INTEGRAL PSYCHOTHERAPY: The Other Side of Chocolate!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Other Side of Chocolate!

On May 28, 2009, I turned sixty. In addition to dealing with the recent onset of andropause, I set an intention to stop eating chocolate on May 29! Chocolate - that wonderful after lunch and dinner "pick-me-up", that delicious break between tasks; chocolate - that chip that generously spikes my mint chip ice cream and enlivens my chocolate chip cookies.

I chose to ritualize this decision by having a final birthday treat (thank you sooo much to my co-conspirator, Honoree, nee Ms. Nancy Evelyn Hinman) - chocolate dessert at the 5 star Miro restaurant at the Baccara Spa and Resort in Goleta, California. It was important to go out in style! Farewell to all my special friends: Cadbury's, See's, Toblerone, Godiva, Giriardelli, Lindt, Paul Newman's and all the tempting chocolate treats from Trader Joe's! These were all important relationships and I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for all of the years that you have all been there for me! I promise to nod my respects to you when I next see you at the check out counter!

Why, you may ask, did I choose to let go of this delectable aphrodisiac at this time in my life?
The answer resides not only in the results of my annual physical check up but also in my decision to look at my compulsive consumption of chocolate. Yes, I have been an avowed chocoholic for years! It has helped me to deal with over-stimulation, emotional arousal and transitional moments which I had so unconsciously ritualized.

It is my intention to write about this process of releasing myself from this charming compulsion as a Life Coach so that others can do the same with their own special compulsions if they so choose.

My preferred strategy to quit chocolate is the same way I quit caffeine (for the most part), nicotine, alcohol and other substances: Cold Turkey!

Today, Sunday, I will be removing from the refrigerator the tasty chocolate sauce that I love to dash over my coconut ice cream! Tomorrow I will donate the rest of my chocolate treats to the office! Wit the loss of this seductive coping skill, I am going to be experimenting with mints, honey-sesame almonds, fresh fruit, dried fruit and other delectables - as a first step!

I am not sure there is a Chocoholic Anonymous chapter in Santa Barbara - but if not - I could always start one!

I am holding the vision for myself to let go of all of my compulsions and to experience a peak level of physical and emotional well-being as I navigae my sixties!

I look forward to keep you all informed of my progress and what happens when we disempower our compulsions - on the other side of chocolate!

Love, light and shadow,
Jalaledin

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INTEGRAL PSYCHOTHERAPY

Integral Psychotherapy is a process, first and foremost, of re-wiring ourselves to access our highest and fullest potential in order to achieve and manifest our Imaginal Self within the context of a Self Psychology, a Social & Political Psychology, a Cultural Psychology, a Transpersonal Psychology and a Feminine Psychology.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you,

He that believeth on me,

The works that I do

Shall he do also;

And greater works than these

Shall he do.” John 14:12

“Ye are gods.” John 10:34

Any model of psychotherapy must be based on an underlying principle about the nature of a human being and the nature of existence. The Integral model is based on the implications of Quantum Physics which proposes that each system points toward a common “reality” of the underlying unity of everything, which has been referred to by my own spiritual life coach as “mono-reality.” As David Bohm suggests, there is an “explicate order” and an “implicate order” to life and existence as we know it: an explicate order which is a perception of the world with apparent differences and boundaries and an implicate order at the quantum level where objects, and particles and people as well as our emotions are made sub-atomically, of the same substance in an unbroken wholeness that connects us all.

It is within this context that the Integral model of psychotherapy has been developed and practiced. The guiding principle of this model is that there are infinite possibilities that are available to all of us individually or as a group, organization, community or society for the Co-creation of our Lives with the Power of Imagination. This model of human nature and the Imaginal Self for Integral Psychotherapy is exemplified at its best by the words and the life of Jesus, who in the scriptures quoted above, demonstrated that he was in communion with the One, that all of us as humans have this capacity for communion and co-creation with the One, and that in achieving our fullest potential we are actually “being” divine.

It is important to assert, at the outset, that this is not a model that is based on any religious dogma or persuasion and that each individual has the right to define the nature of this quantum field of unity in their own way. Hence, if an individual is an atheist, his or her understanding of this unity may be based on the principles of quantum physics, the unity of humanity or the unity of the ecological order of all things or the unity of existence at the sub-atomic level.

Congruent with the concept of an Integral vision of psychotherapy , this model integrates into a unifying whole various different life domains which include a psychology of self, a social and political psychology, a cultural psychology, a transpersonal psychology and a feminine psychology, all of which when addressed as a whole, has demonstrated a capacity for successful outcomes.

Standard Fees: US $ 500 for every three one-hour sessions, payable in advance. Sliding scale available, with re-adjustment to standard fees upon financial success.

TESTIMONIALS

Jalaledin is intrinsicly a kind and loving man who loves Allah. He has a curious mind and a playful spirit and seeks to balance work, learning, playing and day to day operations into a collage of brilliance and love.He has made many sacrifices both personally and professionally to become the person he is today. I had the pleasure of starting some work personally with him and I found him to be keenly perceptive. creative, and wise. I look forward to having the privilege of finishing our work together some day.Both my husband and I experience him as a person that cannot be judged from a worldly perspective or you miss his essence.

Love, Light and Shadow,

Rahma and Hadi Burns,
Seaside, OR.

Thank you Jalaledin for being my life coach and being a part of my journey of coming into my own power. Caroline Myss once said in her seminar that I attended to always select a coach who helps one move forward with their issues and not one who encourages you to get stuck in your past by talking about it for months and years.

This empowering style is what I noticed about Jalaledin from our first session and thus started my journey.His intuitive skill of picking up on the fact that I had a tendency to quickly bypass deep issues was a real blessing and something I can laugh about now when at the time all I could do was cry. I can still hear Jalaledin's words asking me to stay with the issue after he gently brought me back to it and giving me the space to cry and go deep within my soul. Once I was done with the crying he came up with ideas of activities that we brainstormed on to help me heal my issues.

I believe that Jalaledin is truly following his calling and I pray that he gets to touch & coach many lives like he did mine.

God Bless.

Aneesa K., Entrepreneur

Edmonton, Canada.

As my life coach, Jalaledin has been a voice of wisdom and a tremendous listener. He has helped guide me to my true self, my true desires, my true self expression. He allows the space for me to show up fully and freely, and therefore I get to make discoveries that are my own, and therefore, sustainable. In a relatively short period of time, I've realized dramatic, wonderful changes in how I relate to myself, my life, others, and the world. If you want to live a life that is true to your desires and dreams, I highly recommend embarking on a supportive journey with this remarkable man.- Robert Hickling, Visual Designer at Yahoo! Mountain View, CA

In 2006, I spent 6 months in San Francisco working on a theatre production. During this most challenging period I suffered spells of depression and often felt like resigning.

Jalaledin Ebrahim came to the rescue. He served as my "career coach" and helped me regain confidence to complete my assignment.

After a first meeting to determine the exact nature of my condition, Jalaledin and I met on a regular basis and spoke on the phone as well. During these coaching sessions, I was encouraged to express myself. I was asked questions that stimulated further reflection on causes for my anxiety. Jalaledin also assigned specific exercises (like drawing with my left hand) that proved most revealing.

Whenever in distress, I knew I could turn to Jalaledin for help.

- Hafiz Karmali, Theatre Director, Paris, France

Jalaledin Ebrahim is a wonderful coach who will lead you gently and firmly to your next step, and then the next one and the next one. He is sensitive and tuned into the places of power as well as the vulnerable ones that comprise your journey toward success.

- Elana Golden, filmmaker, writer, writing teacher, Hollywood, CA

2010 calls out for Excellence!

Preparing for the newness of each moment in time... As this new year begins, it is a perfect opportunity to look ahead and set our intentions for 2010, keeping in mind what is most important and prioritizing what we each would want for ourselves, and for each other, with random, even radical, acts of kindness, embracing the stranger in our midst, not forgetting to appreciate all the animate and inanimate beings, species, elements, planets and stars that inhabit our cosmic eco-system, making our life so remarkably sustainable! Let's focus on some or all of the following areas or life domains:

Personal Growth & Life Long Learning
Personal & Family Relationships
Health & Fitness
Self-Care and Care for Others
Finances & Investments
Professional & Academic Excellence
Self-cultivation, Spiritual growth & Practice
Recreation & Creativity
Citizenship & Community engagement
Conservation of our Resources
Stewardship of our Natural Environment

Then, just Go for It like there is no tomorrow!

You ask: What's my agenda?

I prefer to re-frame this question as "what is my purpose?"
In Ekhart Tolle's book, "The Power of Now" he offers an exercise you might enjoy doing to answer this question for yourself. Here is my own answer, for this time around:

My Purpose on this Planet

My inner purpose is to manifest, bring forward,
take on and surrender to
A natural overflowing of
Love, authenticity, compassion, empathy,
Wisdom, integrity, creativity and joy
for the sake of the pure pleasure
and Greater Glorification of
The One Source of all Life.

My outer purpose is to lovingly
embody, embrace and engage in
self-enhancing and Self aligned,
contemplative, catalytic and creative activities
that generate
Peace, abundance, wholeness, joy and healing
in my life and in all of Creation,
With Grace and Ease.

INTEGRAL PSYCHOTHERAPY

Integral eco-archetypal image

Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Other Side of Chocolate!

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