Graduate school at Kent State University in Clinical Psychology, partially paid for by buying claimers off the race track and retraining them as hunter jumpers to sell. Award winning research into pending deinstitutionalization of state psychiatric patients. Interning at Brecksville Psychiatric VA Hospital during return of Vietnam Vets. 22 year career included private practices throughout Dallas and Houston, the development of several multi-site group practices. Supervised and consulted to several MHMR systems including clinic development, warrants response unit, Emergency Units, and Intake and Referral responses. Consultant to St. Joseph Hospital and Kelsey-Seybold Clinics. Executive Director of Shelter Ministries of Dallas Genesis battered women’s shelter. Wrote speeches for the mayor of Dallas, won awards for writing and advocacy, consulted to Surgeon General Koop’s initiative on violence. Regional Director for Sisters of Charity. Board of Directors Mental Health Association, and awarded Speaker of the Year for MHA. Executive Director of Integrative Behavioral Health of Dallas and Houston. Biographee in Who’s Who in America since year 2000.

With the advent of Managed Care, paperwork and phone calls took more time than work with clients, and it was time for a career switch. Best memories from my first career were of times spent with clients, in that tunnel that only two people can be in, building life enhancements. Most uncomfortable memories are of the competitive edge that some business positions brought out in me. During my career, I learned that not everything that I succeeded at was best for me. Business style was cold and came from my Dad. Nurturing came from my Mom. Peace and loving helpfulness comes from my spirit. A natural wanderer, I was now married to a man who was not, and we searched for a lifestyle change to a “vacation”/home/career place.

Dave and I bought a run down mostly vacant ranch. Dave continued working at his job in town And I moved to full time with Dave part time, building our Camelot. At the end, we boarded 50 horses with a 3 month waiting list to get in. We had 4 trainers and German Warmblood horses in training in Dressage. We hosted the Autumn Classic horse show for Houston Dressage Society. After a few shake outs, our barn was a place of minimal gossip and negativity. It was a place where your shoulders dropped and all the tension disappeared when you entered the property. Where horses were cared for and understood, and owners were pampered and allowed a second country home to relax in day in and day out. Houston was where I first met people who were mean-spirited and without manners or conscience, so it became even more important to provide a haven, a way to be of service to what is best in people who love animals. I learned from every horse we kept. I learned to walk among them and understand much of their culture and communication. I learned to honor their horseness rather than try to attribute peopleness to them. I developed Lupus, and the strain of continuing a 7 day and night a week schedule was too much and our marriage suffered greatly for it. We pared down, searched for years for the right Golden Retrievers, and began to breed beautiful healthy dogs, some of whom have grown up to be therapy dogs. And we sold the commercial horse facility part of our land. I was very sick. I fiddled with jewelry making when I was ill, but found that there were few times when I was sick enough to stay still and yet well enough to focus. I need to walk and wander, and be among people who are good and deserve pampering. I’ve always loved to walk. My favorite memories from that time came from the joy and relief we were able to offer people, and from being in a herd of beautiful horses, living sometimes every stage of their lives with them, being there in their suffering and death, hugging as many people and horses as we could along the way. They all gave us so much.

Our remaining land included acreage, a lake, and our homes, one for us and one for Mom. Mom and Dad lived with us for decades, having lost their money in Black Monday. We worked to support them without it feeling like charity, building a 1000 square foot addition onto our house before we bought the ranch, buying a set of mini warehouses from which to funnel money to them. Totally ruined our financial retirement plans, but what a wonderful thing to have them with us, until my Dad died, and until Mom had to move to a nursing home nearly this year. Dave never once complained. He treated them as his own parents, and they felt the same about him. I always dreamed of putting our small but perfect dream home on our property, but I was alone in that dream, and apart from that, our land was perfectly beautiful, and nurtured us, my folks, and our animals beautifully. The property has truly been a blessing.

Our home was too quiet! I couldn’t work the way I had before, but I needed to find a way to be productive. And with our love of Golden Retrievers, we decided our home was meant to serve them and their owners. We opened Golden Retriever Camp, designed to keep Goldens from having to go into kennels while their owners traveled. With almost no marketing beyond word of mouth and www.GoldenRetrieverCamp.com , we filled up, housing 34 Goldens in our house without cages, last Christmas 2007. Their peaceful and loving spirit helps me be in tune with my own. The dear people who own them deserve to travel worry-free, so we send them email pictures and notes home from camp. We will do anything we can to make their lives easier. Any day spent in the service of others is not a wasted day, and every day at Golden Retriever Camp is blessed.  It’s our mission. We adore the people and dogs connected to us.  The horse ranch had connected me with some of the best friends I’ve ever know….and the dog camp additionally gave me time to travel, my favorite trip having been with my friend Ginger to Thailand and Hong Kong. Travel came back in my life. Even Dave has actually taken time from work for a trip to California Wine Country with me…a true joy to have him to myself at last. We often have up to 6 dogs in bed with us at night, and our home is a moving Golden carpet. Our home is filled with peace and love.

In February 2008, I was diagnosed with incurable cancer and told that at mst, I had a year to live. Dave has taken over most of the duties of camp, but I still get to live among the Goldens, and walk and play with them around the lake whenever I can. I have more time with Dave, get to see Mom often, and enjoy the days, knowing they are so limited. It is difficult to see friends because I can’t predict how I’ll feel. My love for walking helps with pain, as does my rekindled love of yoga, QiGong and meditation. Golden Retrievers make ideal companions for yoga practice. I love to see the happy camper parents whose dogs love to come to camp and then love to see them and go home. Although I haven’t told the camper parents about my illness yet, many of the Goldens know. They point at my pain and lick where it hurts. I am blessed with MD Anderson and a wonderful cancer team headed by Michael Bevers. I am blessed that Susan entered our lives with her knowledge of cancer and her love of dogs and us. I am blessed by my family, my friends, and my animals. And by the exquisite repeating threads of my life that keep me connected to what enhances and has meaning for me.