The Nature of Hope
Writing about hope, in part, is meant to appease my curiosity and interest in the topic. Of course, I will be grateful if what I have to share is helpful to others in some small way. But whether or not these posting are of interest to others is not as important as exploring and sharing […]
The Face of Hope: Part II
My interest in the topic of hope began in the fall of 2011. I was looking for a thesis question as part of my graduate school program. Condensing my thesis question into one sentence was seeming almost impossible. I was looking for a question that would work cross-culturally, offer simplicity, and yet have some depth. This […]
Moldova: Creating hope (video)
This video is part of my graduate school thesis project in Community Counseling at Northwest Christian University. The question guiding my thesis work was, “How do we create hope in the face of distressing circumstances?” Moldova was the focus of this thesis. Our team to Moldova consisted of two professors and seven graduate students from […]
Change
Notes from my journal: Interdependence is more important than independence. Rather than creating a safe environment look to develop courage and compassion. The path is not always safe. People do not care how much you know about them once they know how much you care. Choose adventure and service over safety and self-interest. Choose collaboration […]
Moldova: The Faces of Hope trailer
This is a video trailer for a project related to my graduate work in counseling. The photos and video were taken in Moldova (Eastern Europe). Moldova: The Face of Hope trailer
Letter to my father: Acknowledging our shared humanity
Several years ago I wrote a letter to my father. The purpose of the letter was to establish a sense of completion and fulfillment in my life in relationship with him. Our relationship was probably not unlike many father-son relationships, a little strained to say the least. Most of my memories, at the time, were […]
Developing an Approach to Counseling
Summary Human beings share a desire to belong, to contribute, and to make a meaningful difference in the world. While people share a desire to grow and fulfill our potential, we often feel stuck. The process of moving from stuck to unstuck-and-progressing is a process of acknowledging what is and recognizing what can be. The intrinsic motivation to […]
From Worry to Peace of Mind
I recall clearly riding my tricycle, as a child, and accidentally riding over a bee. I am not sure how old I was, perhaps four or five. I got off my tricycle, kneeled down on the ground and put my eyes as close as possible to the bee’s little body. I stared with wonder. In […]
Beyond Difference: Acknowledging our shared culture
It is important to celebrate our heritage, be it cultural, ethnic or spiritual. It is also important to respect those of others. However, only acknowledging what makes us different from others, while ignoring the common source of life that connects us all, leads to divisiveness rather than harmony. Our true identity is to be found […]
Relationships: Independent, Dependent and Contributive
Our environment reflects our inner state of life. Everyone exists in relationship. Our relationships serve as a mirror for our life, and an opportunity for transformation and healing. Through developing fulfilling and enduring relationships our well-being, health, and happiness will be greatly improved. The Chinese character for “person” (ren) shows two people leaning on each […]