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I want to compliment you on the wonderful job I feel you did putting this whole thing together. I just read the article on trust. Where did you get the idea of "The Little Professor"? It is a valuable and a pretty fun skill to have. I have been reading some of the other stuff you have and I think it is great fun. I feel very relaxed when I read the stuff you have provided. I love learning abut who I am because, to be honest, I'm only 17, and I guess you could say I don't know myself very well yet. (But I'm getting there!) I hope to use this information in the experiences that I have in the near and later future.

[Note #1: "The Little Professor" and most of the other information at my site is from "Transactional Analysis," a system of psychotherapy....]

[Note #2: Don't you wish YOU were this wise when you were 17...? I sure do...!]

Interested In Dreams.....

I am very interested in understanding the meanings of my dreams and dreams period. I think your web site is really great and it has opened new doors and shown me a few more tricks to understanding why I dream such crazy... realistic dreams. Don't give up what you do, you seem to be very talented. God Bless!!!

[Note: I just figure ALL dreams are crazy and yet 'realistic'...!]

Helped Immediately with Girlfriend and Parents.....

I happened across your website today because I was feeling low about myself and my relationship with my girlfriend. I found your website and after spending a few minutes reading the information you posted. I started writing a 4 page letter to my girlfriend and a 1 page letter to my parents. It made an incredible change in my mood and I actually did a 180 degree turnabout from this morning and now I am excited about reading my letters to my parents and my girlfriend. Your information really helped and I thank you for that.

[Note: I love letters that talk about immediately applying what is learned...]

Caves and Torches.....

I have thoroughly enjoyed your articles and especially like the way you give good constructive practical advice and things to do about these afflictions.

Unfortunately, I suffered years of depression and read loads of books and articles related to the subject but have hardly ever found some good practical advice on getting out of the rut which is why I found your articles so useful and have been telling my friends too!

I have seen one good therapist and a couple of useless ones so I feel I now know the difference and have found the best therapist is within, so your self-therapy is marvelous. I feel that some of the useless therapists need patients more than the patients need them. To be stuck in a room paying exorbitant fees to get a vacant look seems more crazy than going deep inside the caves and coming out the other side into the sunshine yourself. Thanks for your torches!

[Note: I agree completely with her, but there are times when the caves just seem too scary to be explored alone too...]

Dreams and Lies and Opposites.....

I just wanted to let you know that some of the information that I read on your web page has really helped me out. Specifically, about how a person's subconscious can create a scenario during their dreams that tries to make them believe the opposite of the truth.

One night a young woman offered to help me place some stuff in my car, & even though I didn't need the help I didn't want to pass up the chance to have a nice encounter with her. The woman was very nice to me and the event went extremely well. I actually felt that she might be interested in me.

Anyway, I felt very good after the encounter & I began to actually believe that I was attractive to women. After I went to bed I had a dream that I was at a party and was dancing with the woman & the woman all of a sudden stuck her nose up at me and walked away before the dance was over with. After I woke up, my subconscious tried again to make me believe that I wasn't worth anything & then I remembered what your web page said about the lies & the dreaded emotions & feelings slowly subsided.

I think I'm going to talk with my therapist & try to go back into my childhood & discover what event started all this mess.

Thanks.

[Note: A perfect example of how dreams work!...]

Help With A Mass of Problems

I found your web site when I was looking for some way of dealing with a mass of problems. Your information is practical, very helpful, and makes life manageable. There is no other Web site which communicates as well as yours does. You deserve an award for putting this information on the Web. I am truly grateful to you. I am certain that there are many others who want to send a message to you but are too confused to do so.

[Note: Well, maybe... I'm just grateful for the ones I get!...]

Low Self-Esteem and Handling Criticism

First of all I would like to thank you for your informative and enlightening website. I am a 30-something year old female that grew up in a very abusive environment and as a result had a low self-esteem. I would let people walk all over me. Last year I had finally had enough and realized that the other people were not my problem, I was. Taking the responsibility for myself was the greatest thing I have ever done. I knew my only way out was to change. You cannot change others, only yourself. Your article on criticism really hit home because that has always been such a problem for me until now.

I was close friends with a neighbor for years and I let her verbally abuse me repeatedly. Every nasty comment she made I would internalize and mope about for days. About five months ago, I was in a group situation with this friend and she cut me down several times and said I was the wimp of the neighborhood. I didn't stick up for myself at the time but it ate me alive. The next day I told my husband and my two children that I was no longer going to let anyone treat me that way ever again and that I was going over to my friend's house to confront her. As you can imagine they were in shock by my newfound attitude and stepped back to let me out the door with looks of admiration on their faces.

I confronted my friend and simply told her that I no longer allow anyone to treat me in that manner and if she wanted to remain friends then she would have to start treating me with the same amount of respect that I treat her with. After a few tears on her part she apologized and said she wanted to remain friends and my terms were acceptable. Our friendship is much closer now and I have found a new sense of freedom that is exhilarating! My friends and family are stunned by my new outlook on life and they think twice before making any nasty comments to me!

I used to think that to stick up for myself I would be acting like a bit--. But I have discovered that others actually have more respect for me and I for myself when I "take care of myself." I hope your article will help someone else out there to realize that criticism is damaging only if they let it be and that a few small steps can gain them so much happiness and freedom.

[Note: This is a brag about something this woman accomplished even before she visited the site... She sent is as "encouragement" for other readers only....]

Panic / Anxiety Groups

I am so excited that I found your Web Site (by searching for "self talk" in AltaVista). I run 2 panic/anxiety support groups and am ALWAYS looking for info on the Web. When I saw your site today, I thought, "Eureka!" You have so much of interest to people with anxiety/panic disorder! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[... A few hours later...] Tony, I feel like Christmas came early for me this year -- when I found your Web site today! I wrote to you just a bit earlier today, and in the meanwhile, I've been going through your whole site. Eureka! My two panic/anxiety support groups can be thankful to YOU! You touch on so many issues that "we" have!

Of the articles you have planned for the future, I sincerely vote for: [.. lists 13 topics..]. They ALL sound Fantastic to me!!! I'd also love to hear more on Assertiveness, Self-Confidence/Esteem, Child Abuse - Emotional, Verbal, Mental.

Happy Holidays to you, Tony! You sure have given ME a wonderful Holiday gift!!!!!

[Note: This woman now has all of my topics and is circulating them in her groups...]

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Tony Schirtzinger, Therapist (Milwaukee) 

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