Extraordinary Powers: Creating a Strong, Unique Self

By J. Randolph Smith

Over twenty years in production, Extraordinary Powers rose from verbatim notes and dialogue from scores of seminars presented by psychotherapist Major Smith to military families in the United States and Europe.

Using Freudian psychology and Gestalt therapy, Major Smith developed a popular, effective seminar/psychotherapeutic format detailing the use of natural, extraordinarily powerful human attributes.

Focusing on familiar attributes, the reader will find comfort and wisdom in past seminar participants deeply involved in psychological growth of the self.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984519016

J. Randolph Smith

Retired Air Force Major J. Randolph Smith served in the military for twenty-four years as a psychotherapist during the Korean War, the Viet Nam Conflict, and during the years of relative peace in Spain, Turkey, Colorado, Texas, and France where he met and married his wife of fifty-nine years. The couple resides in Austin, Texas, where their two grown children also live with their families. Major Smith published Night Train from Manchuria in 2012, a historical novel based on World War II in the Pacific. He is currently working on his third novel, a historical political thriller.

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Copyright © 2018 by J. Randolph Smith.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2018904031

ISBN:                   Hardcover                          978-1-9845-1900-9

                            Softcover                             978-1-9845-1902-3

                            eBook                                   978-1-9845-1901-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 04/06/2018

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CONTENTS

Preface

Overview

A Quick Look

Chapter 1 The Self and Natural Attributes

Chapter 2 The Forces That Interfere withNatural Attributes

Chapter 3 Responsibility: The Ability to Respond

After Thoughts

To Jeanne, my wife of fifty-eight years,

the love of my life, and my best friend.

Preface

Extraordinary Powers: Creating a Strong, Unique Self was years in the making, rising from detailed records of my workshops and seminars produced over a twenty-five-year career as a psychotherapist in the United States Air Force.

Following graduation, in my first job with the New York Veteran’s Hospital, I learned quickly two important lessons: First, patients come to therapy, not to be told what to do and how to live, but to find strength in themselves to deal with problems and difficult events of their lives. The second lesson I learned was that I had no idea how to help them do this, and I needed to learn.

During the two years at the VA hospital, followed by my first two years in the air force, I read every book on psychology and psychotherapy I could find; I attended scores of workshops for mental health professionals in the United States and Europe. In the end, I found excellent psychotherapeutic forms in abundance. I focused on two: Fritz Perl’s wonderful effective Gestalt theory and Freud’s basics. With simplicity and authenticity, each centered on the precise nature of human psychology and its strengths. I learned how to encourage psychological growth in myself and in my patients.

Following air force retirement, I began writing Extraordinary Powers: Creating a Strong, Unique Self. Over time I had young readers review the manuscript, including two of my granddaughters who were interested in psychological growth. Aside from encouraging an easier read, each one contributed ideas about which they have strong feelings.

As I got busy establishing a private practice, my interest in publishing took a back seat. The manuscript rested on my computer until a surprising event.

While I was shopping at one of the air force base exchanges in San Antonio, Texas, a chief master sergeant stopped to tell me his experience in the seminars over a decade ago had changed his life, allowing him to return to active duty with spectacular success. This success stood out for me in the obvious remarkable psychological growth; this striking noncommissioned officer had moved from an airman without rank to become an exceptionally young chief master sergeant of the United States Air Force. That day renewed my interest in publishing.

While I had many times recognized immediate psychotherapeutic successes, I had never experienced such a jolting long-term result that reminded me psychological growth, once