Components

After a few years at an ad agency, where I moved from the mailroom to the role of assistant broadcast producer, I left the agency to start a video and film production company (with my partner) where I produced, directed and edited scores of projects for a multitude of media companies and corporate clients. We had some good times. That phase of my life, too, has taken its place in the archives of my mind.

After many years of volunteer work with men in a variety of capacities, I returned to school, this time Antioch University, for a Masters in Clinical Psychology. I had planned to be a marriage and family therapist. I thought the better of it, for many reasons, and put my shingle out as a counselor…then mentor..and then life coach. Then I wrote a book.

For the next 20 years I coached men, couples, families and several weekly men’s groups. With the help of the men, we offered men’s retreats, and family activities like father/son and father/daughter events. Many of these events corresponded with the raising my son and daughter. I was trying to be a good dad while struggling with the pressures of running a business, and being in a marriage that didn’t suit me.

It took me a very long time to be honest with myself. But once that happened, I set into motion several years of adventure, travel, upheaval, experimentation, discovery, heart ache, healing and, ultimately, a new and happier life.

Beyond that, I can tell you that I’m enjoying my life with a new partner. I love our cabin in the woods on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. My beautiful children are married and making their way in life with integrity and humor. And I play pickleball (some days better than others) as much as I can.