Susan Forward, the acclaimed therapist and bestselling author, appeared at the Literature, Arts and Lecture Series for a lecture that focused on emotional well-being.
“Fear and stress: the unwanted feelings that originate in man in times of crisis,” said Forward. “They sway dangerously over our heads like sharp scythes, waiting to strike us dreadfully, if we allow them to.”
Forward began the lecture with a mini biography about herself and her roles as an international therapist, mentor and activist for a sexual abuse center while a signing professional translated. Forward discussed ways of disintegrating feelings such as stress, low self-esteem, and fear from a list she handed out to the audience called “Six Promises for Emotional Well-Being.”
The first key to a healthy well-being is acknowledging beliefs of negative emotions, even when accepting them might be too hard to confront, according to Forward. She provided one method, an exercise she uses in therapy involving writing down negative beliefs, burning them, and putting them into a bag.
“Tie the ashes to a string of a balloon and as you let the balloon go, so will your negative beliefs,” said Forward.
Forward talked about having the right to make decisions, the ability to change feelings and behavior, the fact that nothing is more important than self-respect, taking responsibility for actions and the last step to intake self happiness is confronting people who have hurt you in the past.
“You must tell the person who’d harmed you what he or she did to you, how it affected your life, how you felt about it, and what you want from them now,” said Forward. “Confrontation is the true road to independence, empowerment, and self-confidence.”
She provided several examples of standing up to those who might put you down; one including a memory from her life, when she’d went to Europe for a vacation and met a bossy tourist.
“My heart was in my mouth the moment I stood up for myself, but after I’d realized what I’d done, I got this great feeling of self-control over my life.” said Forward. “You can achieve this. All you have to do is change. It won’t be easy, but you can do it.”
Forward’s lecture provided many life lessons that community members and students found beneficial.
“It’s not easy to get rid of anger, stress, and so forth,” said Isaac Martinez, 20, a sociology major. “She offered some really good advice that I can use.”