There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands.

— Richard Bach, "Illusions", 1977

THE PROBLEMS

We all find the problems—they are a part of everyone’s life.

Perhaps it is connected to a frightening experience—one that no one knew how to help you through. And then the fear grew until now it interferes with what you want to do.

Perhaps it is faulty communication between you and a loved one—your spouse, your child, a friend, or someone at work. And then anger, hurt feelings or resentments build.

Perhaps it is a habit that started out being so exciting to you, and now it’s taken you over and has a life of its own.

Perhaps it is self-doubt and low self-esteem. Even the most well meaning parents do not always know how to help us recognize our own abilities and strengths.

Sometimes it isn’t clear what the problem is—you just feel out of sorts, not happy with yourself or with your life. And you know there is more for you if you can find the key to unlock the door.

Life is a journey. We start without much direction—follow the lead of our parents and teachers—go with the flow of society and those around us. Finally, we have to find the way for ourselves.

THE GIFTS

Finding our own way helps us find ourselves, who we are; to sort out what is and isn’t important to us; to understand our relationships, so we can guide them in positive and comfortable ways; to understand our troubling feelings and learn what they have to teach us, so we can let them go and allow ourselves to come to a peaceful place.

As we work to resolve the problems, we obtain the gifts.

Facing our fears helps us develop courage and peace of mind. We find out where the fears come from. Perhaps we no longer need them and can let them go. Perhaps we develop strength to do what we need to do or to stand up for what we believe or need. Perhaps we just learn to calm the body in those fearful situations, so they no longer bother us.

When we learn to listen carefully to others, understand them and express our own ideas and feelings with clarity, we improve our relationships and decrease the chances of misunderstanding and anger.

When we dig down to find the origins of patterns of feeling or behavior that are troublesome or hold us back, we can let go of these habits and replace them with more productive ways of approaching life.

As we come to know who we are and what we are; to find and accept our strengths, abilities, and good character traits; as well as taking an honest look at our weaknesses, limitations, faults, and behaviors that we find unhelpful or want to change, we can develop a balanced view of ourselves, make good use of our strengths, and begin to work to change our weaknesses.

When the problem isn’t clear, the search for happiness, satisfaction, or peace of mind may take us in many directions. For most of us, it’s hard to know where to begin, and we often come up against our own blind spots. We need help from a neutral, knowledgeable and compassionate outside source, who can see us and our situation from a broader perspective and help us put the pieces of the puzzle together. Then we can find the gift of insight and self-understanding, and create a new direction that will bring us the happiness we are seeking.

As we solve the problems in our lives we develop greater understanding of ourselves and others. The gift of insight lets us work more directly and quickly toward the activities and goals that will bring us satisfaction. The gift of compatible interpersonal relationships allows us to enjoy being with others. The gift of facing ourselves and our fears gives us a sense of freedom to be fully who we are and to give of ourselves to others. The gift of knowing ourselves and finding a sense of direction and meaning in our lives, brings us joy and peace of mind.

As we face and work through our problems or those difficult situations that appear in our path, we not only find solutions—we also come to greater self-realization, to know who we are, where we are going, and what life is about for us. The gifts come to us as we learn to calm our anxieties and fears, and develop the feeling of strength within that allows us to do what we want or need to do. We develop self-control and overcome unwanted reactions and habits. We learn to recognize and accept our positive attributes and develop our talents and abilities. We face and begin to change our faults and limitations. We learn how to approach others in ways that will bring cooperation rather than contention. We gain clearer vision, keener insight, deeper understanding, and a sense of balance, relaxation and peace. And, we find ways to cope with those things we cannot change by making decisions that empower us to continue upon our journey.

Samadhi means: Self-realization. This is the finding of ones’ true self and developing it to its fullest potential.

At Samadhi Center, Kathleen Dinius, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, provides competent and compassionate counseling specific to the challenges and needs of each individual client. She is considerate of all aspects of the individual client’s qualities and the situation in which they find themselves. She works with you to provide direction that is compatible with you in ways that work best for you. She is sensitive to and works with your values, desires, goals, and spiritual path. She brings thirty-four years of experience in counseling, working with a wide variety of clients, problems and counseling approaches.

Also at Samadhi Center, Gary Fandel, M.Ht., master hypnotherapist and acupressurist, uses hypnosis to overcome useless, destructive or unwanted habits; manage pain; relieve stress; facilitate more rapid healing following accidents or surgery; and much more. He also practices Jin Shin Do® BodyMind Acupressureª that provides a healing bridge among the Body, Mind and Spirit for therapeutic purposes. Acupressure is similar to acupuncture in that the same acu-points and meridians are used. However, it is non-intrusive and does not incorporate the use of needles. Jin Shin Do® BodyMind Acupressure™ is very effective for a wide variety of conditions including fibromyalgia, back pain, depression, stress and trauma, as well as general well being; and, uses gentle to firm pressure by hand to the acu-points along the body’s 12-meridians. It is considered by many to be the ultimate “In-body Experience”.