Basic Steps Mental Health is about to enter our seventh year of providing services to people in the Mukilteo and surrounding areas. We wanted to take this time to thank you for being a valued client and sharing the valuable information you have learned with loved ones. The holidays are a special time to share your heart with yourself, family, and wonderful friends. We hope that our time spent together has helped you share a little more joy.

It is natural for me at this time to reminisce about the events that brought me up to this area almost ten years ago. I was living in Santa Monica and working at the first Mental Health Urgent Care Center of its kind but needed a new challenge after being there 11 years. I was given a rare opportunity to open up a residential treatment facility in the Pacific Northwest and my intention was to create a program, like what they taught us at the University of Santa Monica.

I went to an open house at the university and I asked the founder, Dr. Ronald Hulnick, if I could use the material of the university to teach people the principles of Spiritual Psychology. He not only approved but asked me how he could help. This was when my journey began. Used to working for other people, suddenly I was part owner of a facility where people from all over the country began to appear.

I miss Dr. Ron and his wife Mary. In two months they are retiring and thus, it is the end of an incredible era that started for them in 1982. So with a heavy heart, I feel it is my obligation to continue to educate people on how to use the special skills I learned from them. Since 1993 I have been using their tools to help well over 8,000 people! I can honestly say that I am grateful for the education I received, the love and respect I have always obtained from the university, as well as the support from colleagues, family, friends, and of course from you our clients.

Looking Ahead (New Year’s Intentions)

1. We plan to conduct Personal Growth Seminars that last three days. They are intensive, but, if you have never experienced a weekend seminar, imagine what it would be like to immerse yourself in learning how to use the concepts of this program. Even if you have no mental health or substance use problems, it is a great way to learn the tools and skills to improve your work, health, social interactions, and life change issues. Plus, the seminar is designed to be fun, too.

2. We are also going to offer discounts to people who refer clients to our program. See this as a thank you for being an ambassador to the Basic Steps Mental Health facility.

3. Our IOP program has initiated a second schedule. It runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the afternoon from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Of course, the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday IOP program will continue to operate from 9:00 am to noon. If you have time constraints, we allow people to attend three times a week at whatever time that fits their schedule.

4. There will be a fee change that probably won’t affect you. Assessments for legal purposes will go from $175 to $250 due to the increase in paperwork and the time it takes to complete them. Trust me, others charge $500 minimum and we want to make sure we keep our costs down to help out people who lack proper funding.

Interesting Tid Bits

You may not know that I am a musician. Currently, I am working on my first album which will be entitled, “Better Late the Never,” which has a music therapy theme. I am about to sign a record deal with South Central Music – located in the hood of South Central Los Angeles.

In the early 1980s, I performed in the musical comedy group: “We Love Us – and we have every right to”. One of the bandmates was Matt Lee, who a professional guitarist and just beginning his 40-year career. He went on to be a Grammy Award-winning producer and the founder of “South Central Music”. Currently in the works are songs entitled Projections, Co-dependence, I’ve Got The Blues, Homeless Man, and Judge Give Me a Break. Stay tuned for the release and possible shows in this area.