My life-long interest in people was present at an early age, so I chose psychology as a college major. After graduating from Colorado State University with a B.S. in psychology, I worked in mental health settings, but recognized the need for more specialized training. In 1979, I completed a 60 semester-hour Master of Counseling program at Arizona State University, followed by four years as a mental health therapist in rural Colorado. In 1985, I began a doctoral program in psychology at the University of Northern Colorado. At the time, the program required a master’s degree for admission, the completion of extensive coursework, and several specialized counseling practica where faculty observed counseling and testing sessions through one-way mirrors. The program also required a year-long internship and the completion of an original study in psychology. My study was titled “Psychologists’ Anger Toward Clients: Self-Reported Prevalence, Causes and Impact,” published as a doctoral dissertation. After obtaining a Doctor of Psychology degree (Psy.D.) in May, 1991, I underwent an additional year of supervised professional practice at Northern Illinois University Counseling Center, which led to licensure as a clinical psychologist, first in Illinois, then in New Mexico and Colorado. With additional supervision and testing, I also became certified as a supervisory-level School Psychologist in New Mexico.
Having had years of formal training and experience, I developed a deep fascination for human memory processes. Fortunately, during the l980’s and 90’s, there was a veritable explosion of information about the brain and memory processes, so I spent months reviewing scientific publications on memory and other brain processes. I had accumulated so much information that I wrote a book that was published in 1999 by Plenum: Brain Waves Through Time: 12 Principles for Understanding the Evolution of the Human Brain and Man’s Behavior. Because research discoveries about the brain have continued to grow exponentially, my book is woefully outdated, but many of its general principles remain valid. To this day, I continue to review brain research that is germane to my areas of interest and I constantly incorporate new information when working with clients.
On a personal note, long before the word “psychology” entered my awareness, I loved the company of others, but was baffled by the hidden rules that governed social interactions. In part, my confusion was fueled by undiagnosed attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder and anxiety. Years later, during my first semester in college, in the company of friends, I consumed my first alcoholic drink. That drink worked like a magical elixir, instantly vanquishing all symptoms of anxiety. Thus, for many years, alcohol became a fix for many of life’s difficulties. However, in light of my education and experience, the dangers of alcohol became increasingly clear. Fortunately, on September 15, 1987, I was introduced to a group of friends who taught me how live more abundantly without alcohol. Ever since, I’ve awakened each day to an awesome world filled with unlimited possibilities.
Today, I maintain a small private practice in Durango, Colorado, working with couples and adults. Areas of particular interest and expertise include treatment of complex PTSD, anxiety and depressive disorders, chronic stress, and problems related to emotional functioning. I’ve also developed a model for individuals in 12-step programs to help them become “happy, joyous and free.” The model, soon to be published, helps individuals combine spirituality and science, which in combination, provide extraordinary possibilities for healing and happiness.