Special Memory #2
The special memory series continues from my 30-year career in the healthcare industry with this gem of an experience. It took place at the Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Long Beach California where I worked for 11 years. The Urgent Care Center was set up to take the pressure off of the psychiatric hospitals and the jails in the area, mostly to treat people who were in a crisis. When a...Learn More
The Key to Getting through School
When I was 32 years old, I decided to go back to school and study something I was interested in – Psychology. It had been 10 or so years since I dropped out of Long Beach State, but wanted to get out of the construction trade and knew that I needed to finish my Bachelor’s degree. In my first class back, the teacher told us we needed to read something 10 times to memorize it. 10 times!...Learn More
Is There an Art to Traveling?
I thought I was properly prepared for my European getaway and once thrust into the situation I felt clueless! Thus began my vacation adventure. Everything that I held as normal vanished! In my world, almost everyone spoke English. Yes, I listened to my French language audio study course and thought I did quite well with it, and then was plopped into a cab with a man who only spoke French....Learn More
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
In continuing the series of improving motivation, it just happens that I recently went through some emotional issues with motivation as I prepared for an upcoming trip to Europe. When something out of the ordinary happens to me, I first get overwhelmed, then make to-do lists. Looking at the whole picture can become overwhelming, but when I list things out and go one item at a time, it tends to...Learn More
Heart Centered Living Workshop
A Return to My Roots In the late 1980s, I began my personal growth journey by attending a 2 1/2 day workshop presented by Insight Seminars. This training opened my eyes to not only to Psychology but realizing emotions can be healed. Up to that point, I played make believe that I was “fine”. I attended training for all the wrong reasons, however, what I found instead scared and wounded me....Learn More
Changing the Old School Approach
As the clinical director of Basic Steps Mental Health, I have the honor of meeting with an incredible staff daily and talk about the clients we treat. We are a bunch of people who have gone through treatment in the past, dealt with our mental illness and tend to see things from the client’s perspective. This type of staff has some great advantages because we have been there, have gotten...Learn More