Presented by:
Bernard J. Sullivan, Ph.D.--Licensed Psychologist
Author of Confidence Beyond Measure: The Science of Believing in Yourself
BernardJSullivanPhD@Gmail.com
www.BernardSullivan.com
This seminar summarizes Dr. Sullivan’s 50 year study of self-esteem/self-confidence problems. It presents evolution as the invisible force driving self-esteem problems in most people. For our early ancestors to cooperate and survive most family and tribe members had to instinctively repress intense, inborn self-esteem by generating anxiety, depression, self-doubt, self-criticism, feelings of inadequacy or other negative feelings. The seminar presents methods to help clients undo their inherited instinctive repression bringing powerful feelings of worth and importance into consciousness.
Following the session, participants will be able to:
- Verbalize the evolutionary adaptive necessity of most early ancestors unconsciously repressing self-esteem in families and tribes.
- Verbalize that clients unconsciously generate depression, anxiety, insecurity, self-criticism and other negative emotions to repress intense self-esteem.
- Verbalize simple therapeutic methods for helping clients unrepress instinctive self-esteem.
1.5 CE Hours
About the presenter: Bernard J. Sullivan, PhD
Disappointed in conventional approaches, Dr. Sullivan developed his revolutionary method over the last 25 years of his 43 years in private practice in counseling, executive coaching, and sales training. He leads seminars and has been published in major psychology journals.
No one hoped self-confidence books would deliver more than Dr. Sullivan. He began reading them at age 14 to relieve his nervous tension around girls and in sports. He wanted the cool, calm, poise that keeps you from clutching under pressure, and lets you relax, concentrate, and relish bringing all your strength and talent and passion to bear on the challenge before you. Had these books actually produced the confidence they promised, he might have been good at high school football.
In college, his doubts about the traditional theory espoused in self-confidence books increased as he competed in a Golden Gloves boxing tournament. While books on boxing provided enough technique and strategy to help him bring home the trophy, the sweaty palms and tight muscles caused by self-doubt made it impossible to enjoy the experience.
He continued to explore the psychology of confidence during his doctoral work. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1977, he was an assistant professor at Avila University in Kansas City, giving hundreds of lectures. After four years he left teaching for private practice in counseling, executive coaching, and sales training.
Interested in amassing the finest self-help resources to enhance his counseling, in 1986 Dr. Sullivan founded the country’s first psychology/self-improvement store: The Creative Mind. In 1989 he expanded to two stores and franchises in St. Louis and New York. Unfortunately, even these resources failed to produce the solid confidence he and his clients wanted.
Completely disenchanted with traditional self-confidence theory, Dr. Sullivan began thinking outside the box. He forged a new theory of confidence and developed a revolutionary approach to help people stop suppressing their deepest belief in themselves.
Dr. Sullivan has presented seminars for businesses, institutions, and professional organizations such as AT&T, The American Business Women’s Association, Missouri Psychological Association and The Greater Kansas City Psychological Association. He has published three articles in major psychology journals. He is a licensed psychologist in Kansas and Missouri and a member of the American Psychological Association, the Kansas and Missouri Psychological Associations, and is listed in the National Register of Psychologists. He has received three awards from the Kansas Association of Professional Psychologists. He has been a psychologist, counselor, and life coach in private practice for 40 years in Overland Park, KS. He especially loves coaching and counseling people interested in discovering their inborn strengths. He lives with his wife and German Shepherd in a suburb of Kansas City, MO.