Ira Progoff (1921-1998)

Professional Life
Ira Progoff was born in August of 1921. He studied with Jung at the New School for Social Research in New York City, where he received his Ph.D. Jung was so impressed with Progoff’s thesis that he invited him to become a Bollingen fellow in Switzerland. Progoff stayed in Switzerland for several years giving lectures and sharing his theories on psychology. Progoff took a position with the Institute for Research in Depth Psychology in 1959. He became the director there and served in that capacity until 1971. Through his exploration of holistic depth psychology, Progoff realized that his clients were able to achieve positive outcomes quite rapidly by writing about their experiences. Progoff took his expertise and research and developed the Intensive Journal Method (IJM) as a way for individuals to overcome challenges and attain a fulfilling life.

Progoff shared his method with clinicians and clients throughout North America, further developing IJM. The culmination of his efforts was released in a ground-breaking book published in 1975, At a Journal Workshop. He followed that book up with The Practice of Process Meditation in 1980. As his method began to gain popularity, Progoff recognized that many more people could benefit from IJM if the resources were available to them, and he founded the Progoff (National) Intensive Journal Program. The program consisted of nationally located workshops offered to the public and facilitated by highly trained experts. Progoff also offered his services to the disenfranchised and taught IJM at prisons, health care facilities, and through various social service agencies.
   
Contribution to Psychology
IJM was developed by Ira Progoff while he served at the Institute for Research in Depth Psychology at Drew University. The therapeutic method uses writing as a tool for accessing subconscious levels of memory and experiences. With only a simple binder and loose leaf paper, a client’s whole life experiences are laid out in sections. This process allows an individual to see their life from a perspective of depth and gain new insight into circumstances. The original IJM consisted of 16 specific sections, but the updated version allows places for writings on “process meditation” and other techniques. The goal of IJM is to guide a client through their past and allow them to be able to read the story of their life clearly for the very first time. Through writing, a client can address specific traumatic events and record every emotional response, delving deeper into their physical and psychological self.

Progoff’s IJM has become a springboard for multiple other therapies that rely on writing. IJM is used throughout the world as a method of helping people with troubling issues, releasing creative blocks, aiding in physical healing, and as a complement to other forms of therapy.