The Inner Work of Transformation: A Guide for Personal Reflection and Communal Sharing

I offer this guide to the inner work of transformation for individuals and communities who have reached a crossroads in life and are looking for ways to bring forth new life through processes that promote deep change and transformation. It represents the kind of soulwork I believe is too often neglected but nonetheless essential to the successful transformation of communities and the individuals who reside in them. In essence, this guide is for all those who want to proactively cooperate with grace by doing the soulwork of deep change and transformation.

My ministry over the last few decades has been primarily with Catholic religious communities. As a group, they are going through an enormous transition and I have accompanied many of them through what I call a "Journey of Transformation." The foundations for my work on personal and communal transformation was recently published in a book entitled, Graced crossroads: pathways to deep change and transformation. I indicated in that foundational publication that this companion book on the inner work of transformation would follow.

This book provides a series of reflections and suggested processes aimed at helping those who wish to do this kind of soulwork. It is meant to be a resource, not some kind of seven-point program for guaranteed transformation. There is no such thing. I do not presume to think that what I am offering is the only way that such inner work can be done. However, it is one way that I have found to be highly effective. The communities whom I have been accompanying, and who have engaged in this inner work, have found it to be integral to their larger Journey of Transformation.

It is written primarily for faith communities and you will find that many of the reflections, poems and quotes I use are Christian. However, I include materials and quotes from a variety of other faiths and people of wisdom. Consequently, I believe that the material is suitable for communities of any faith. In fact, I would believe it is suitable for churches, leadership teams, and non-profit organizations, any group for whom their mission (not money) is the bottom line. It is written for any group that is facing a crossroads and seeking new life through transformative processes. It is for those who recognize that the heart of such efforts is a spiritual journey.

Dr. Ted Dunn is a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Comprehensive Consulting Services, Clearwater, FL. He has experience as a consultant, facilitator, professor, psychotherapist, and supervisor to professionals in the field of mental health. He obtained his undergraduate training at Ohio State University, and his Master's and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from St. Louis University. He completed his graduate training in 1985 following his internship at Rutgers Medical School in New Jersey where he concentrated on psychodynamic psychotherapy and systems interventions.

He has advanced training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy from the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute as well as family therapy and systems applications from masters in the field (e.g., Jay Haley, Salvador Minuchin, Virginia Satir and Monica McGoldrick). He has extensive experience with psychological assessment methods and has consulted, taught, published, developed labs for hospitals, and served as an expert witness in these fields.

As an outgrowth of his clinical experience, Dr. Dunn's practice has evolved and today focuses upon consultation, training and facilitation services provided to Catholic religious communities and other faith-based organizations throughout the United States and internationally. He has been working with religious men and women since the 1980's and sees his training and experience as particularly suited for this population.

He has written extensively about Religious Life and regularly facilitates and presents at Chapters and assemblies. He consults with leadership teams and assists communities in planning, visioning, and communal discernment. His current focus is on guiding communities who are discerning God's call to new life through processes of deep change and transformation. His new book - Graced Crossroads: pathways to deep change and transformation - demonstrates his capacity to integrate spirituality, psychology and systems theory.

The integration of spirituality, psychology and value-based skills are key to his efforts. Though the approaches and populations he has served have varied over the years, his compassionate approach to healing, belief in the natural resiliency of the human spirit, and personal commitment to life-long learning remain the foundation to all his professional endeavors. These are the bedrock to his current call to minister to faith-based organizations, empowering them to live well and mutually partner in creating a future.