|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What is The Solution? The Solution trains us in two powerful internal skills, self-nurturing and effective limits. When these skills are mastered, the drives to go to excess fade, including the drive to overeat, smoke, drink too much, spend, overwork and other softer excesses such as rescuing, distancing, thinking too much or people-pleasing. These skills also bring more of the rewards of human maturity: integration, balance, sanctuary, intimacy, vibrancy, and spirituality. Having freedom from excess and an abundance of the full spectrum of life's rewards are what we call having a Solution. How does The Solution work? The Solution appears to work because of its effect on the brain, including the "feeling brain," which is the seat of emotional balance, intimacy with others, spiritual connection, and the drives to go to excess. A Solution occurs when we have integrated these skills so thoroughly that the neural networks in our feeling brain spontaneously favor a life of balance. We stop the excess, not because we are being good, but because we no longer need it What research supports program effectiveness? The Solution was named one of the top ten medical advances of the year 2000 by Health. A six-year follow-up study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco and a survey of program graduates conducted by a researcher at the University of Illinois, Chicago both showed lasting change that was statistically and clinically significant. Read the articles for yourself by clicking on research or read a summary of it in the appendix of The Pathway. Where was The Solution developed? The Solution was developed at the University of California, SanFrancisco's School of Medicine. The work began in 1979 amd a program for families with obese children or adolescents was developed in the Department of Pediatrics. Beginning in 1991, the method was applied to adults through research and developmental testing in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. The adult program was made available to the public for those with weight and eating concerns in 1997 with the publication of THE SOLUTION (Regan Books) In 2003, it was made available to anyone with an excess they wanted to end or a reward they wanted to receive with the publication of THE PATHWAY (ReganBooks). After more than 20 years of development, training in these skills became available to all. The program's developer, Laurel Mellin, M.A., R.D., is an associate clinical professor of family and communtity medicine and pediatrics at the university. She also directs The Institute for Health Solutions, a non-profit organization that supports professional training, program research and client support. Many physicians, psychologists, family therapists, program providers and program participants have contributed to the development of this work as well. The Shapedown Program is based on this method and is
a family-based approach to child and adolescent obeisty. Parent guides
and children's workbooks can be used for self-study. Groups conducted
by licensed health professionals who are certified in the method are
available in some communities. A school-based program for prevention
and early treatment has also been developed. Please visit www.childobesity.com for more information. What can I expect from The Solution? Traditional methods, though benevolent, have shown low effectiveness in creating what most of us seek-that is, to end one excess without substituting another; to avoid dependency upon drugs or groups; to experience changes that last long after the treatment ends; and to feel happier and healthier. People who use this method often enough and well enough to integrate the skills experience these lasting broad-spectrum changes. They are far happier and far healthier. How can I get started? Read THE PATHWAY by Laurel Mellin for a better understanding of The Solution. (If your goal, your "sweetest fruit," is turning off the drive to overeat, you may also want to read a second book, THE SOLUTION.) Once you have read THE PATHWAY, if you are interested in using The Solution, the complete Solution Course can help you begin to build these skills within yourself. The course includes six Solution Kits, each of which can be purchased individually. Each kit gives you just what you need at that stage of the journey and included with the kit is information and enrollment forms for the various forms of support available to make it easier for you to complete the course. What support is available? There are two kinds of support: Community and Professional. Community support may involve starting a Solution Circle, connecting with several Solution Buddies, and visiting our Solution Internet Community. Professional support is delivered by Certified Solution Providers, health professionals trained in the method who provide coaching and conduct Solution Groups. Coaching and groups by telephone are available through the Institute for Health Solutions. What is Basic Solution Support? We strongly recommend that all program participants complete Basic Solution Support, whether they plan to access community support or professional support over the long term. It involves just what we have found people need to make beginning The Solution easier, safer, and more effective. It includes an orientation and clinical time with a Solution Provider. The Solution Orientation - It includes a 2-hour orientation so you understand more about the method and various kinds of support. At this time, The Solution Orientation is FREE through the Institute to those who have ordered a Solution Kit. Check with your local Solution Provider to determine the costs of the orientation in your community. After you have completed The Solution Orienation, you are eligible to enroll in additional support that helps you get started using the method, either: The Great Start Group - a four-week group with a Solution Provider and a community of 8 participants that meets weekly for four weeks. Each week you will have individual time to ask questions and experience the method, including doing cycles. This option is best for those who want to have an immediate support group as most members continue to connect after the group concludes. The cost is $149 for the 10 hours of group training and support through the Institute. Check with your local provider for local groups as fees vary. The Great Start Coaching - a private coaching session with a Solution Provider to answer your questions, receive private coaching on doing cycles and set up an effective plan for your support. This option is best for those who prefer privacy and do not have time for a four-week group. The fee for the coaching session is $99 for 50 minutes. After you complete Basic Solution Support, you are eligible to participate in The Buddy List through which they can connect with others who are on the pathway in their community or throughout the country, know how to use the method safely and effective and, in short, are on the pathway! What support can I use after Basic
Solution Support? 1. Solution Group - A group conducted by a Certified Solution Provider. Solution Groups usually include about 12 participants, and are designed to offer community, coaching, structure, and support. They are held for 2 hours per week in communities throughout the country. To find a Solution Group, visit the Group Finder on this website for information on contacting a Solution Provider directly. 2. Solution TeleGroups - A group conducted by a Certified Solution Provider. Solution TeleGroups usually include about 12 participants. They are conducted in the same way as Solution Groups, but are on one of our audioconferencing lines and meet for 2 hours per week. For more information on Solution TeleGroups, write to support@thepathway.org. 3. Coaching and TeleCoaching - You can receive
private coaching from a Solution Provider for a variety of needs: in-depth
cycles, questions that need answers, changing high risk behavior or almost
any need related to The Solution course. 4. Solution Circles - Start or join a small group of friends who meet weekly for two hours, using the protocol we have developed and tested that simulates being in a Solution Group. This is free. 5. Solution Buddies - Find buddies from The Buddy List on the website (for those who have completed Basic Solution Support) who will listen to you do cycles, or ask various friends if they are willing to listen to you use the cycles and pop yourself above the line. Access to the Buddy List is free, though only those who have completed Basic Solution Support are provided access to the list. 6. Internet Community - With your Solution Kit comes three months of website membership to our private community of individuals taking the complete Solution courses. You'll also interact with providers and supporters who can answer questions and help make your journey easier. Free with your purchase of a kit. 7. Other Support - Small amounts of professional
support can be very helpful. We offer private coaching sessions, group
coaching sessions for your entire Solution Circle, and four-week Mini-Groups
on each excess (for participants in Kit 3 and above). There will be Solution
Weekend Retreats beginning in 2004 and there are various CD programs to
use alone or share with your buddies or circle. See our website for more
information. How do I know what pathway I am on? Take the self-test on this site or the Solution Inventory
in THE PATHWAY. If you are on pathway 1 or 2, community support may be
all you need. If you are on pathway 3, professional support is recommended. We suggest that you visit the member's part of our website, which is available to anyone taking the complete Solution course (the Solution Kits). Solution Providers are there to answer your questions. Also, enroll in Basic Solution Support, and continue to connect with the members of that group. Consider connecting with people from The Buddy List. Ask several friends to listen to you do cycles. These connections cost nothing, and, in time, you may find that you have created your own personal Solution community. Having a few coaching sessions can be extremely helpful and you can arrange for coaching by telephone. In short, patch together the support you need and know that your needs will be different at various phases of the training. If at any time you do not feel safe in the training, be sure to consult your physician or mental health professional. What if I have financial problems? The Institute for Health Solutions is a non-profit organization and we
do our best to keep our fees low. For recommendations on using this
method as inexpensively as possible, please click here. What if my problems are serious? If your problems are serious, either medically or psychologically, you may need to delay starting the program or access additional support while using it. For information on using this method when medical or psychological risk is higher, please click here. In addiiton, if your medical risk from obesity is extreme (Body Mass Index of 40 or more), please click here. What materials are needed? What does each Solution Kit include? All participants need a copy of THE PATHWAY. They also need The Solution Kits. Each one includes the materials you need for three months: a journal (workbook) and four CDs. Solution Support (2 CDs) provides information and guidance for that kit. The Imagines program is visualizations and The Cycles program shows real examples of the cycles used effectively. Each kit includes three months of membership in our Solution Internet Community. There are six kits, altogether. In addition, a previous book, THE SOLUTION, which focuses specifically on weight loss, can be helpful to those whose sweetest fruit is turning off the drive to overeat. What is the focus of each Solution Kit? Each Solution Kit is designed to give you just what you
need at that phase of the training to make the journey easier, safer,
and more rapid: How much time will it take? To reach your Solution takes as long as it takes. The more often and more effectively you practice the skills, the sooner you will reap your sweetest fruit. When you are in Solution training, count on devoting about 6 hours weekly (plus time for physical exercise) to this work. During those 6 hours, you will work in your kit, make Community Connections, and get support from a circle, a group, our Internet community or a Solution coach. What is the "sweetest fruit"? Your "sweetest fruit" is what you most want in life. It is the one thing for which you most yearn that has always been just beyond your grasp. For most people, their sweetest fruit is to turn off a particular drive to go to excess, such as eating, spending, drinking or smoking or to receive more of one of life's most meaningful rewards, such as emotional balance, intimacy or vibrancy. In nature, the sweetest fruit is at the top of the tree.
In human nature, it is also at the "top of the tree" and perfectly
positioned to be furthest from our reach. For our sweetest fruit is the
touchstone of our development. When we master these skills so thoroughly
that we reach our sweetest fruit, we have turned off the whole range
of drives to go to excess and received the full spectrum of life's sweetest
rewards. We have a Solution! The design of human nature is so full of
grace, so perfect! Getting what we most want brings us precisely what
we most need. Yes and no! If you don't complete The Solution Kits with vigor and rigor, chances are you won't get your sweetest fruit. If you don't do the work, you won't reap the rewards. Also, you may do the work and reap your sweetest fruit, but find that it isn't exactly the fruit you had imagined reaping. For example, you may have intimacy but not the perfect mate. You may no longer overeat but find that your genetic body build is larger than you would like it to be. In Solution training, people only reap their sweetest of fruit within the limits of genetics, circumstance, and grace. Is there a Solution Group given by a Certified Solution Provider in my area? Visit the Group Finder section of this website to see if there is a group conveniently located near you. Please note that we currently have more demand for groups than instructors qualified to teach them. If there is no group currently in your community, we encourage you to contact the Institute for help with enrolling in Basic Solution Support through audioconferencing. Can't I just do/use my Solution Kits with support from my therapist? We do not recommend doing so. We have learned that psychotherapists and other health professionals typically do not provide effective Solution coaching. This was a surprise to us, but we have learned that most psychotherapists have not mastered the skill to nurture and set limits from within. It is difficult to teach something you have not mastered yourself. That is why all Certified Solution Providers must complete both personal and professional Solution training. In addition, the training of most psychotherapists is inconsistent with The Solution and unwittingly, their support may blend cognitive, analytical approaches with The Solution. Our experience has been that when they do, the participant's progress slows. If your level of emotional distress is high, we recommend that you see a psychotherapist for general emotional support, but use Solution buddies, the website, or a Solution Circle to support your Solution training. How much do the Solution Kits and Support cost? Each Solution Kits costs $99.95 (plus shipping and sales tax if applicable). For each kit, three months of Internet community support is FREE. Staring your own Solution Circle and finding Solution Buddies is also FREE. For those who participate in Basic Solution Support, access to The Buddy List so you can connect with people locally and across the country who have completed basic training so they can do cycles safely and effectively is FREE. Basic Solution Support involves a FREE orientation and for those who want to continue, a Great Start Coaching Session for 50 minutes for $99 or a Great Start Group for four weekly two-hour sessions for $149. Fees for the same services by local Solution Providers vary. The fee for three months of Solution TeleGroup meetings (Kits 1 to 3) with a Certified Solution Provider is $399 plus your telephone charges. The fee for Advanced TeleGroups (Kits 4 to 6) is $450. Fees for the same services by local Solution Providers vary. The fee for coaching varies depending upon the service you request. Coaching by telephone that is arranged through the Institute is $65 for 30 minutes and $110 for 50 minutes. The cost of Maximizing Success coaching by telephone, used to set up a more comprehensive plan for those at higher medical risk, is $130 for 60 minutes. The fee for group coaching for Solution Circles is $130 for 60 minutes. Fees for similar services by local Solution Providers vary. What are the qualifications of Certified Solution Providers? Certified Solution Providers are licensed health professionals who have mastered the Solution skills in their own lives and have demonstrated mastery of the clinical skills to make your journey as safe, easy, and quick as possible. Most providers are licensed mental health professionals or registered dietitians, though some physicians and nurse practitioners have become Solution Certified. If you are interested in inquiring about becoming Solution Certified, please click here. Why is Group Support important? Our data show that most Solution participants who are involved in a safe, effective, and intimate Solution Group, TeleGroup, or Circle stay on the pathway through all six kits. Unfortunately, our data also suggest that without that structure, guidance, laughter, and intimacy, most people do not stay on the pathway. As a result, we encourage you to jump in and start a Solution Circle, to develop a group of Solution Buddies, or to join a Solution Group or TeleGroup to support your success. Does The Solution promote a specific diet and physical activity plan? We provide general guidelines for diet and physical activity that are consistent with current recommendations based on government guidelines. The Solution recommendations are consistent with the dietary advice found in the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines, and are nutritionally adequate for most people. Exercise recommendations are graduated in duration and intensity, but we strongly suggest participants engage in 60 minutes of exercise per day, including activities that support improved endurance, flexibility, and strength. Is everyone in my group dealing with the same external excess? No. We encourage Solution Circles and Solution Groups
to include those from various external solutions. The method is not about
any one symptom or excess, but about mastery of these skills. In our experience,
you will be likely to learn at least as much or more from those with other
excesses as you do from those with the same excess. You can purchase THE PATHWAY and THE SOLUTION in most
bookstores. It is also available through this website. Click
Here to order. The course (The Solution Kits) are available on our
website. We recommend that you start a new Solution Kit every three months
in order for your training to be more effective and safer. No. Your membership in our Internet Community is included
in your Solution Kit. Your membership is activated within two weeks of
the date we ship your order. Yes, however, it's likely that your journey will not
have the laughter and closeness that working with others brings. Also,
it is likely to be less fruitful. You will also be more likely to wander
off the pathway and not reach your Solution. Some people like working
on their Solution Kits in a private setting, but even these individuals
benefit from some contact with others. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Debit Card or Money Order.
All services and materials are paid for in advance. When you enroll in
a group, your fee is not refundable. We accept returned materials if they
are received in saleable condition within three months of purchase. We
credit your credit card less a restocking fee. Solution Coaching involves private, one-on-one sessions by telephone or in person with a Certified Solution Provider. You can use these sessions in whatever way meets your needs, whether it's helping you get started with the method or supporting your more intensive work in later stages of the training. These are wonderful sessions, and most people using the method on their own rely on Solution Coaching now and then. Solution Circles can also arrange for a group coaching
session with a Solution Provider. Some people arrange for coaching sessions
to make it easier to turn off the drive to go to excess early in the training.
These are called Maximizing Your Success coaching sessions. You can schedule
just one session or opt for a regular meeting time with a Solution Provider.
Groups vary in size depending upon the type of group. Usually, a group includes between 8 and 12 members. All groups, telegroups, and mini-groups begin with a feelings check, and include in-depth cycles by several members and time for each person to talk about their accomplishments and challenges, or anything else they would like to share with the group. Sessions end with people standing in a circle and saying, "I take care of my health and my happiness." We have tested this group format for more than 12 years
and find it to be not only warm and fun, but also effective and safe.
All members must adhere to our safety guidelines, and any member who does
not must leave the group for a minimum of one year. Safety is our first
consideration. Solution Circles are conducted precisely like Solution
Groups, except when members do cycles there is no coaching. We strongly
recommend that you do not participate in any Solution Circle that is not
conducted according to the plan shown in the appendix of THE PATHWAY for
our experience has been that these circles are neither safe nor effective.
No. The reward of a deepened spirituality is not attached
to any particular religion. Most people experience a deepened appreciation
for something that is "more" as they master these skills and
deepen their connection to themselves. There is no focused discussion
of God or religion in this method. Participants are encouraged to define
spirituality in any way that is meaningful to them, from a sense of nature
to the universe to God. If any participant chooses to omit this part of
the training, we support them in doing so. That's the easiest question of all! When you have mastered
these skills so deeply and well that you can say, "I have no external
solutions, and I have an abundance of all of life's sweetest rewards:
integration, balance, sanctuary, intimacy, vibrancy, and spirituality."
|
