I am conducting research for my dissertation on the subjective and holistic experience of resistance. If you have a specific experience with resistance that you would like to explore, this is your opportunity to both deepen your understanding of this experience, and to contribute to others' understanding. If you are interested, and meet the requirements for participation please contact me at: (illuminativehealing@earthlink.net)

Why Participate

Besides helping to advance knowledge in the field of Psychology, there is a more intriguing and personal reason to participate in this study. By participating in this study you can learn something new about yourself in relation to your resistance.

Unlike other studies in which you answer multiple-choice questions, this study will allow you to explore the questions in depth. It is not a passive process, but an active one that is designed to engage your mind and consciousness in a way that a simple questionnaire cannot. By doing a creative expression piece, answering questions in a journal-like fashion, and writing two reflections papers, you will have the time and opportunity to reflect upon the questions and to explore your most genuine reactions to them. This will permit you to:

  • Gain more insight into your behaviors, attitudes, and ways of being as they relate to your experience of resistance.
  • Explore your personal experience with resistance from a mind, body, and spirit perspective.

When the study is complete, you may request a copy of the research results.

Study Terms

  • You will receive a stipend of $50 after you complete the requirements.
  • Your identity throughout participation will be kept strictly confidential.
  • No travel or interviews will be required.
  • Participation will require three weeks on your own time and in an environment of your choosing.

Study Process and Duration

  • (Week 1:) You will be asked to do a creative expression piece and to write a one-page reflection paper about the piece. This is a chance to let your mind flow freely over the particular issue with resistance you choose to explore. With the creative expression piece you will be free to represent your experience with resistance in whatever way makes sense to your intuitive imagination, and then reflect on and review that representation in the reflection paper.
  • (Week 2:) You will be asked to answer a 14 item open-ended questionnaire. Each question is designed to help you tune into different aspects of the experience with resistance that you will be exploring.
  • (Week 3:) You will receive a final two item questionnaire and will write another one-page reflection paper. In the final one-page reflection paper you will describe what, if anything, you have learned about yourself and about your resistance by participating in this study.

Requirements for participation

  • You must be between the ages of 25-60.
  • You must be actively involved in at least five years of personal growth work. This refers to any process in which you seek to gain a deeper self-understanding. This may include therapy, self-growth workshops, reading self-help and/or psychology books, and/or any other activity that promotes better self-understanding.
  • You must have at least five years of active spiritual involvement. This means any activity that promotes spiritual awareness. This may include belief in a higher power, beliefs in forces that exist beyond the boundaries of our personal ego, an active religious affiliation, meditation, yoga, and/or any other activity that promotes spiritual awareness.
  • You must be able to clearly articulate, in writing, your experience with resistance.
  • You must be completely fluent in English.
  • You must be willing to be introspective and discuss your inner experience in detail.
  • You should be comfortable with some kind of creative expression. This may include drawing, painting, clay, poetry, movement, collage, or any other creative activity.
  • You must have on-line access and be computer-literate.

About the Researcher

Ayelet Tsadeek is a doctoral student at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, California. Ayelet has a masters degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University (1999). She is a certified coach and has been trained in existential and process-oriented therapies. She is Reiki II - certified and is currently working towards a creative expression certificate, and is training to be an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner. She has facilitated growth workshops in both Palo Alto and Israel in collaboration with like-minded colleagues.

Ayelet's interest in "resistance" began during her doctorate studies. During her exploratory process she became fascinated by the question: why is change (in attitude, belief, and/or behavior) so difficult? Exploring these issues led to the current qualitative study of resistance. The goal of the study is to explore resistance from a subjective and holistic perspective, and to contribute to the field of Transpersonal Psychology.

Procrastination Research Group Home Page - For those of you who are thinking of participating in this study, but putting it off until the "right moment" or until you feel up to it. Special thanks to Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D.

Grateful acknowledgements go to John H. Krantz, Ph.D. ,Professor of Psychology at Hanover College for listing this study on his site: Psychological Research on the Net