Just as it’s important to know what this site is, I also think it’s important to know what it is not.

First of all, let’s be clear about the term, therapy. I use it sometimes to describe what happens in the JI Project. The word has several definitions, but the one I intend in this context is listed on dictionary.com as: Healing power or quality. It lists “the therapy of fresh air and sun” as an example. Another example might be “aromatherapy”. It may make you feel better, but no promises can be made about whether any specific ailments will be healed. My point is, this is not a medical treatment, nor should it be used as a substitute for medical treatment.

It is also not a cure-all for unhappiness. I believe that there are prerequisites for success in this program. The first and most important is your dedication and commitment to making yourself the best that you can be. You have to at least want to be happy in order to be happy. That’s something I can’t do for you. It has to come from within you. If you are expecting me (or this site) to fix your problems, I’m terribly sorry to tell you that you’ve come to the wrong place. I will guide you along a path that I know, if followed, will lead to something good. The rest is up to you.

I make no claims that this therapy will cure any illness or disease. I personally believe that the exercises and assignments I offer will improve the quality of anyone’s life, and I am not at all closed to the possibility that these things can have a very positive affect on one’s physical health. However, this site is not a representation of any medical treatment. Although I do post links to other sites that do offer medical treatment, this site is not affiliated in any other way with those sites. I simply trust and recommend them myself. Your mileage may vary, though, and you must take responsibility for your own experience. If I direct you to a site that you don’t like, just stop going there. It’s as simple as that.

I am not a doctor. I haven’t even played one on TV! In other words, you must take my advice with the thought in mind that I am only another human being with some experiences that worked for her. That’s all. I can’t guarantee anything I say will work for you - only you can make that guarantee. All I am doing is saying, “Here. Look. I’ve taken this road and it gets me there. Follow me if you want.”

This place is not a forum for self-pity and helplessness, nor is it a place to express meanness or unkindness of any sort. I believe that we are all as powerful as we choose to be. There’s no room for self-pity in that system of belief. If you are having a rough time and need to talk, go for it. But expect to hear possible solutions to your pain rather than empty pats on the back and sympathy. Those things don’t help, and this place is here to help.

Also, I would appreciate it if you would limit your posts to expressions of kindness and support. That does not mean there is no room for constructive criticism or honesty. I believe that criticism given in love can be a wonderful gift. All I’m saying here, is that the world has plenty of nay-sayers and meanness. There’s no shortage of bad news, pessimistic opinion and hatred and this is just not the place for it. Let’s create something beautiful here and leave the ugliness behind.

This project is also completely and utterly non-denominational. Atheists are just as welcome as Catholics or Hindus or anybody else. I have my own views about religion which include the strong belief that there are as many paths to God as there are people on this Earth. (Probably more!) I know there are many who disagree with that view, and that’s fine. However, this project is not a place to debate the existence, non-existence or form of God. Please do express your own personal spiritual experiences with freedom. All I ask is that you don’t attempt to impose your beliefs upon others here.

This is very important. The posts and instructions here on this site are not meant to be read and considered to the exclusion of action. Often, we feel we must analyze everything we do and try and (basically) guess whether it will work for us before we do it. I’m asking you to have a little faith and actually do these things. Perhaps you will run across some things you’ve already tried or that you are just sure won’t work. But I’ll bet that you’ve not done all of these things together, and that’s where the magic is. Give it a fair shake. Do the exercises. Do the assignments. Don’t just think about them. Do them.

Lastly, Joy Immersion is not a weight-loss program. If you want to lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you burn. That’s the bottom line. There are many eating programs out there, each with their own pros and cons, but the Joy Immersion Project is not a diet by any stretch. In fact, there are no eating guidelines with this project at all (other than, perhaps, that it’s a good idea to enjoy it when you eat it!) The weight that I will lose this year will be a direct effect of a low-calorie, low-fat diet and lots of exercise. Joy Immersion will help me stay on course, but it won’t take off the weight without my action and commitment to altered behavior.

So that’s what this is not. To see What this is, just click the link!

If you are here seeking help with the PD Recovery program, please click here for more information.

Updated: 31 December, 2005