Bio
My youth was spent in some very rural areas of New Hampshire, in a land of forests, lakes and mountains. It was a beautiful place to grow up. Some might think it boring, or find it strange that I may have known more dogs than people for the first half of my childhood, but I thought nothing of it then, and I really don't now, either. The woods were my playground and I learned to entertain myself there.
Childhood hobbies that have stayed with me include physical fitness, reading, swimming, shooting, and writing. By temperament, I have always been a bit of an introvert, and the country environment likely reinforced that, as might be seen in my avocations. I love people-and all life, really-but, paradoxically, I do not often seek social interaction or recreation.
My younger adulthood contained some traveling about the U.S., a hitch in the Marines, lots of trucks and motorcycles, and hard jobs with harder play. I got married young, had two strong boys with big hearts, got divorced, and then met lots of wonderful women in lots of short relationships. Some periods were more settled than others, but the whole was generally a sensory adventure.
Middle age has brough new foci. I began a new career as a software engineer, at which I was very good, but which in the end left me feeling unfulfilled. A couple of years volunteering as an EMT led me into Nursing, and that addressed all that was lacking for me in the computer world. I was drawn into inpatient psychiatry right out of nursing school, then moved into community nursing, beginning to specialize in therapy and behavioral coaching, and always steadily adding degrees and experience.
I also got married again, and now have two grown stepchildren in addition to my sons. Grandchildren abound, and I am enjoying some of the family things I was too young to appreciate the first time around.
Nowadays, I am fascinated by the human mind. I study psychology (especially Buddhist and third wave), I practice nursing from a holistic health perspective, and I meditate. The true goal of my training is to understand and alleviate suffering wherever I can, whether my own or others. I have had enough success in both directions to keep moving forward. I also am blessed that my personal and professional passions blend so smoothly, so that I enjoy my work as much as I do any other aspect of my life.
