Robert J Strock, Author at Awareness that Heals

By Facing Difficult Feelings, It Gives Us the Best Chance to Find Peace – Episode 62

By Facing Difficult Feelings, It Gives Us the Best Chance to Feel Good - Episode 62

We are constantly managing and doing our best to hold opposing emotions and conditioning at the same time. On the one hand, we have feelings that are the least desirable. Alternatively, we have the most desirable qualities of trust, love, and compassion. It is not only important to see these as opposites but to recognize that we are taught to work hard, be disciplined, be successful, be attractive, and have financial means. As we process and wrestle with our conditioning as well as our emotional extremes the paradox emerges. Listen to this episode . . .

The Vital Link Between Feelings and Needs – Episode 61

This week Robert focuses on the second to last chapter of his book. This step entails moving from feelings to needs. There are many foundational steps required to get to this point. Robert takes some time to review. From these precursor steps, we can make a distinct connection between identifying our most challenging feelings and what needs could be supported that would most help us in any given situation. Each situation is always unique. Listen to this episode . . .

You Can’t Always Get What You Want, but if You Try, Sometimes, You Get What You Need – Episode 60

You Can't Always Get What You Want - Episode 60

This week Robert continues to delve deeply into using life’s challenges as a springboard to living a more authentic and joyful life. It is a normal human reaction to blame others or wish they were different, but wishing someone was different can only get you so far. If we suppress our most difficult feelings or act them out, we are in a kind of compulsive repeating of wounded history. Listen to this episode . . .

The Starting Point is Always Awareness – Episode 59

The Awareness that Heals is a never-ending cycle of self-inquiry. Even as you may feel you have reached development of several levels in one area of your life, you may begin to recognize that you, and all of us. are rookies in another. Identifying yet unseen aspects of your life with awareness need to be met with compassion and a sense of appreciation. It takes great humility and courage to look at what areas aren’t yet developed. You are opening vulnerable areas that many of us avoid! Yet, we are being guided to meet these challenges with a compassionate inquiry with a tone of support. Listen to this episode . . .

Hearing needs as demands — the healing potential of this realization

One of the cornerstone distortions in love relationships, friendships and all other kinds of relationships is inaccurately seeing “the other’s” expression of a need as a demand. When we exaggerate the genuine expression of a need and instead experience it as a demand, it sets up the unfortunate and inevitable likelihood of misunderstandings. It can also compromise your own ability or desire to be responsive in a kind and cooperative way. Read More . . .

Happiness & Fulfillment: Balancing our Life Equations – Episode 58

Most people are part of the program. The equation is: success + sex + power + moving toward wealth + being popular + having a family = Fulfillment. This is the dominant western narrative of how to arrive at happiness. In this week’s episode, Robert challenges this assumption. He suggests we ask essential questions of ourselves, listen carefully to our guidance, then follow through with new thoughts and actions. Listen to this episode . . .

Recognizing Tendencies: Do I Stew or Suppress? – Episode 57

Recognizing Tendencies: Do I Stew or Surpress - Episode 57

Recognizing a style of how we deal with our challenges can be a great way to begin learning how to best take care of ourselves. At one level it may appear paradoxical because most of us have been raised to believe we want to feel good. That we want to appear to feel good to others and ourselves. We haven’t understood the price of suppressing feelings. This episode highlights the importance of taking some time to drop into life’s most difficult experiences. Listen to this episode . . .

How to Greet Difficult Emotions with Support and Wisdom – Episode 56

Greeting Difficult Emotions with Support and Wisdom - Episode 56

Accepting our emotions with an astute mind can be a key component to being kinder to ourselves. Rather than rejecting our feelings and internally shaming ourselves for having them, we can make an important pivot to welcome them with courage and curiosity. They have something to teach us. Emotions can be muddled and hard to unpack, but within them sits the possibility of accessing our deepest wisdom. This intelligence will lead us to qualities that we can embrace to care for ourselves. Listen to this episode . . .

When Desires go Awry: Redefining Success to be Inclusive – Episode 55

The importance of this podcast is to put attention on yourself, so you may touch on the most universal needs that are going to benefit your life when challenges arise. When you are able to do this, even some of the time, you will begin to be able to benefit the world as well. It is a common misunderstanding that when we focus on ourselves, this is narcissistic. However, by discovering and accessing our essential needs, it is actually the most generous thing we can do. Listen to this episode . . .

What’s the danger in hearing perceptions as judgments?

One of the most unrecognized patterns by the general population, and even unwittingly by most therapists, that causes suffering, especially in love relationships, is when one partner or party views and experiences the other’s “perceptions” as “judgments.” Turning perceptions into judgments is one of the least understood dynamics in communication, and is a real source of loss of intimacy, trust and compatibility. Read More . . .