I came up with the idea for this course/process as a result of an epiphany - a
flash of insight I had one cold evening in January, 2007, and out of 3 theories I developed as elaborations of that one simple insight since then. These theories have direct and very significant implications for empowerment, possibility, hope and thus recovery.

Hence this course/process represents an application of these ideas to the question of how to help myself and others move towards real recovery and desired change. In fact, these ideas could equally apply to ANYONE needing or desiring change of any kind, including societal change.

However, it turns out that many other persons and ideas express or have expressed similar notions regarding the possibility of change and what enables or engenders it, both within the mental health disciplines and far beyond them.

So this is who I am and why I created this site. However, the idea is that in short order, it will hopefully not be "about me" but truly about "us" - US in the sense of being a collaborative endeavor among "consumers" who are interested in furthering this and, eventually, those who actually participate in it once it is up and running.

We took the first step towards this last evening (September 25) when I facilitated an introductory meeting to introduce the idea for the course to several consumers at the Silver Spring Drop-in center. Those who attended and who indicated an interest in this will be among the initial persons invited to join this website.