Meandering. I did not settle on mental health care easily. I was an electrical engineering student for 2 years of college before I ever looked at the helping professions. Then I got to behavioral healthcare by way of an extended detour through undergraduate and postgraduate work in philosophical and pastoral theology. Finally in the late 1980s I went back to school for additional graduate studies in clinical social work and family therapy. Then and only then did I finally take root in the field I would remain in to the present day. I do not recommend my circuitous career path to others, but if I can serve as a negative example, so be it!

Too much information. This has always been my style. For me it's always been difficult to take up one area of interest because I can't be learning something else at the same time! Even though I remain current in the behavioral health field by going to conferences and reading the literature, I have always enjoyed a wide range of avocational interests. My hobbies range from dog training and care; to nature photography, birding, and native plant gardening; all the way over to strength training, walking, and mountain hiking. A news junkie, a movie devotee, a men's and women's sports fan all the way from the local high schools to the pros--well, that's more than enough said.

Just plain folks. But the one interest I have that cuts across both my hobbies and my career is people. Ever since my senior year of high school I've been fascinated by people, interested in how we're different and how we're alike, what we want out of life, how we work, care, and love. I remain fully focused on persons and their concerns.

My calling. So I think that, at the end of the day, I've surely come to the right place--this therapy practice of mine. Here I just take a seat and allow an amazing process to unfold. People from all walks of life and all ages come, and dare to share with me their personal business. What a privilege it is to have this process unfold. It is most fulfilling for me to be involved in this practice.