Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Cornwell.
Hi Cindy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In my mid-twenties, I became interested in Guided Imagery and the Study of Dreams as personal tools for my own emotional and mental healing and transformation. This came about when a good friend of mine told me about Dr. Harold Edwards and about Psychosynthesis and about Transpersonal Psychology. She said to me, “What if all the answers to our personal issues are Within us and all we need to do is learn how to tap into that part of ourselves.” I was so intrigued by this idea that I decided to seek it out.
I started out by becoming a client of Dr. Harold Edwards (1930 – 2018) and of his Associate Pastor, Edith MacIlvain (1928 -2009). Harold and Edith were the pastors of Koenig Lane Christian Church here in Austin, but they were both much more than pastors. He founded his school in Austin called The Psychosynthesis Institute of Texas and Edith was a faculty member.
I was greatly helped emotionally, mentally, and spiritually in my life when I began experiencing Guided Imagery from these two skilled professionals. I loved the process and results of these sessions so much that my passion in life was born. I was in my late twenties when I finally figured out what I wanted to do as a career in my life. I wanted to do what they did and practice Guided Imagery with people.
I went back to UT in Austin and completed my BA in Psychology while simultaneously enrolled and completing my certification at The Psychosynthesis Institute of Texas.
Of note, Dr. Edwards would not accept you as a student in his school unless you were also a client. He used to tell us, “You can’t take anyone anywhere you haven’t been or are not willing to go. You must also always keep working on yourself. The more you work on yourself the more people you will be able to help because you will have genuine empathy.” So, in our lab sessions, we took turns being either the Client, the Counselor, or the Observer during each session. We rotated roles. The rest of the time we were in class.
After graduating, I teamed up with a good friend who was a Psychiatric Nurse student at UT and had attended many classes at The Psychosynthesis Institute. This was where she and I met. She obtained for us State of Texas approval to provide Continuing Education hours for Nurses to renew their Nursing Licenses. We held a class themed as “Are You Taking Better Care of Your Patients Than Yourself?”
I teamed up with other professionals in Austin and held workshops around town.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It started out going smoothly. I was right on track. I spent 5 years completing all my formal education at UT and at The Psychosynthesis Institute of Texas. I was on a mission to complete all my academic work, my internship, and graduate, and open my practice, which I did. My very first client was referred to me by my teacher and colleague, Dr. Harold Edwards.
In 1995 something changed everything. The Texas Legislature created a new law in Texas that stated that we could no longer call ourselves a Counselor, or Therapist, or Psychotherapist without a state license. My title was Transpersonal Counselor or Transpersonal Therapist or Transpersonal Psychotherapist. (Transpersonal Psychology was founded by Roberto Assagioli who was a student of Carl Jung). Transpersonal means that we are not just mental, emotional, and physical beings. Rather, we are also spiritual beings, and it is our spiritual self that is the healer for transformational growth.
I was all for getting a state license, but I found out that to sit for the state exam, we had to have graduated with a Graduate degree from an APA Accredited university. APA stands for American Psychological Association. UT was APA accredited but did not have any course of study in Transpersonal Psychology or Transpersonal Counseling, nor in Psychosynthesis, and The Psychosynthesis Institute was a small school with no APA Accreditation. There was not any school in the Austin area in this field of study at the time. I tried changing my title to other names. but it just didn’t work. I did not want to be in violation of the state law.
I was devastated and heartbroken when I realized that after all my education and experience, I would not be allowed to take the state licensing exam. I knew that going back to school wasn’t an option nor was it necessary for me to be qualified in terms of being able to help people. I knew what I was doing, and my clients knew it too. I was qualified to practice, but not according to the new state law.
After working on my own personal growth and healing, I decided to go to school remotely at the Life Purpose Institute out of California. I achieved my Certification as a Life Coach. My Life Coaching studies included using Guided Imagery techniques, and Life Coaching is all about helping people to overcome obstacles within themselves, so it was a good compliment to my work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I conduct Guided Imagery sessions privately and confidentially with individuals, and I lead Introductory Group Guided Imagery classes for people to try it out.
In my experience, the use of Guided Imagery helps people make quantum leaps in their healing and transformation. Their own spirit knows what each person needs. I work as a facilitator to help people engage with this higher consciousness that we all have. Although I am educated academically, I am extremely intuitive and empathic and work as a clear vehicle to help navigate the process.
The client is known in these works as the “Traveler.” Traveling into one’s own spiritual self and higher state of consciousness enables us to reach Soul’s point of view where truth and authenticity are present and revealed to us. This process is how we change and transform ourselves and our lives for the better. It works!
In-person Group Guided Imagery Sessions mean that everyone taking part relaxes while I take everyone through a Guided Imagery Inner Journey. Individual Sessions are client focused and mean that the client and I are dialoguing together during their Inner Journey. This is not hypnosis. The client is in complete charge.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Never give up. Believe that every problem has a solution. Affirm to yourself, “I find solutions easily.” “I handle challenges easily.” Create your own affirmations that fit your specific needs. Treat these affirmations as an exercise that will lead to your success. When you declare these types of affirmations to yourself, you need to feel it in every cell of your body and breathe their meanings into your heart and your mind. It’s not enough to just repeat them to yourself. You must put feeling into it. The “feeling it” part is the key.
Additionally, when life throws us a curveball that can feel very discouraging or looks insurmountable, or we feel like we have hit a complete dead end, or we are having a fight or flight experience; we can learn to use deep breathing techniques to calm down, and we can use Guided Imagery techniques to regain our clarity. We can clear our emotions so we can think clearly again. For example, once I could accept and release my hurt and my frustrations about the licensing issue, I was able to switch gears and start thinking about how I can solve this problem. Gradually, the answers came to me. I was able to launch into a new start by going to school to become a Certified Life Coach.
Always remember to reach out when you need help. There are so many competent, loving, caring, experienced people who can help you find your way. If the first person isn’t a good fit for you, do not stop there. Keep searching until you find the right one that you feel comfortable with and can help you. Make choices and decisions that you have peace with. No need to force anything. Trust your gut.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: cindytheguidedimagerycoach
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Email: cindyguidedimagery@gmail.com
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Phone: 512-766-4508
Image Credits
Rejhon Tolentino
