Steve earned a BS in Psychology from Peabody College, and then a Masters of Arts in Religion (MAR) in Marriage and Family Therapy from Harding. In his decades as a mental health therapist, he taught breath exercises, progressive relaxation and helped his clients by providing various healing guided imagery. It became increasingly difficult to gain professional continuing education without hearing regularly about the wondrous things that Mindfulness can do to address the kinds of difficulties his clients faced. As he began to apply some mindfulness techniques in counseling he became increasingly aware that Mindfulness skills are related to, but different from the stress management that he had been teaching. He also recognized that these practices are not effectively taught by someone not in the practice himself. In 2018 Renee, recognizing qualities in him that compliment her own, approached him about partnering to teach Mindfulness and Meditation. Recognizing he was not qualified, but motivated toward this vision, he sought further training.
While a participant in an 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Steve was profoundly surprised by the deep spiritual effect that these practices had on him during the course and began sharing these practices with family, friends and others at his church. Meditation and other mindfulness activities became an important part of his daily life, as well as influencing his counseling practice. He went on to become certified in Mindfulness Facilitation and loves to share what he is continually learning. One of the principles of Mindfulness is reviving and embracing a "beginner's mind". Steve's relative newness to some of these practices is a healthy balance to Renee's years of experience.
We never know what will happen tomorrow. During this life disrupting year of 2020, we are just all more keenly aware of that fact.
But, we can find peace in acceptance of the unknowable. - Steve
But, we can find peace in acceptance of the unknowable. - Steve
