Ex Jehovah's Witness
Counselling and Recovery
Nicolas Spooner (Dip Coun)
RMBACP (Accredited)
C-PCC
Recovery Workbook
The Recovery Workbook is designed to help you understand what happened to you, how it happened and the ongoing psychological effects that may still impact you.
Many, but not all, ex Jehovah's Witnesses, go through a period of wondering how it could have happened.
How could I believe these things for so long?
How did I not see the signs?
Why did I do those things or act in that way?
Why do I still struggle, even though I no longer believe it's The Truth?
The fact is, there were some deep psychological impacts from your time as a Jehovah's Witness and these effects don't tend to simply disappear, just because you no longer attend meetings or believe the doctrine.
This structured recovery programme involves me providing you with the Recovery Workbook. We work through it together to help you understand what happened, how it happened and why your experiences as a Jehovah's Witness can still have an effect on you today. You will be introduced to the psychological processes you experienced and why the effects may still linger today, even though it could be a number years since you left.
For many people, the process of gaining this greater understanding of what happened in that part of their life can really help things fall into place. Current concerns, anxieties and non-helpful behaviour suddenly makes sense. Understanding the powerful psychological processes that left you the way you are today can be hugely beneficial.
For so many ex Jehovah's Witnesses, to finally realise that the way they feel is not their fault can be life changing in itself.
The purpose of the Recovery Workbook is to open your eyes and to help you reveal your true self that is buried under layers of doctrine, beliefs and false understandings of life and your place within it.
This Recovery Workbook is sometimes called 'Psychoeducation' but it is important to understand that it is not the same as counselling.
Try to think about this...
If you are struggling in life as a result of spending part of it as a Jehovah's Witness, it's possible that you are still seeing things through a lens with a JW tint, even though it's not obvious.
For example, a person may feel that it is wrong to speak up and that their opinion is not valid. This belief is something that was likely instilled in the person when they were a Jehovah's Witness, but even though they have left, the idea remains. They still believe what they have to say is not important. They are seeing things through a lens that is still obscured with JW doctrine.
Going through this Recovery Workbook can help you understand why you see things this way and how it was done. Almost like revealing how a magician performed the trick. When this happens, the situation is seen differently. Life is viewed through the person's own eyes, not those influenced by incorrect ideas and beliefs.
The Recovery Workbook can help prepare you for the counselling. When you have counselling, you will likely be examining parts of your life that maybe have not been dealt with or don't seem to make sense. When you do look at these things, you need to know that it's the REAL you, looking at them clearly through your own eyes. Not a version of you, still heavily influenced by your former Jehovah's Witness life and views.
Then, when the answers show themselves, they will be the right ones for the REAL you and truly help you move your life forwards.
To read more about the counselling side of your recovery, click here.