At STAR we believe that a personal crisis may be a gift in disguise. It may be a wake-up call urging deeper exploration of your inner self. This is where your true radiance lies waiting to be re-discovered. There are many causes of personal crisis—a sense of being unfulfilled, loss of family, friends, or job, accidents, natural disasters, current events, etc. Even good things can plunge one into a personal crisis.
If you are feeling unfulfilled and that there is more to life than you are getting, you may experience this as a personal crisis. Once you realize that continuing to do what you have been doing, and planning to do, may not offer all the happiness you sought, this often leads to a disruption of your life. At STAR, you will find an opportunity to discover the sources of your original conditioning which led you in this unfulfilling direction. You will also have the opportunity to discover your own path and passions.
Another source of personal crisis can be loss of relationship, family, friends, your health or job, etc. If you have good external and internal sources of support, the related feelings of grief eventually subside, and you can continue to function, even if it requires that you make changes and adjustments.
If the grief is longstanding, it may be because the crisis has tapped into some hidden and unconscious pain. When this happens, it may manifest itself in a variety of ways: depression or anxiety that becomes so excruciating that you resort to self-medication by drugs or alcohol or other addictive behaviors, or constantly seeking relief in new relationships, jobs, or activities that never seem to work out.
In STAR, we recognize the reality of pain whose roots may be deeply buried. We help uncover those Band Aids, which surround you with safety. Then you can look at those wounds to find the source and nature of those original unhealed wounds. In STAR, we support youso the real healing can begin. Your trust of your realities can be re-established, and you can again become radiant, loving, and safely adventuresome.
This was an excellent program for me, and I would most certainly (and have!)
recommended it to others. Though a healing/clarifying process for everyone, it seems especially valuable for those undergoing major crisis.
1994 graduate, 1 year after STAR
Also see:
Recovery from Grief and Loss
Treating Depression and Anxiety
Smart Life Transition
Recovery as a Lifelong Process
Relationship Issues Help
The STAR Process
What Graduates Say about STAR Retreats
The Value of a Personal Growth Retreat
Frequently Asked Questions