IN THE BEGINNING

I didn’t start off wanting to be a psychotherapist when I was little. I wanted to be an artist. I also wanted to be married with two children, 2 cars and the picket fence. Well, apparently life had different plans for me. I would start off in the one direction but something always seemed to go wrong…or badly…or out of my control.

HITTING BOTTOM

By the age of 31, I was twice divorced, single mom of a 6 year old son, lived in Columbus, Ohio, where I didn’t know anyone and my family had cut me off. I woke up to the fact that I was an alcoholic and didn’t have the first clue how to live my life. 12 Step programs saved my life and therapy gave me insight and support to make important changes in my life.

DOING SOME THINGS RIGHT

Fortunatly, the one thing I managed to do was to graduate college. With a Bachelors of Science in Graphic Design, I worked in advertising for several years as a Graphic Artist then as an Art Director. During my recovery, I embraced the idea of giving back to the community and volunteered for a year as a crisis hotline worker at a battered women’s shelter and then for two years at the Suicide Prevention Hotline as a crisis hotline worker. I found this work very rewarding and made the decision to attend Graduate School at Ohio State University, graduating in 1989, with a Masters in Social Work. My goal was to work in the Chemical Dependency field which I did in Ohio, Vermont, New York and eventually in Florida where I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

I spent my energy raising my son, working hard, being involved in 12 Step programs and my own therapy as a single mom. I moved several times during those years looking to increase the quality of my son’s life and mine. In looking back, I can see how I was also seeking something. I married my husband whom I met through the recovery community in 1994, and in this time together I’ve learned many lessons about relationships and a deeper meaning of love. In my practice, I also wanted to keep growing and found myself completing a two year program at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland which was wonderful. And then went on and received my Certifications in Heart Centered Hypnotherapy at the Wellness Institute, and as a NET Practitioner at the NetMindBody Center.

HITTING ANOTHER BOTTOM

Then about four years ago, after some major health issues that I had, changes in my practice location, my son moving off to graduate school, and then the death of a family member I hit another bottom. Not one where I returned to using substances but was more of a spiritual angst…a depression…a morass and I couldn’t move out of despite therapy, meetings, friends, or family. Have you ever felt that way? Pretty intense, right?

GROWING PAINS

I found myself led to a scary yet helpful spiritual practice which I somehow missed in recovery. I had always intellectualized spirituality but never practiced it. I spent the next three years attending and graduating from the certificate program at the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism in California. I was in real need of healing spiritually. I closed my practice, started back to art school after thirty years and learned about spiritual healing.

WHAT’S IT LIKE NOW?

Now I have a daily practice to remind myself that I’m not in charge, I try to be of service to others and generally work at being happy and accepting of life even when I don’t like it. A new profound opportunity for me recently is my volunteering at Hospice of Palm Beach County which has really stretched me. It has made me very grateful for those in my life as I sit with others as their loved ones have passed away. My life is very full; I am creating art, working with Soul Collage, writing my first novel, and would love to share my years of experience, strength and hope with you as a companion, coach or guide to help you as others have helped me. If you would like to talk more, please call me for a free consultation at 561 762 0133.