About Your Stop-Smoking Wellness Coach (yes, he's a Buddhist, but not yet a monk)
"Everything interesting happens at the margins."
As a "conscientious objector to the nine-to-five world," every day I’m doing the kind of work that I love and feel is important to other peoples' lives... and I hope to help you with your stop-smoking goal!!
Will we work well together?
Well, until I can speak with you personally, let me tell you a little about myself, to start the process; then it's up to you to tell me about yourself and your particular needs ~ and we'll see if we might work well together.
Formerly, as a psychologist I used to see patients in the standard, fifty minute, one-on-one sessions. My patient and I were limited to geography (a patient’s driving distance). But in 2002 I was wintering in Key West, FL (I usually winter in the Caribbean) and met the acquaintance of a "life coach." I was intrigued about the work he did as a "life coach," so after our several talks I did a few weeks of research into this new & emerging field, and the rest is history. I took formal training at Coachville to augment my training as a clinical psychologist (in practice since 1983)...and now my adopted profession, as a clinician/coach, allows me to see clients from all around the world!
I’m able to work with interesting clients from literally all over the world using the telephone and the Internet! Personally, it’s much more rewarding because I can help many more individuals, work with a broader range of interesting people and have a tremendous freedom of time to.
Over the last 25 years my professional interests have developed beyond the "what's wrong with you" model of psychopathology into "how can you live well, healthy, and happy?"¾ all based on a naturopathic wellness and mind-body psychology. I've broadened my work with addictions to include naturopathy and wellness from an integral perspective—quitting tobacco addiction (mostly smoking) using nature-based products, and grounded in credible research. I specialize in tobacco cessation since I am quite successful in coaching clients how to quit (and, frankly, I enjoyed the success). Years ago I made the decision to only do the kind of work that brought me great satisfaction, and was meaningful.
I find tremendous pleasure & meaning in coaching each one of my clients toward better health when they successfully eliminate tobacco from their lives, permanently.
All my life, I’ve taken the path least traveled—and it’s been a satisfying, rewarding path. All through school I marched to my own drummer: the herd mentality was not for me. I recognize that it's my nature to bring this approach to all my personal relationships and professional work.
I've been successful in my work for several reasons:
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I'm direct with everyone, clients included, and I really value a sense of humor. If you don't like a clear, direct approach, we won't work well together. I won't tell you what you want to hear just to make you feel good or because you're paying me; I tell you what I know, for your benefit, not mine (that's what you're paying me for). You're my only agenda, and I work for you. I'm 110% committed to your success, and I expect from every client that they're 100% committed to their own well-being.
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I admit when "I don't know" and then seek to find the information I need. Remember, asking the right questions affects the quality of life you're going to have.
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I've paid close attention to what works, and what doesn't, and I don't limit myself to prevailing orthodoxies. I'm open to acquiring and sharing all kinds of information and knowledge, but there are two criteria: (1) it does no harm to people (or animals and the environment); (2) to the greatest degree possible, I like to see knowledge validated by science and conform to the scientific method.
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In the words of writer Gore Vidal, I'm a "compulsive learner of new things"; I highly value independent scholarship, books, and real life, and integrate the best of book learning and scholarship with the best of real-life experience! No mere egghead here!
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I'm adept at judging how to meld the new with the old for each client...hence my interest in alternative tobacco cessation treatment!
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My life is full of fascinating people and adventures (see the in-progress photo gallery). I bring this richness to the lives of my clients, and they bring richness into my life. That, simply, is why I look forward to each day’s work.
You're not going to be coached by a narrow-minded egghead / clinician / academic, but rather by a person with abundant life experience and a never-ending curiosity about many, many things. There are so many ways to create an excellent life; here's a few of mine:
A few accomplishments
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Fun & Serious: earned Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) diploma from the Gemological Institute of America, Carlsbad, CA, in 2007; also graduated month-long gemology lab at the École de Gemmologie de Montreal, Quebec, Canada;
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Fun & Serious: MasterValuerTM Gem & Jewelry appraisal training from California Institute of Jewelry Training, Carmichael, CA, in 2007-2008.
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Fun & Serious: On-going published abstractor, Gems & Gemology Journal
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Fun: Licensed airplane pilot since 1987
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Fun: PADI certified scuba diving instructor since 1987 with over 2080 dives; I partly winter in the Caribbean or central America [3 - 4 months] to
escape the severest part of our Adirondack Mountain
winters (and I coach
clients from there) -
Fun: A collector of tropical butterflies, specializing in the genus ornithoptera. I'm very proud of my world-class collection.
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Fun: Fortunately, I've never been seduced by the greatest of time-wasters: television and other mass media distractions. I keep informed by reading and study, by conversations with intelligent, accomplished people who "march to their own drummers," by traveling, and by the Net.
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"Serious": I'm an ex-college instructor with an earned Ph.D.; also a diplomate in homeobotanical therapy (HbT) from the Australasian College of Health Sciences (and now serving on their Advisory Board); certifications in medical and analytical hypnotherapy and mind-body medicine from the Atwood Institute.
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"Serious": Author/writer (see Other Works page in my latest book)
My Own Goals
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Winter of 2008 we will be wintering in Belize and Guatemala;
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Winter of 2006 - 2007 we will be in Costa Rica. I am learning Spanish and loving it !!!;
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To complete building the experimental aircraft I'm working on, literally in my garage (a Challenger II that will convert to floats and skis; also, the engine can be shut down aloft and it'll soar for hours in thermals - just like an eagle !!!); it's about half-way to completion;
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To build, and learn to fly, a kit-built helicopter within five years;
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To have beautiful flower gardens, inspired by those of my friend MaryJo;
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To travel to Thailand for 3 months, to learn rudimentary Thai language; to visit the Amalfi coast (previous home of Gore Vidal in Ravallo, Italy);
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To someday converse with three of my favorite authors, Margaret Atwood (author of more than 30 works), MIT linguist and activist Noam Chomsky, and Ken Wilber, one of the greatest philosophical minds on the planet.
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To bring natural tobacco sensation to young, start-up smokers at the grade and high school level; to re-work my book for that level and to bring natural tobacco cessation to the schools and home.
I don't have a television, and I don't waste time with the distractions of much of modern life. Instead, I read deeply, at least 5 hours daily, and write, and coach. I keep fit by hiking and kayaking with my best friend Mark, by playing tennis, and daily meditating.
I work with a small number of clients, usually only 10 (to 15 at most). This allows me to individualize and personalize your quitting plan, and to really get to know you not only as a "client," but a person. All other stop smoking methods are mass-generated, mass-administered, one-size-fits-all approaches. Good grief, how can those possibly be very effective?
According to my clients, here's feedback when I ask them what my 11 top qualities might be! (I include these because coaching involves a relationship, and it helps to know about your coach's qualities as experienced by others.)
Here' s also a small, emerging photo gallery of some of my interests. (Many of my clients enjoy sending me photos of their interests, as well!)
Now that you know a little about me, I look forward to hearing from you!
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