Why The Healing Place?

Times are changing rapidly. The Internet changes things dramatically. For example, many newspapers are going out of business because they are a solution for a problem (distributing information) that no longer exists– why print a few tons of paper when you can simply put it online for a hugely lower cost and wider distribution?

Universities are putting more and more instruction online, eliminating the need for students to travel to the campus for every tiny little bit of instruction. Corporate flying is decreasing because using the Internet is eliminating much of the need for face-to-face content.

And Psychology? I have been thinking the same thing about some aspects of psychology and self-help. In the ‘old’ days (a couple of years ago) we routinely advised people to venture out into the community and join support groups. I think that now, however, a real-life support group is a solution to a problem that no longer exists. We do not have to travel to get the kind of support we can get in a support group.

The Internet allows everyone to connect with others no matter what sort of issues they face. I have been thinking a lot about how to use the Internet to help more people more easily.

While we can now use the Internet and TV to tune into people and activity all over the world, many of us spend our time physically alone, passive and disconnected from authentic human relationships.

No one I know has too much social and emotional support. No one I know has the time and money to drive all over the place trying to get support from strangers in support groups. Not many people have the ways and means to regularly show up at support group, period. And, many of us have physical, logistical, or personal issues that make getting out into the real world problematic or impossible.

We get stuck at home, isolated. We can watch others connect in the media and we can read about others in relationships but we don’t really do much relating ourselves. But almost all of us can find at least a little time to watch TV, surf the Internet, or text & talk on our phones.

Why not put some of that electronic  time to good use? Instead of passively entertaining yourself, why not spend a few minutes of your time helping other people and getting help yourself? Why not use your electronic time to be a part of something special?

That’s how the idea of THP came into being. Creating a supportive network of relationships that actually is helpful is genuinely worth our efforts. Simply making the effort can be healing in and of itself. At THP members will grow from connecting, supporting, being supported, and sharing.