I focus my counseling and coaching vocation on a limited set of areas that deeply reflect my experience, training, and values.
I grew up in Idaho Falls and SE Washington. I’ve worked in the cherry orchards and potato fields of Washington and in oil and gas exploration in Alaska. I was a principal of an environmental health partnership in California and spent many years at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA as a manager of environmental health research programs.
I’ve been fortunate (well…usually) to be a mediator and arbitrator in community-based conflict resolution and have been long involved in community outreach and education. I moved into counseling and coaching in order to work with people in a more direct and personal way. It is a privilege that I enjoy very much.
My wife and I have been together for 17 years and I am continually learning (well.. trying to learn) lessons as a step-father and step-grandfather. I’ve made plenty of mistakes.
My philosophy and approach are founded on the conviction that people have great ability to overcome challenges and achieve transformational changes – given a desire to try and some help along the way.
I take an active role in counseling and coaching. I will help you work on problem areas, but I will also collaborate and brainstorm with you on strategies that bring out your strengths and potential.
It is important to deal with the past, but I lean strongly toward dealing with the present and the future. I am straightforward: I will tell you what I see going on, and I will challenge you to deal with issues.
I think it’s critical to maintain a sense of humor and to be compassionate with one another about the difficulties of life and the imperfections of being human.