Jerry & Dianne Jampolsky
Many years ago Petrea was invited by Dr Gerry Jampolsky to join him in California to work at his Attitudinal Healing Center in Sausalito. At that time, Petrea was working with a nine year old boy called Charlie who was nearing the end of his life through cancer. Charlie had given Petrea ‘permission’ to go so that she could ‘ask Jerry your questions about working with children who were dying.’ Friends had donated her airfare and accommodation and all was set for her departure.
On her way to the airport Petrea visited Charlie. She meditated beside him as he slept and, in quietness, realised that she was going to America to ask Jerry the questions that Charlie had the answers to. Three hours before her flight was due to leave Petrea cancelled her trip. Whilst going to the US and working with Gerry was a far more exciting adventure, Petrea knew that to journey with illness, anguish and Charlie’s impending death would break her open to understandings in ways that the experience of the trip could not.
Petrea did finally get to the centre in Sausalito and studied the Principals of Attitudinal Healing in their groups, trainings and programs. She also studied facilitation and counselling there. Gerry and his partner Diane Cirincione became dear friends and, many years later they traveled to Bundanoon to officiate at the Opening of the Quest for Life Centre in 1999.
Gerry is a child and adult psychiatrist, a graduate of Stanford Medical School and he founded the first Attitudinal Healing Centre in 1975. There are now independent Attitudinal Healing Centres in more than 30 countries.
“The Centres provide services for people to support one another to overcome the conflict, fear, and feelings of isolation that can accompany a life crisis and encourages a choice for peace of mind.”
Some of Gerry’s books include:
Forgiveness – The Greatest Healer of All
Love is Letting Go of Fear
Good Bye to Guilt – Releasing Fear through Forgiveness
Teach only Love: The Seven Principles of Attitudinal Healing
Love is the Answer
Simple Thoughts that can Change Your Life
Out of Darkness and into the Light: A Journey of Inner Healing
Here is a quote from Gerry’s 1979 edition of Love is Letting Go of Fear:
“Although we want to experience peace, most of us are still seeking something else that we never find. We are still trying to control and predict and therefore we feel isolated, disconnected, separate, alone, fragmented, unloved and unlovable. We never seem to get enough of what we think we want and our satisfactions are highly transitory. Even with those people who are close to us we often have love hate relationships……. Many of us are finding that, even after obtaining all the things we thought we wanted in terms of job, home, family, money, there is still an emptiness inside…… Throughout the world there is a growing recognition of the need to feel fulfillment within rather than to rely on the external symbols of success”.
It seems to me that not much has changed since Gerry’s early book. The world will definitely change and it is up to us whether or not we change and how we change to manage our lives in a more fulfilling way. Easier said than done! But what else is there to do between now and death but release everything that doesn’t work for us and find a better way. And that is sometimes a daily task!
Is that how it is for you?
Wendie Batho
Wendie Batho
Wendie has co-facilitated residential programs with Petrea for more than sixteen years. Prior to that Wendie spent over 25 years as a teacher, school principal and was involved in educational leadership and facilitation of school executive groups.
Ten years of this time was spent in PNG where she taught and worked for the government. Wendie has been travelling since the early sixties and is especially attracted to Asian cultures. She holds degrees in Anthropology, Education, Sociology, Theology and Political Science. Her current passions are her grandchildren, travel biographies, exploring Asia, 4×4 driving, reading everything she can get her hands on, and watching movies on the big screen at home.
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