Author and clinical therapist Faust Ruggiero explains how the Process Way of Life works in his award-winning book, The Fix Yourself Handbook ̶ which aims to help readers achieve physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual balance. Ruggiero has used the Process Way of Life successfully for more than 20 years and has helped thousands of clients.
“Human beings are a product of nature. As such, we are governed by natural rules. These are called processes: deliberate and natural actions or steps that must be performed so that we can live in tune with our own natural flow,” Ruggiero writes.
I had a chance to review the book, which has dozens of internal processes and how they can be applied to any situation. He values practical intellect over emotion in addressing issues, which can help readers resolve conflicts, reduce anger, solve problems, and be ready for change.
I had a chance to interview him to learn more.
Why did you write this book?
I wrote The Fix Yourself Handbook to accomplish a number of things. First, I wanted it to be a very accurate representation of the counseling journey. By this, I mean that I want people to understand the various factors and dynamics that go into changing one's life, and how that journey builds, and brings a person to a point of self-understanding, and the ability to love and be loved. Second, I've been using the process way of life for over twenty years with my clients. I've watched well over 2000 people learn to understand how their lives work, and how to become the people they've always wanted to be. I wanted to put this into a text that can teach people on much larger scope. Writing, and finally publishing the book, allowed me to make this happen.
What sets it apart from other self-help books?
I think the best way to answer this question is to compare the goals of The Fix Yourself Handbook and other self-help books. Typically, a self-help book focuses on one or a select few topics, with its goal being to help people to address those specific topics. I wanted to write a book that focused on a much larger range of topics. The book has thirty-six chapters, all addressing a different human problem, so in the end, it becomes in much more well-rounded presentation. Also, I wanted the book too show people exactly what they need to do at the end of every chapter. So, the book presents the problem, provides the necessary information to help someone understand the problem, and then provides the exact steps that are necessary to change that problem. Lastly, I wanted the book to be able to be used as a reference book. The chapters are three to five pages long, so the reader doesn't get lost in long-winded elucidations. Anytime someone feels as though they are slipping or some of the old behaviors are resurfacing, they can simply go back to that specific chapter, refresh themselves with the necessary information, and go right back to the action steps to get back on track. I haven't seen this presented in any other self-help book.
Why is it so important to transform negative emotions into positive ones?
It's all about energy. Negative emotions create negative energy. Life is best lived with positive energy. This allows for productive thinking, for emotions that can be expressed in healthy fashion, and it also helps the human body function more efficiently. Whether the negative emotions come from painful past difficulties, or are attaching themselves to the fear about something that may happen the near or even far reaching future, it robs people of the energy they need to function efficiently in the day they are actually living in. Remember, the goal of life should be to be productive, and to be happy. It's very difficult to be a productive and happy person while we are expending so much negative energy in our lives. We want to learn how to transform those negative emotions into healthy emotions that can provide the fuel for a positive way to live life. The Fix Yourself Handbook is designed to help people understand how to transform that energy, by changing negative emotion into positive energy, so that it can be applied efficiently, again, with the goal of being happy and productive.
Author Faust A. Ruggiero’s professional career spans almost 40 years. He has consistently established cutting-edge counseling programs in pursuit of professional excellence and personal life enhancement. He is a published research author, clinical trainer, and a therapist who has worked in settings that have included clinics for deaf children, prisons, nursing homes, substance abuse centers, and inpatient facilities. He continues to provide counseling services for veterans, first responders, law enforcement, and abused women, as well as for those suffering from depression, PTSD, anxiety, and marriage and couples counseling.
During his tenure as the President of the Community Psychological Center in Bangor, Pennsylvania, he developed the Process Way of Life counseling program, and has adapted it into the formal text presented in The Fix Yourself Handbook. In February 2020, The Fix Yourself Handbook received the Silver Award from The Nonfiction Authors Association, and in May 2020, it received the Gold Award from Literary Titan.
For more information, please visit https://www.faustruggiero.com/, or connect with him on social media at https://www.facebook.com/faust.ruggiero; https://twitter.com/faustinspire; or https://www.instagram.com/faustinspire/.
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