Try this exercise as a way of understanding how one can freely explore the content of your life in a structured way. This exercise also makes the material in this unit seem more sensible than it has probably seemed when it was presented in other settings.

• Focus on a current concern or issue. Give yourself time to consider it fully, perhaps visualizing an image of the concern. What do you think, hear, see, and feel as you think about this issue?

• What emotions do you have around this concern? Be aware that you may feel more than one emotion at the same time. Locate those feelings or sensations in one part of your body .

• Allow yourself to make connections between this concern and earlier times. What comes to mind? Be aware of images, feelings, and memories, no matter how fragmentary .

• How do you connect your current concern with the past? How are these similar? Different? How does this association give you a new perspective of your current situation?

• Think about your gender, family of origin, and cultural/ethnic identification. How do these factors relate to your current experience?

Remember: As in any other exercise, you can choose to stop at any time if you get more involved than you want. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed and feel this is more than you can handle, feel free to talk to me, someone at the Counseling Center, or a friend. (Maintain confidentiality in your discussions.)

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Last updated August 31, 1998