I look forward to meeting you in person and to helping you bring more joy into your life!
Qualifications
For those of you who (like me) want the details, here they are. You'll see that since 1986 I have been working in mental health clinics, family life education programs, schools, universities and health care settings.
While you are checking things out, you might also like to read Four tips For Choosing a Therapist.
For those of you who (like me) want the details, here they are. You'll see that since 1986 I have been working in mental health clinics, family life education programs, schools, universities and health care settings.
While you are checking things out, you might also like to read Four tips For Choosing a Therapist.
Education and Certification
- Canadian Certified Counsellor, #2744
- BA, Psychology, Pitzer College, Claremont, California, 1975
- MA, Counseling Psychology, Adler Institute of Professional Psychology, 1986
- Post-graduate, Adult and Family Life Education, St. Cloud State University, 1987
- Reiki Master, 2008, Registered Practitioner
- Jin Shin Do Accupressure--Level II
Membership in Professional Associations
Professional Experience
1997–Present Principal Consultant/Trainer, N.Watters & Associates, British Columbia, Canada.
Professional development for educators, social workers, and health care professionals throughout North America and the South Pacific. Clients include schools, non-profit and governmental agencies, including 25 school districts, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Cowichan Family Life Association, Maxwell Community Service Institute and Michigan Department of Education.
1998–2003 Trainer and Curriculum Writer, Otter Creek Institute, Wisconsin
1997–1998 Instructor, Baker College (post-secondary), Michigan
1992–1997 Coordinator of Family Services, White Lake Area Community Education, Michigan
Spearheaded creation of a comprehensive suite of family services through collaboration with thirty community agencies. Major contributions and achievements:
1991–1992 Family Therapist and Adult Educator, Manistee/Benzie Community Mental Health, Manistee, Michigan. Was an "infant mental health specialist" with the responsibility to strengthen positive parent-child attachments, prevent child abuse and provide home-based psychotherapy, social work and parenting education to high-risk parents in collaboration with the public health department. Additional duties included coordinator/trainer for a volunteer parent aide program and member of the Children’s Trust Fund committee for prevention of child abuse. Licensed in psychology (LLP #H 467043) and social work (RSW #I 108566)
1987–1990 Parenting Instructor, Minneapolis Public Schools and Rosemount/Apple Valley Public Schools, Minnesota. Licensed family life educator (MN. Department of Education license #285854). Wrote curriculum and taught courses for adult and teen parents in suburban and inner city settings. Experience with a broad variety of socio-economic and cultural groups, including African-American and Native American.
1987–1988 Therapist and Family Life Educator, Project STEEP, University of Minnesota. This was an experimental intervention program designed to promote healthy mother-child attachments and prevent child abuse. It was funded through the National Institute of Mental Health. Duties included extensive social and psychological pre-testing of each mother; counseling; home visits; curriculum design; support groups and instruction.
Professional development for educators, social workers, and health care professionals throughout North America and the South Pacific. Clients include schools, non-profit and governmental agencies, including 25 school districts, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Cowichan Family Life Association, Maxwell Community Service Institute and Michigan Department of Education.
1998–2003 Trainer and Curriculum Writer, Otter Creek Institute, Wisconsin
- Winning Edge Grant Writing: Essential Strategies Used by the Pros
- Shaping Character: Creating a Culture of Virtues in Our Schools
- From Violence to Virtues: Positive Discipline in Our Schools
- Emotional Intelligence: Reducing School Violence
- Preventing Educator Burnout: Reclaiming the Joy of Teaching
- Building Bridges: Parent Involvement Strategies for Educators
1997–1998 Instructor, Baker College (post-secondary), Michigan
- Family Dynamics
- Family Support Strategies
- Family Violence/Abuse and Neglect
- Child Guidance and Discipline
1992–1997 Coordinator of Family Services, White Lake Area Community Education, Michigan
Spearheaded creation of a comprehensive suite of family services through collaboration with thirty community agencies. Major contributions and achievements:
- Won over $1 million in grants
- Coordinated all aspects of program implementation, including hiring and supervising ten employees; curriculum design; marketing; budget management; grant compliance and an extensive evaluation studies.
- Designed and implemented a cluster of family support programs for two school districts--family literacy, parenting education, summer tutoring/mentoring for youth, family home visitors.
- Founded the White Lake Area Family Resource Coalition to strengthen families by identifying local needs, linking existing services, and seeking funding to close service gaps. Members included 30 agencies, parents, local citizens, faith-based groups, civic leaders, and human service professionals.
- Opened two licensed childcare centers for infants to preschoolers.
- Provided case supervision of 80 high-risk families.
- Developed a 3,000 volume parenting/child development resource library
- Produced a video-- “Family Success: The Story of Family Literacy”
1991–1992 Family Therapist and Adult Educator, Manistee/Benzie Community Mental Health, Manistee, Michigan. Was an "infant mental health specialist" with the responsibility to strengthen positive parent-child attachments, prevent child abuse and provide home-based psychotherapy, social work and parenting education to high-risk parents in collaboration with the public health department. Additional duties included coordinator/trainer for a volunteer parent aide program and member of the Children’s Trust Fund committee for prevention of child abuse. Licensed in psychology (LLP #H 467043) and social work (RSW #I 108566)
1987–1990 Parenting Instructor, Minneapolis Public Schools and Rosemount/Apple Valley Public Schools, Minnesota. Licensed family life educator (MN. Department of Education license #285854). Wrote curriculum and taught courses for adult and teen parents in suburban and inner city settings. Experience with a broad variety of socio-economic and cultural groups, including African-American and Native American.
1987–1988 Therapist and Family Life Educator, Project STEEP, University of Minnesota. This was an experimental intervention program designed to promote healthy mother-child attachments and prevent child abuse. It was funded through the National Institute of Mental Health. Duties included extensive social and psychological pre-testing of each mother; counseling; home visits; curriculum design; support groups and instruction.
Selected Community Service
- Advisory board member, Muskegon Community College education department. (2 years)
- Committee Member, Woodland Plains Honoring Feast for Native American Women, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- United Nations Development Program (UNDP)—Samoa. Visiting lecturer for a human rights education campaign “Responsibilities of Healthy Families”, that focused on reducing domestic violence and using positive discipline in childrearing. Made 25 presentations to educators, parents, students, villagers, and governmental leaders. July/August 2002
- Author and publisher of The Virtues Gazette, a monthly e-zine that boosts “moral fitness” in families, schools and communities. Readership of 2,500 in 70 countries. 2002–2005
- Vocalist with award-winning international touring choir, which traveled through Slovakia, Spain, France, and Germany, winning gold and silver medals in competition with 40 other choirs. June–July 2001. Sang at Carnegie Hall June 30, 2002. Toured in India, June 2010.
- 30+ years on non-profit boards which promote social justice. These boards use a unique community development and collaborative decision-making process, which is deliberately inclusive of diversity.
- Founding Director, The Sacred World Song Project, which promotes cross-cultural community singing to develop health and harmony. Activities have included two concerts tours to SE Alaska, production of a CD in 2005 and coordination of a music festival in 2008.
Selected Presentations
- ASPECT (Association of Community Based Trainers), Victoria, BC—Essential Skills Panel Presentation, November, 2010
- Association for Community Education in BC, “Awakening Virtues: Steering a Steady Course Through the Tides of Change”.
- Rabanni Trust Social and Economic Development (SED) Conference, Orlando, Florida, “Building Vibrant Local Living Communities: From Competition to Cooperation” and “Awakening Spirit in Organizations: Applying Five Core Principles to SED Projects and Enterprises”
- ABS North America, Calgary, Alberta, “Educating Mind and Spirit: Character Education in North American Public Schools”
- National University of Samoa, “Human Rights are Essential to Proper Development of Our Children”, panel member.
- Muskegon Area Community Forum;“Families and the Workplace—Partners or Adversaries?”
- Michigan AEYC Child Development Conference, “Keys to Successful Parent Education”, “On Their Turf: A Home Visitor’s Guide to Diplomatic Relations with Families”, “Building School-Family-Community Partnerships”