Our Relationship to Dr. Jim Wilder, the LIFE Model, and THRIVE

One of the more significant influences on our perspective and practice of emotional healing, and the bigger picture of life of which healing is only a part, comes from Dr. Jim Wilder (E. James Wilder, PhD), and a model he helped develop called the LIFE Model (see www.LIFEModel.org). THRIVE is a conference and body of teaching which applies and fleshes out the LIFE Model. (See also www.thrivetoday.org for more information about the Thrive conferences.)

Individual healing requires more than just an individual. Without joyful relationships, many people lose motivation to do the hard work of healing old traumas. Get healed for what? Who will notice if I don't? The LIFE Model and Thrive training help both individuals and communities to grow and be the joyful givers and receivers of life that God intended. We have found much valuable material in Dr. Wilder's teaching. We have especially found that the stages of maturity described in the LIFE Model are an extremely valuable context and complement to the individually-oriented emotional healing work which we have been teaching.

We are in regular communication with Dr. Wilder, and are working on various joint projects, so you'll be seeing more about how the LIFE Model/THRIVE material fits in with our work, and visa versa, as time goes by. There's lots of useful information on the LIFE Model website, so we encourage you to check it out.