I was born and raised in Michigan. The date of my birth was April 28, 1939. (For those of you who are curious, that makes me a Taurus with moon in Virgo, and rising in Cancer.) While still quite young, at age four, I was adopted by a well-to-do couple. I grew up outside a small resort town called Lake Orion. It was about 40 miles north of Detroit.

I was brought up as an only child. Surrounded by private lakes and wild game preserves, I evolved self-reliance and a sensitivity to my environment. My foremost companions were my horses, dogs, cats, and other small creatures.

Often alone, my warm weather activities frequently consisted of wildlife and nature studies, exploring the countryside, wilderness camping, and water sports. Winter offered opportunities for roller skating at the local rink, ice skating, tobogganing, sledding, plus time for avid reading and hours spent drawing. Despite shyness and a secluded childhood, I developed a sincere interest in people.

I was young, barely turned 16 when I left home to establish my independence. Because my business skills and work experience were limited at that age, I supported myself with a variety of odd jobs over the next few years.

Some of my work experiences during that time consisted of mothers’ helper, housekeeper, stable hand, table server, carhop, short-order cook, auto paint masker, and working in a bakery. Additionally, I worked as a retail salesclerk, phone solicitor, receptionist, elevator operator, and general office clerk.

Fieldwork consisted of selling institutional janitorial supplies, art courses, residential remodeling, and printing. My employment history later included training in career counseling. Wanting better opportunities in the job market, I taught myself to type.

I continued to refine my creativity and working skills until, over nearly a 20-year period, I made my mark in the graphic communications industry as an artist and art director, journeyman typographer, cameraman, film stripper, and plate maker. In addition, I became highly knowledgeable in publishing, business sales promotion, marketing, merchandising, advertising, public relations, and publicity. Additional skills I developed included jewelry design, casting, fabrication, and jewelry appraisals.

Much of my earlier work experience took place in several different cities and states over about a ten-year period. I started in the Detroit area, then after a couple of years moved to the east, which included living for a while in Philadelphia and New York City.

While living in Detroit, I had a brief marriage at age 16 to a man 12 years my senior. It only lasted a few months. This resulted in legal emancipation for me.

At 17, in 1956, I met and hooked up with another man who was 13 years older than me. His name was Jerry. He was very supportive of me.

We lived together off and on for the next 34 years. Then we decided to get married--mostly for legal reasons.

I had a son with him. His name is Terry. He was born in 1961 while we were living in Chicago. He now lives with his wife, Cindy, in Los Angeles, and works in the IT field. We maintain a delightful and loving relationship.

Jerry and I separated in the mid-1990s. He returned to Michigan to be near family and relatives. He died at the age of 74 in January 2001.

Tiring of the "asphalt jungle,"--this was back during the late 1950s and early 1960s, I relocated to Indianapolis, than Gary and finally moved to Chicago.

Later, I wound up back in Detroit for a couple of years, before deciding to go west. First, I spent a brief time in Fort Worth/Dallas area then I moved to Phoenix. Not being able to find work there, I migrated on up to Denver.

It was now in the late 1960s. In 1972--I was now 33-years-old--I made my way to the Los Angeles area for better work opportunities.

Other activities during my Los Angeles stay involved appointments and elections to governing posts in several nationally recognized business, professional, and community organizations.

I also joined the American Red Cross, Los Angeles, as a volunteer. I earned certification in twenty-four courses in Safety Services and Disaster Preparedness, and several in Instructor's Training.

In the early to mid-‘70s, I received extensive supervision and hands-on experience in crisis counseling and casework for disaster victims. This work extended up through the early 1990s. This was the beginning of my holistic counseling career.  

During this time, I, became certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-1A). I worked with paramedic teams and in hospital emergency rooms weekends.

This interest led to professional training and licensing in a medical model of massage therapy. The result was an eight-year interim career with a thriving private practice.

This included making house calls to movie stars, celebrities and the "rich and famous." My beat included Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, elite areas of the San Fernando Valley, and throughout the Hollywood Hills.

While engaging in work related to the physical and mental health care field, I attended college full-time. My initial academic goal and training involved pre-med with a view toward becoming a chiropractic physician. Later, however, I selected a more comprehensive program, and proceeded to earn my Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical and Counseling Psychology degree.

My move back to Denver . . .

In 1994, after 22 years in California, I decided to return to the Denver metro area. This decision was two-fold.

First, I had just survived the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. My home was damaged and my practice was virtually wiped out--most of my clients hailed from the Northridge area and had lost their homes and/or the buildings where they worked had collapsed. Therefore, they were forced to move elsewhere.

Second, my decision to return to Denver was made to fulfill my progressive visions of establishing and building the following organizations, professional practices, and businesses.

These included The Healing Tree, Inc., A Short-Term Holistic Counseling Practice, Dynamic Resources International™, A Personal Growth and Prosperity Coaching Business, The Money Clinic™, How to Reconnect With Your Divine Birthright and Have Balance and Abundance in Mind and Body Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Spirituality, and Pretty Woman Project,  Personal Growth and Prosperity Coaching / Short-Term Holistic Counseling for the SM/BD, GLBT, Fetish, Swinging Community, Sex Industry, and others.

More recently . . .

More recently, I enrolled in, and graduated from the Institute for Life Coach Training in 2000. I had been told that "therapists make the best coaches." My goal was to learn how to use some of the powerful communication techniques I had already mastered and add a solid knowledge base of training in leading edge coaching skills.

Today . . .

I devote most of my time to my clients, building my business, writing, and learning my computer so I can work on my websites. In addition, I am continuing my education.

Currently, I maintain a small select private personal growth and prosperity coaching/holistic counseling practice under Dynamic Resources International and Pretty Woman Project, which are subsidiaries of the The Healing Tree, Inc.  

To view the difference between psychotherapy and coaching/holistic counseling, please visit the following link to read my article on Coaching/Holistic Counseling vs Psychotherapy.

Now, I have returned to the west coast where my heart resonates with the surf, and to be closer to my family. :o)

In my spare time, I love exploring the mountains and countryside and all kinds of travel. I have maintained my passion for reading. My interests range from metaphysics, historical fiction, science fantasy, and educational books.

Competition digital photography, going to funky restaurants with gourmet food, coffee houses with live music, playing Scrabble, social events, networking, and doing volunteer work, and handgun target shooting, are other pastimes I really enjoy.

As a 65th birthday present to myself, I decided to learn how to play the drums. I purchased a complete drum set and have started taking lessons. Why did I wait so long to start having amazing fun!

These earlier life experiences, along with lots of education and training, have served as valuable assets. They have helped me to more successfully understand and respond to your personal needs.

As a result, I am dedicated to helping you effectively balance your energies. My aim is for you to unlock your own personal power and excellence, and to discover your strengths, passions, life purpose, and dreams in life.