I was born in the United States and thought I would live there for the rest of my life. But in 2003 I moved to Germany. I didn’t speak German. I felt lonely. Sometimes I hated being here.
Now, I feel confident and very satisfied with my life in Nürnberg. I use German everyday in personal and professional settings. I understand many things about German culture and how things work here.
In 2012, my book about learning German — Losing My Voice and Finding Another: learning a second language — was published, and in 2015, the book was translated into German as Deutsche Sprache, Meine Sprache? You can read an excerpt from the book, and many of the other essays I have written, here.
In my work with clients, I draw on five main sources of expertise, theory, and experience: Transactional Analysis (TA), cultural diversity and discrimination, Buddhism, 12 step programs of recovery from addiction, and my own life experience. I am not rigid in any approach. I use what I think might be useful for you, and then ask for feedback, to see what is helpful for you.
I was in therapy on and off for many years with very skilled psychologists and psychotherapists, including Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Terry Hunt, and Dr. Josephine Bowens Lewis. Sometimes I repeat things to my clients that Clarissa, Terry, and Jo said to me.
As an organizational consultant with VISIONS in the United States, I studied TA and worked with some extraordinary women and people of color, many of whom were psychologists. We helped individuals, teams, and organizations find solutions to problems related to cultural differences and discrimination.
Over 20 years ago, I began a daily practice in meditation, and have attended many one week and even 3 week long silent meditation retreats. My personal experience with addiction in a 12 step program has been invaluable as a guide to finding satisfaction in my life.