Ira Progoff (August 2, 1921 – January 1, 1998) was an American psychotherapist, best known for his development of the Intensive Journal Method while at Drew University. His main interest was in depth psychology and particularly the humanistic adaptation of Jungian ideas to the lives of ordinary people. He founded Dialogue House in New York City to help promote this method.
Progoff began exploring psychological methods for creativity and spiritual experience in their social applications in the early 1950s. His doctoral dissertation in the field of the social history of ideas at the New School was on the work of C.G. Jung. In 1953, the dissertation was published in hardcover by the Julian Press as Jung's Psychology and its Social Meaning. Later editions were published by the Grove Press, Anchor/Doubleday, and Dialogue House. After receiving his doctorate, Progoff was awarded a Bollingen fellowship, and studied privately with Jung in Switzerland.
This work led to a reconstruction of depth psychology in terms of the later work of Freud, Adler, Jung, and Rank in The Death and Rebirth of Psychology and a first statement of Holistic Depth Psychology in Depth Psychology and Modern Man. In 1963, Progoff put forward the method of Psyche-Evoking in The Symbolic and the Real.
In 1966, Progoff drew from the principles described in these books to introduce the Intensive Journal method of personal development, the innovation for which he is most remembered. This is a nonanalytic, integrative system for evoking and interrelating the contents of an individual life. Progoff wrote two books describing the method: At a Journal Workshop and The Practice of Process Meditation. The system's popularity spread rapidly.
As the public use of the method increased, the National Intensive Journal Program was formed in 1977. It supplied materials and leaders for the conduct of Intensive Journal workshops in the United States and other countries in cooperation with local sponsoring organizations.
The Intensive Journal education program was expanded upon in 1983 with the publication of Life-Study, which described the application of the Intensive Journal process in experiencing the lives of significant persons from past generations.
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Some of their strengths
Ira Progoff has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Confident, Energetic, Creative, Optimistic, Extroverted, Passionate, and Intelligent.
Bold and Confident
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Ira Progoff is someone who is a bold, confident, energetic, and optimistic person, who is able to combine personal warmth and charisma with intelligence. A person who is a bit of a "lone wolf".
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Ira Progoff well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Methodical and Exacting
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Ira Progoff as someone who is careful, methodical, and a perfectionist.
A person who forms successful business partnerships, who appreciates the variety the world has to offer, who takes a frugal approach to life and tends to be a workaholic, and who engages in things that let them express their opinion.
Assertive and Protective
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Ira Progoff is someone who is a somewhat private person who has a strong personality and ability to read other people.
They are also someone who is patient, assertive, and who is a natural leader that likes to help others in need.
Creative and Leadership-oriented
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Ira Progoff tends to be someone who is a natural leader, with determination, motivational powers, and who takes obligations seriously. Who has charisma, a sense of humor, and who tends to attract attention.
Some of Ira Progoff's challenges
While Ira Progoff has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Ira Progoff can be Sensitive, Arrogant, Status-seeking, Emotional, Standoffish, Difficult, and Perfectionist.
Arrogant and Status-seeking
One of Ira Progoff's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as arrogant and status-seeking.
Sensitive and Critical
Ira Progoff is someone who can be insecure, critical, and pessimistic, who can have difficulty relaxing, can be possessive and jealous, and who can have difficulty listening to others' opinions and perspectives and make hasty decisions.
Domineering and Stubborn
Finally, Ira Progoff also can be too rebellious, not respond to criticism well, and be too emotional and extreme about things.
