Bio
I grew up in a small town in the Midwest – a place that was kind of like Mayberry. With family or friends, as a kid I explored the Ozarks wilderness – hiking and camping in the mountains or canoeing in the beautifully clear spring-fed streams. I began carrying a camera with me when I was 14 and I kept my eyes open for wildlife or nature – always paying attention to changes in light. I learned how to create and enhance images in the darkroom. During my college years I worked as a photographer in a public relations office on campus, so when I was still a teenager my photos were published in hometown newspapers across the country. But I studied psychology rather than photography, and I’ve had a long career in mental health. Though I am still a practicing psychotherapist, I work much less now and have returned to spending more time walking, paddling, and enjoying natural settings – looking for moments when the light is right and beauty is manifest.
I find spending time in natural areas wonderfully therapeutic – a time for exploration, reflection, relaxation, and mindfulness. So restorative for one’s mental health. I particularly enjoy observing birds – those remarkable descendants of dinosaurs that demonstrate for us survival strategies, adaptation, diversity, and often instances of skillful flourishing. Nowadays, I’m more likely to be found hiking around edges of Florida wetlands or in the Blue Ridge Mountains -- trying to preserve moments in time that bring me a strong sense of satisfaction.
