattheirlivesaretryingtobecome.Beforethatoccurs,peopleexperiencecyclesofhopeandanxiety,
successandfailure,confidenceanduneasiness.

Awellknowntruthisthatthedarkestmomentisbeforethedawn.Ithinkthathastodowiththewaynew
integrationsareformed.Theycannotbeformeduntilthereisanemptyingoutandtheemptyingoutdoesnot
happeneasily.Withregardtotakingapositiveoraffirmativestance,weshouldnoteliminatethetimeof
emptiness....therewouldbenohistoryoftheinnerlifeifitwerenotforthetimesofthedarknightofthesoul.If
oneisaffirmativeaboutit,itsnotadarknight.Thatistheparadox.

TheJournalprovidesaninstrumentthathelpspeopletomaintainperspectiveastheymovefromthevalleyof
anxietyuntiltheyreachtheupwardphaseofthecycle.Theylearnfromthesecyclesofexperiencesotheir
awarenessesareenlargedandnewcapacitiesarerealized.Theyworkthroughtheircyclesofexperiencetorealize
theirfullestpotential.

Interviewer:Sotheprocesshelpsustorecreateourlivesanewandexpressourselvesmore
authentically?

Progoff:Yes.Therevealingofsomethingnewandgreaterisaveryimportantresultoftheprocess.Ideas,
opportunities,andtalentswepreviouslymaynothavebeenawareofbegintoemerge.SincetheIntensive
Journalprocessasksustoincludethefullnessoffactsofourlifeallofthem,notjustwhatwehavelabeledas
"positive"ithelpsustoachieveintegration.Andthisresultsinenhancedcreativity.Oneofthemainindications
ofthestrengthofcreativityinindividualisthedegreetowhichtheyhavebroughtthemselvesintoconnection
withthemultipleandinterrelatedmovementofallaspectsoftheirlives.ThroughtheIntensiveJournalprocess
weareledtoviewpainfulexperiencesinanewlightandwediscoverthattheywerenotsonegativeafterallbut
ratherstrengtheningandempowering.Thatisanimportantstepinspiritualdevelopmenttheembracingofour
wholeness.

Interviewer:Earlieryoureferredtothe"dimensionsofexperience."Whatdoyoumeanbythat?

Progoff:Thedimensionsareseparaterealmsofhumanexperience,eachwithauniquecontentandits
characteristicwaysofexpression.Forexample,theLife/TimeDimensiondealswiththeobvious,outerlevelof
experience.Itincludesallthosephenomenathatformourpersonallifehistory.AllofthefourmainDimensions
sectionsarebrokendownintoseveralmoredefinedareasoffocus,subsectionswhichIcall"miniprocesses,"and
inthecaseoftheLife/TimeDimension,theseincludetheLifeHistoryLog,Steppingstones,Intersections:Roads
TakenandNotTaken,andNow:TheOpenMoment.AparticularlyinterestingonetoworkwithisSteppingstones,
inwhichpeopleareaskedtolisttenortwelvehighpointsintheirlifewhateveroccurstothemspontaneously.
Fromthisexercisetheygetasenseofthethreadofcontinuitythatsmovingthroughtheirlife.

Interviewer:IstheSteppingstonesportionoftheIntensiveJournalprocessagoodstartingpoint?

Progoff:Yes,anditsusuallyoneofthefirstexerciseswedo,becauseitdoesgiveagoodoverallperspectiveon
whattheimportanteventsinourlifehavebeen.Itshelpfultobringtomindasmuchofourautobiographical
materialaswecanattheoutset.ThenaswecontinuetoworkintheTime/Lifesection,weprogressively
reconstructourlifehistories,asegmentatatime.TheSteppingstoneslistgivesusageneralizedoutlineofour
lifemovement,andwhenwereenterthoseSteppingstoneperiods,describingandexploringtheircontents,we
findthateventsfittogetherinawaythatnotonlygivesusaclearerperspectivebutgeneratesanenergythat
carriesusforwardandshapesourfuture.

Interviewer:WhatdotheothermainsectionsoftheWorkbookentail?

Progoff:TheDepthDimensionisthesectioninwhichweexploretherealmofhumanrealitythatspeaksin
symbolicterms.Itdealswiththeaspectsofexperiencethatareprimarilynonconsciousastheyarehappening
butwhichareguidedintheirunfoldmentbyanunderlyingintelligence.Tobringtheseelusivepartsofourselves
upfromthedepths,wheretheyareunconscious,tothesurface,wheretheycanbeintegratedandexpressedinto
ourlife,requiresameansofcapturingthem.Toprovidethismeans,therearefiveminiprocessesintheDepth
DimensionsectionoftheWorkbookDreamLog,DreamEnlargements,TheTwilightImageryLog,Imagery
Extensions,andInnerWisdomDialogue.Theexercisesapplicabletothisparticularsectionoftheworkbookhavea
specialcapacitytoactivatesourcesofenergywhichcancausepowerfuleffectsinourlife.

Interviewer:Couldyousaymoreaboutthat?

Progoff:Whatwediscoverasweworkwiththissectionisthattherearelevelsofawarenessbeneaththesurface
ofourconsciousnesswhichholdthekeybothtotheproblemsandthepotentialitiesofourlife.Certaindreams
carrytheseednatureofaperson,andthroughworkingwiththemonaconsistentbasis,recordingandenlarging
uponthem,wegenerateaflowofnewthoughts,ideas,insights,intuitions,andawarenesses.Oneofthemost
valuablegiftswereceivefromourdreamsistheguidancetheygiveusastowhichareasofourlifeweneedto
reexamine.

Interviewer:Couldyoutellusmoreabouttheothermainsections?

Progoff:OneistheDialogueDimension,whichhasthespecialfunctionofopeningthechannelsforinternal
communicationandofprovidingameansbywhichinnercontactcanbemaintainedamongthevariouspartsof
ourlife..Whenweenterintoadialoguewithalloftheseparts,weexperienceinnerharmonyratherthanfeeling
fragmented.Havingbegunbyrecordingandexploringmuchofourlifehistory,itstimeforustodeepenour
relationshipwiththeimportantaspectsofourlifeandletthemspeaktous.Foreachsubsection,orminiprocess,
westartwithafocusstatement,writingdownwhatisorwaspositiveornegativeaboutourrelationshipwiththat
aspectofourlife,howitgottowhereitisandwhatourhopesareforit.Thevariousminiprocessesweworkwith
inthissectionareDialoguewithPersons,DialoguewithWorks,DialoguewithSociety,DialoguewiththeBody,
andDialoguewithEvents,SituationsandCircumstances.

Indialoguingwitheachoftheseareas,weapproachitasifwewereaperson.Forexample,inadialoguewith
billsyouvebeenavoidingpaying,theymayrespond,"Youdontwanttopayusbecauseyouwanttobeakidand
haveDaddypaythebills."

Interviewer:Whatisthefourthsection?:

Progoff:ThatistheMeaningDimension.Thissectionhasthefunctionofconnectingtheindividualsinasociety
accordingtobeliefs.Thesebeliefstendtobeaboutfundamentalsoflife,thevaluesandultimateconcernsthat
motivatepeople.Whentheyfeelconnectedbycommonsocialsymbols,peoplearestrengthenedintheirsenseof
beingsupportedinlife.Ifthereisnosuchexperiencepresent,theyaresubjecttoalienation.

Theseconnectivesymbolsareexperiencedonanunconsciouslevelandmustbepersonallyexperiencedinorder
tobevalidfortheperson.Itisimportantfortheindividualtohavesuchasymbolinordertobefreefromthe
anxietiesofbeingseparatedandhavingnosourcetodependupon.

Inmoderntimes,alienationhasbeenidentifiedasoneoftheprimarycausesofanxiety.Theanswertoitdepends
uponanindividualhavingasubjectiveexperienceofhisorherunconscious.IntheIntensiveJournalprocess,we
callforththesepreviouslyunconsciousexperiencesandlookatthemcloselyforthegoodtheycanbringtous.

Wefunctionbestashumanbeingswhenweareconnectedtosomethinggreaterthanourselves.Soin
theIntensiveJournalprocess,wemakeitapointtoreviewthehistoryofourconnectiveexperiences.Weare
seekingtodrawoutthestrengthfromthemandtodiscovertheunconscioussymbolsthataremeaningfultous.
TheMeaningDimensionsectionincludesasubsectioncalledGatheringsinwhichweseektorecallforourselvesas
manyoftheseexperiencesaswecan.Thus,inahistoricalway,bytheuseoftwilightmemory,webringback
memoriesofconnectiveexperiencethathaveanimportanceinourlives.

Interviewer:Thisprocessappearstohavemanyindividualpartsandaratherintricatemethodology.
Howdoesonelearnit?

Progoff:MyexperiencewiththeIntensiveJournalprocessoveraperiodofmanyyearssuggeststhatthemost
effectivewaytobeginitsuseisbyattendinganIntensiveJournalworkshop.Therearetwomainbenefitstothis.
Oneistheopportunitytodrawthepresentsituationofyourlifeintofocusbyworkingprivatelyinyour
ownIntensiveJournalWorkbook.Secondly,attheworkshop,participantsappreciatethesupportandenergythey
obtainfromothersalsoworkingquietlyintheirownlives.Thethirdbenefit,ofcourse,istheopportunitytolearn
thenumeroustechniquesoftheIntensiveJournalprocess,includingtheFeedbackmethod,whichenablesyouto
usetheWorkbookonyourownasatoolforpersonalandspiritualgrowth.

...IntensiveJournalprocessisnotreallyintricate.Itcorrespondstothecontentsofourlivesandthereforeit
makesthewholetaskofworkingoutwhatourlivesaretryingtobecomealotsimpler.

Interviewer:WouldyousaymoreabouttheFeedbackmethod?:

Progoff:Sure.InthestructureoftheIntensiveJournalWorkbookonebasicdistinctionisthatbetweentheLog
sectionsandtheFeedbacksections.TheLogsectionsarewherewerecordthefactualdataofourlives.The
Feedbacksections,ontheotherhand,arewherewecarryouttheactiveexercisesthatgeneratetheenergy
whichresultintransformation.Actually,thefeedbackeffectsthatoccurintheuseoftheIntensive
Journalmethodtakeplaceonseverallevels.

Abasiconeisthefeedbackthatisachievedsimplybywritingdownanonjudgmentalrecordoftheinnerand
outereventsofourlife.Inaddition,thereisthefeedbackthatresultsfromreadingtheseentrieseithersilentlyto
ourselvesoraloudtothegroup.Thenwiththepassageoftimeafurtherformoffeedbackbecomespossible.After
wehaveaccumulatedenoughofthemwecanreadbacktoourselvestheentrieswehavemadeinthevarious
sectionsoveraperiodoftime.Thisexperienceoffersavaluablemeansofmaintainingaperspectiveonourlives
inthemidstofmovementandchange.SotheJournalFeedbackexercisesdrawupontherawdataofour
everydayexperiencetohelpcarryourlifetowardmeaningfulunfoldment.

Interviewer:YouhaveindicatedthattheIntensiveJournalprocesshelpsbringtoourawareness
unconsciousmemories.Couldyousaymoreabouthowthathappens?

Progoff:Yes.Itsmuchlikethestreamofconsciousnessapproachthatpsychoanalysisusestoevokerepressed
orforgottenfeelingsanddesires.Inastateofsurrender,theyaremoreavailable.Theywellupfroman
undergroundstream.ThatiswhymeditationisanimportantpartoftheIntensiveJournalprocess.Itgivesusan
opportunitytoopenuptothatdeepwellwithinus.LettinggoandlettingGodisreallytheessenceoftheprocess.
Allofusarelivingoutcertainpatterns,andweneedtodiscoverwhatthesepatternsareinordertofulfillourtrue
purposeinlife.

InterviewerAretherespecificwaystocontactthatdeepwell?

Progoff:Thekeyliesintheatmospherethatisestablished.Asweenterintothedepthsofthewellthrough
employingthetechniquesofEntranceMeditation,aqualityofstillnessisestablishedfromwhichnewideas,
imagesandawarenessareactivatedandfedintotheindividualscreativecapacities.

Interviewer:DoyoubelievetheIntensiveJournalprocesswouldbeaneffectivetoolfordrugaddicts
andothersimilargroupsofpeopletouseinovercomingtheirproblem,andperhapschangingtheir
beliefsaboutthemselves?

Progoff:Yes,Ido.Itwouldofferthemamethodtheycouldusetogetasenseofwheretheyareintheirlifeand
whattheirlifeistryingtobe.Ihavethefeelingthatmostpeoplewhobecomechemicallydependentarelooking
forsomething,andusuallytheydontevenknowwhatitis.Theyhaveaspiritualhunger.

Theyrelookingforsomethingthatcanhelpthemfulfill,andexpressthemselves,andveryoftentheyhaveno
ideawhatthatmeansofexpressionmightbe.Whenmanypeopleworkonfulfillingtheirtruelifepurpose,our
societyimproves.Individualsbecomemorewellroundedandacceptingofothers.Theyalsobecomemore
interestedinothersdevelopingaspersonsandseeingthemashavingalife.Thedialogueexercisescanhelp
peopleestablishthisrelationshipwithotherpersonsintheirownlivesaswellasinothersocieties.Inthisway,
theIntensiveJournalprocessfostersloveandbrotherhood,andalsohelpspeopledealwithproblemssuchas
addiction.

Interviewer:WhatisthebesttimeinapersonslifetoattendanIntensiveJournalworkshop?

Progoff:Anytimeisfine,butIliketotellpeoplethattheprocessisparticularlyvaluableduringatimeof
transition.Oftenthatmaymeanaperiodofdifficultyinsomeoneslife.Buttheprocessisvaluabletoowhen
someoneiswrestlingwithadecisionorseekingtoexpandinhisorherexpressionoflife.

Interviewer:DoyouhavetobeinterestedinwritingtoworkeffectivelyintheIntensive
JournalWorkbook?

Progoff:No.Notatall.Peoplefromallwalksoflifecanusethisprogram.Afterashortwhile,peopleget
experienceinworkingintheIntensiveJournalWorkbook.Infact,wehavehadpeoplebenefitgreatlywhohad
littleeducation.Writingisonlyessentialforthereasonthatindividualsreadwhattheywroteandthenworkto
developitfurtherthroughtheFeedbacktechniques.

Interviewer:DoimmediatechangesresultfromusingtheIntensiveJournalprocess,ormightittakea
longperiodoftimebeforeanychangesstartedtomanifest?

Progoff:Thatdependsonwhetherthepersonbelievesthatchangecanoccurquicklyandhowwillingheorsheis
toletthemoccur.AgoodexerciseinthisregardistoworkwiththesubsectioncalledRoadsTakenandNot
Taken.Throughgettingmoreclearsomeonemayfindthingsopeninguprightaway.Onewomanwhotookthe
workshoprealizedshewantedtobeapianistandsheveryquicklydevelopedherpianoplayingability,aroadshe
hadnottakeninthepast.Shebelieveditcouldhappenthatquickly.

____________________________________________________________________________________________
OriginallyprintedinScienceofMindMagazine.July,1992."IntensiveJournal"and"JournalFeedback"arethe
registeredtrademarkandservicemarkrespectivelyofIraProgoffandlicensedtoDialogueHouse.