I hold a doctorate in clinical psychology, earned with distinction under Steve Hayes. In my early work I helped develop and establish Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a formal psychotherapy. This was a rich time in the early days of third wave behavioral treatments. I was among the first to identify the centrality of acceptance across different schools of psychotherapy, to formally integrate therapeutic relationships with acceptance, and to identify the role of psychological flexibility. 

How do relationships help us inhabit our lives more fully and make better choices? How do our choices support better relationships? I explored these interests as I developed new ACT treatments and interventions focused on couples therapy, organizational stress interventions, and smoking cessation treatment. My colleagues and I opened new fields of research and practice that spread across the country and in countries around the world.

I went on to co-lead a research center at the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital, consulting and teaching at Stanford University School of Medicine (my research continues to make an impact, with ~10,000 scientific research citations to date). I co-developed a social neuroscience model specifying how supportive relationships lead to better choices.  I also became passionate about bringing the fruits of behavioral science to people beyond the “black box” of formal treatment. Some of my work on spirituality was presented at the White House, and I conducted research and led national expert workgroups on how to help providers, teams, and organizations optimize performance.

I then had an opportunity to use what I had learned to create large-scale change. Working with the heads of the Veterans Health Administration in DC, and inspired by a Baldrige award winning Native Alaskan hospital called South Central Foundation, I led a VA team that created a culture change program which leaders and staff adored, adopted, and ultimately spread across the country. 

This program, VA Voices, helped leaders connect with their employees and create a culture of connection across their clinics and hospitals, with demonstrated improvement in employee engagement, trust, and psychological safety. The experience of connection and shared purpose inspired employees to turn the program into a national movement. I went on to create leadership development and culture change programs for other businesses, confirming that the power of connection is indeed universal.

It still surprises me that my work has helped over ten thousand people, in all regions of the country, find inspired connection, improve their relationships, and orient and invigorate their lives.  I’m grateful for all of these opportunities. Now, I’ve taken the heart of what I’ve learned so I can offer it to you.