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Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein is the originator of The Enchanted Self. She has been a positive psychologist in private practice and licensed in the states of New Jersey and Massachusetts since 1981.
Family Relationship Award of Excellence
My Books
Secrets: You Tell Me Yours and I’ll Tell You Mine…maybe!
Following on the heels of the best-selling book, The Truth, SECRETS is the continuing diary of a girl moving into her teen-age years. The Girl has plenty to fill her journal. The pages reveal a new school, a new baby in the family, new friends, a new guy and a new set of issues to face. Share the secret world of an almost-teen as she learns which secrets to share and which to keep to herself.
Download an excerpt of Secrets here.
THE TRUTH: I'm a Girl, I'm Smart and I Know Everything!
In the mothers' and daughters' version, this girl encapsulates the spark and energy that your daughter has inside of her, and that you had inside of yourself as a girl. It is this special capacity for fun and wisdom that we need to protect in our girls and get back to ourselves!
Let's rejoice in the girl inside of ourselves. Let's give courage and affirmation to our daughters and granddaughters so they know from the inside out, it is ok, in fact, essential to keep her alive, as they grow up.
The Truth, I'm 10, I'm Smart & I Know Everything.
The adult women's version is a delightful, humorous secret diary, written by a girl who is 10-11 years of age. She is wise and yet so innocent. She makes us cry and laugh and remember ourselves. Behind this very easy read is the psychological message to the women reading THE TRUTH that they can and must recapture the fire and passion of their girlhoods not only for themselves to flourish and be happy, but for the next generation to also have the gifts of good emotional and spiritual health.
This book is filled with emotional and delightful reminiscences that will charm you even as you are inspired to begin thinking of your own ways to bring delight into your hearts.
A collection of stories that is guaranteed to make you Feel Good. Click on the title to find out about the free gifts you will receive or here to learn more about the stories.
Recipes for Enchantment, The Secret Ingredient is YOU! is a culmination of over ten years of work and research in the field of personal enchantment by Dr. Barbara. She teaches us how to recall positive memories, regardless of our history, recognize our potential, and bring into our lives more of what gives us pleasure and joy. This is all combined with daily positive actions.
The Enchanted Self, A Positive Therapy
Through my work as a therapist, I have become concerned that we do not keep clearly enough how to reclaim what is positive about ourselves. This led me to write my book, The Enchanted Self, A Positive Therapy, published in 1997 by Harwood Academic Press. This book was probably the first and only book for mental health care providers and the interested public, to lay out the tools necessary to create a positive mind set and live an affirmative and affirming way of life!
The Enchantress Within Each of Us Returns-Making Potholders, One Stitch at a Time! part 1
When I was little I was very busy–as I imagine most little girls are. At six years of age I had my toys, my fire station with a real bell, my fire trucks and other cars, my paper dolls, my coloring books and large box of Crayola assorted crayons, my picture books and stuffed animals. One of my most important possessions was a ‘working’ toy which was my ceramic pig that served as my personal banker. This pig controlled my destiny to some extent, because when there was enough change inside of him, I got to go downtown Bridgeport with my mother and guess what? I picked out a new toy! Now I was going on seven and saving every penny toward a Toni doll. Did you know you could perm her hair? I couldn’t wait!
And then, as if in a flash, I was no longer going on seven, but turning 10. A different house, a different town, but still so many interests and passions! I had my hand held sewing machine and spent hours creating outfits for my dolls. The Toni doll was still around, but unimportant-small vogue dolls were my passion. I figured out a way to make my own paper patterns for their clothing. I liked my patterns because they involved less sewing than the store bought doll patterns. That was good for me as I was more interested in adding details such as lace trim, rather than doing a lot of sewing. The exception to my own rule was the bridal gown for my large Vogue doll. I went all out and sewed feverishly, dreaming of a day when …
I was incredibly busy. I had to practice my violin. I had to read my latest Little Lulu comic. I was in the middle of the Nancy Drew Mystery Book that I had convinced my mom to buy me. Oh-I had to work on my next Girl Scout Badge by next Thursday. Yes, so much to do and so little time. I’m always at least three days behind in my diary, but I must keep recording my life!
Wash up fast! I Love Lucy is on. Everything stops for I Love Lucy!
Can you feel the energy-the passion and determination of the child? It might surprise you to realize that within each of us, the child, with her energy, her passions, her potential for greatness, is still alive. It may take a trip back in time to find what really sparked us. It may take some creative re-inventing to figure out how we can use the wonderment of our younger self in a form that will work now. Let me now share with you how I further explored childhood positive energies and their retrieval with a colleague.
To be continued…
The Girl in The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m smart and I know everything) goes to China
The big news at The Enchanted Self is that The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m smart and I know everything) will be published in China this summer. It is being published by a University Press and will be sold to schools and children and teenagers. It will be in both English and Chinese so that the students can practice their English. I am so excited and so is the Girl! I’ll be back with more information of this exciting journey to China.
Weekly Blessing
May you spring into spring this week and have a spring in your step that feels like skipping and laughing all rolled into one!
Weekly Blessing
“May you skip into Spring and may you always have a spring in your step!” Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Weekly Blessings
“Let the first song birds welcome you into spring and fill your heart with the courage for new beginnings!”
~ Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
FIVE EASY STEPS FOR INVOKING YOUR ENHANCEMENT IN MIDLIFE
I am always so excited when I find a true kindred spirit. Isn’t it a wonderful feeling? Daina is one of mine. You will see why when you read her inspiring five easy steps below for living an enchanted life. Isn’t that what we all want? Isn’t that what my work is all about? Let’s shout out “Yes” to both questions. And now, get ready for some wonderful mental stimulation that is sure to put you ahead on the Enchanted Road to Happiness!
~Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
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FIVE EASY STEPS FOR
INVOKING YOUR ENHANCEMENT IN MIDLIFE
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An enchanted life is created and begins from within us. We reawaken our enchantment through knowing what the heart and authentic soul of our desires is. By the time women hit midlife, many of us have focused so much of our energy on doing for others that we lost touch with what is meaningful, important, special, magnificent, intimate, and magical to us…. and most important, WHY it is so.
Getting connected to our enchanted child guides us to the heart and soul of our desires. When we have that piece of knowledge, that spark, we have the enchanted core of our desires. The universal law of attraction then can begin to work and will attract more of that into you life.
STEP 1) What activities did you really enjoy in childhood? Just let your mind recall times when you felt enchanted. When you forgot what time it was, when you were creating something, felt involved, juiced, excited. Make a list of as many as you can remember. They can be very, very simple snippets in time like the example of swinging.
STEP 2) Go there in your imagination and re-experience the enchantment that swinging had for you.
STEP 3) Ask yourself; What feeling did it give me when I was swinging? What about it tickled you? We want to get to the “feeling place” underneath the activity. That’s where the magic is.
* Using the example of swinging, it may have given you a feeling of incredible freedom.
STEP 4) Let’s just say it was the feeling of freedom. What does freedom mean to you? What qualities does freedom have for you? Where do you experience this feeling in your body? Breathe into it and ask it for more information. Let your authentic feeling of freedom speak to you and give you more information.
* The feeling of freedom that swinging gave you may have associations of being unrestricted and unobstructed.
STEP 5) What else conjures up that feeling within you? What do you associate with that feeling of freedom? Is there any place in your adult life that you get that feeling? What are you doing? What is giving you that feeling? Where in your adult life do you want and need more of that? What is the next logical step for someone in your position now that you have discovered more about your authentic soul’s voice?
* You may be a person who needs to feel in charge of your own time, money, projects, decisions, and energy at work so you may need to be your own boss. Working by someone else’s time clock and directives may make you feel that constricted feeling and you may not even know where it is coming from. Unfortunately many of us think there is something wrong with us and try to “deal” with our discomfort.
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Daina (Dinah) Puodziunas has been helping women nurture their feminine spirit and re~enchant their soul since 1988.
http://www.Midlifefairygodmothers.com ~ Awaken your inner Midlife Fairy Godmother ~ the new archetype for women who are feeling stuck, lost, or selfish focusing on themselves in midlife.
http://www.Awakenedpotentials.com ~ Women’s Wisdom Retreats and Solitude In Nature Retreats held at her home on Enchanted Lake.
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Listen to Barbara on:
Inspirational Celebrity and Book Reviews
Tuesdays
9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m. cst