I also wanted to share how much your course has meant to me. For most of my adult life I have chased success in a much different way. I neglected my entertainer self. I neglected the arts and anything that would have fostered my creative self. After completing your course, I feel that I am finding myself again and not running away from what really stirs my emotions. Even the poem I wrote was a cathartic experience. After I wrote it I felt a sense of calm that I truly can’t explain. Thank you for taking me on this personal journey and I look forward to even more profound experiences this academic year and the rest of my life.
Excerpt from email sent to Dr. Betz King (January 1, 2015)
First semester I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Betz King’s Core Concepts class. My participation was idle for almost the entire duration of the class. I struggled to connect with the humanistic principles being taught. Then surprising phenomenon unfolded before me. A portion of her class was devoted to the exploration of my cohort’s creativity, as humanistic psychology emphasizes creativity. The concepts of self-actualization and creativity stirred something deep inside me. They awakened a new sense of self that I have not felt at any point in my life. Abraham Maslow’s description of a self-actualizing person spoke to me, and for the first time, I felt like I understood myself.
Additionally, I experienced a re-birth of my creative process that I had neglected for many years. I used to write, act, and participate in stand-up comedy, and now I have experienced a rejuvenation of my imaginative self. Upon the completion of Dr. King’s class I had an impulse to further foster my creative process. After much reflection, I have asked Dr. King to become my creativity mentor. My creative process has been awakened. For me to be truly alive and whole I must not abandon the inherent drive of creativity that is brewing inside. I must not run from or ignore it anymore. I must embrace all its wonders and all that is unknown with my creative process.
I cannot believe that I am more than halfway done with my master’s degree. I am also astonished how fast time has passed since I made the decision to attend MSP. My astonishment is not just with the acceleration of time, but also with the depth and breadth of my experience. I am eternally grateful that I found this school to pursue my higher education and to Dr. King for awakening my creativity.
By Jonathan Lawson (MA Student)
