Education, Licensure, Credentials

• BA, Journalism, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO, 1972.
• MA, Psychology & Counseling, Boulder Graduate School, Boulder CO, 1988.
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (CO #770), by documentation and examination, 1994.
• Approved Continuing Education Provider, National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5782), by documentation and examination, 1998.
• Registered Poetry Therapist (PTR), National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy, under mentor/supervisors Peggy Heller, Ph.D. and Ken Gorelick, M.D., by documentation, 2000.
• Mentor/Supervisor (M/S), National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy, by appointment, 2000.
• Master Mentor/Supervisor (MM/S), National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy, by appointment, 2008.

Professional Affiliations

• 1988-present: Director, Center for Journal Therapy (since 2007, CEO/President, Center for Journal Therapy, Inc.), Denver CO. 
• 1994-present: Private practice as psychotherapist and journal/poetry therapist, Denver, CO.
• 2000-present: Mentor/Supervisor for training programs in Certified Applied Poetry/Journal Facilitator, Certified Poetry/Journal Therapist, Registered Poetry/Journal Therapist, based in Denver CO.
• 2002-present: Adjunct faculty, University College at University of Denver, teaching curriculum of own design (with co-designer/co-faculty Joy Sawyer LPC, PTR-M/S) in Writing & Healing for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree, Denver CO.
• 2006-present: Trainer (Faculty), Cross Country Education (Cross Country University), teaching one-day continuing education courses in clinical journal therapy for licensed psychotherapists, based in Nashville TN.
• 2007-present: Radio host, Journaling for a Better Life, weekly interview show on Exceptional Wisdom Radio, based in Boston MA.
• 2008-present: Training Director, Certified (Clinical) Journal Facilitator program offered through Center for Journal Therapy, Inc., Denver CO.
• 1997-2005: Contract therapist, Denver Health & Hospitals (formerly Denver General Hospital) Behavioral Medicine, providing journal and poetry therapy groups to HIV/AIDS patients under Ryan White grant
• 1995-2000: Faculty, Arapahoe House (approved education provider for Colorado Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division), teaching Write to Recovery: Journal Therapy Tools for Substance Abuse Counselors
• 1990-1992: Journal therapist, National Center for the Treatment of Dissociative Disorders at Mt. Airy Psychiatric Hospital, Denver CO.
• 1988-1992: Adjunct faculty, Boulder Graduate School, Department of Psychology & Counseling, teaching self-designed class, Journaling as a Therapeutic Tool
• 1988-1990:  Group therapist, West Pines Psychiatric Hospital, Wheat Ridge CO.
• Earlier career: 1978-1984, Editorial Vice President, business publishing company Continental Communications Group, Inc. (CCG), Denver CO; 1972-1978, probate and estate planning paralegal, Law Office of H. William Lyle Esq., Tucson, AZ.

Published Works

• Prior to 1990: Six work-for-hire books on business management for CCG, Inc.
• 1990: Journal to the Self: 22 Paths to Personal Growth, Warner Books.  Has achieved best-seller status.  Currently in 14th printing.
• 1992, 2nd Ed. 1998: The Way of the Journal: A Journal Therapy Workbook for Healing, Sidran Press.
• 1992: "Journal Writing as an Adjunct to Therapy," Journal of Poetry Therapy.
• 1993: "The Structured Journal Therapy Assessment: A Report on 50 Cases," Journal of Poetry Therapy.
• 1994: Mightier Than the Sword: The Journal as a Path to Men's Self-Discovery, Warner Books.
• 1999: "Writing as Therapy," monograph, Counseling and Human Development.
• 2000: The Write Way to Wellness: A Workbook for Healing & Change, Center for Journal Therapy.
• 2001-2003: Monthly columnist, Scribing the Soul, for e-zine Soulful Living.
• 2002: Journal to the Self Workbook, Center for Journal Therapy.
• 2004: Scribing the Soul: Essays in Journal Therapy, Center for Journal Therapy.
• 2006: "AlphaPoems" and "Series of Three" in Writing Works, Bolton, Thompson & Field, eds., Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
• 2008 (in press): Journaling for a Better Life, Exceptional Wisdom Books
• Dozens of columns and articles, and subject of dozens of interviews, for magazines and news networks, 1990-present.

Awards and Achievements

• 02/90: Journal to the Self is #7 on New York best-seller list in 2nd month of release.
• 05/91: Produced and hosted first-ever international journal conference, Denver CO, 130 participants.
• 4/97-01: President, National Association for Poetry Therapy Foundation (501c3 charitable nonprofit))
• 04/98: Distinguished Service Award, National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT).
• 05/00: Finalist, Season for Non-Violence Peacemaker Award, for work in Denver bringing journal therapy to populations as diverse as people with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer survivors, recovering addicts, and survivors of violent crime
• 04/01-03: President, National Association for Poetry Therapy (501c6 membership nonprofit; board service 1993-2005)
• 04/03: Distinguished Service Award (Unique Award), NAPT.
• 2005-present: Board of Directors, National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy (setting and maintaining credentials standards for the field)
• 04/05: Distinguished Service Award (No Mountain Too High), NAPT.
• 06/08: Produced and hosted international journal conference, Denver CO, 356 participants.