The first time I heard the term "self-actualization" I was a teenager sitting in a high school classroom. I have been intrigued with the concept ever since then (I won't tell you how long ago because it will reveal just how many decades I have actually been on the planet - let's just say disco was just going out of fashion at the time and in that classroom we were probably all wearing leg warmers and sporting hairstyles that added about 3 inches to our visible height).
Little did my teenaged self know just how important the self-actualization concept would be in my life, personally and professionally. Simply being exposed to the idea at such a young age made the pursuit of personal transformation real to me and I unconsciously set out from that point on to strive to be the best that I could be, even when the circumstances around me really sucked.
My life has had its mountaintop experiences and its soul-eating valley experiences. Neither of these extremes lasted forever (which was great when I was in trapped in a valley but not so great when I was within touch of a mountaintop), and much of my life has been spent somewhere in between. There isn't anything extraordinary about me that way.
A series of events in my twenties stripped me of everything I believed to be true in life and left me stranded without any idea of who I was or what my purpose in life was supposed to be. As I type that it sounds overly dramatic, but honestly sometimes life is overly dramatic.
Don't get me wrong. I didn't suffer a catastrophic accident, lose someone important to me, or become the victim of some sort of tragedy. I did have a few sad things happen, but it is rare to reach 30 years of age without having your heart broken or losing a dream or two.
And I guess that's my point. Even normal life can leave you feeling empty, restless, and wanting more. And that's okay. I think it's supposed to do that. Otherwise what will motivate us to search for more?
And if a relatively normal life can do that, what happens when something hugely NOT normal happens? Or when something soul damaging brings you to your knees? For good or for bad, those events transform our lives.
Little did my teenaged self know just how important the self-actualization concept would be in my life, personally and professionally. Simply being exposed to the idea at such a young age made the pursuit of personal transformation real to me and I unconsciously set out from that point on to strive to be the best that I could be, even when the circumstances around me really sucked.
My life has had its mountaintop experiences and its soul-eating valley experiences. Neither of these extremes lasted forever (which was great when I was in trapped in a valley but not so great when I was within touch of a mountaintop), and much of my life has been spent somewhere in between. There isn't anything extraordinary about me that way.
A series of events in my twenties stripped me of everything I believed to be true in life and left me stranded without any idea of who I was or what my purpose in life was supposed to be. As I type that it sounds overly dramatic, but honestly sometimes life is overly dramatic.
Don't get me wrong. I didn't suffer a catastrophic accident, lose someone important to me, or become the victim of some sort of tragedy. I did have a few sad things happen, but it is rare to reach 30 years of age without having your heart broken or losing a dream or two.
And I guess that's my point. Even normal life can leave you feeling empty, restless, and wanting more. And that's okay. I think it's supposed to do that. Otherwise what will motivate us to search for more?
And if a relatively normal life can do that, what happens when something hugely NOT normal happens? Or when something soul damaging brings you to your knees? For good or for bad, those events transform our lives.
Although my life was relatively normal and even uneventful until the age of 30, in the years immediately after that I was brought to my knees by some unfortunate and potentially devastating events.
I was tempted to curl up and live my life out as a sad recluse (I confess that self-pity seemed somewhat attractive to me back then), but I had a young daughter watching me and I didn't want her to have that kind of mother as a role model. I wanted her to live life authentically, passionately, and without regret.
So, I forced myself to venture into the darkness that was my life at the time, and when I was in my early-mid 30s I decided to go to university. My daughter was in kindergarten when I started.
I chose to study psychology, and that was the beginning of my biggest transformational soul journey to date. In fact, I am still building on that journey today. Now, this isn't a story of the magic of education and how it turned my life around. To be honest, it almost destroyed me.
As I progressed through graduate school and looked down the barrel of a dissertation I found myself a bundle of anxiety, suffering with depression, and becoming physically ill from stress.
To be fair, I also had some personal crises happening at the time. My mother was developing dementia, my daughter was a typical teenager (enough said right?), and I was getting older. I know, drama again, but what can I say? It's how it was.
Can you relate to this? Are you restless or disillusioned and searching for more?
Well I'm happy to tell you that there is sooooo much more out there. No matter what has happened to you or where you find yourself now, life can be GOOD. I know this because I have experienced this.
It has taken me three decades to get to the place where I can say that I truly understand self-actualization now because I live it every day. I don't want you to spend the next three decades searching for it, so I am here to help you transform your life, experience personal and professional success, and achieve emotional wellness in your life and relationships.
For those of you who are interested, here are my professional qualifications:
I have a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, which means I am an expert in the workings of the human mind and behaviour. My undergraduate work was in Behavioural Psychology, so I know how to help people set goals and stick to them. I am, by training, a scientist, instructor, speaker, workshop facilitator, and life coach.
I have taught psychology for several years at the university level. I have mentored students at every stage of their academic and personal development, and as cheesy as this may sound, it is absolutely my greatest joy to watch these students go on to live extraordinary lives!
I am also an entrepreneur and successful business owner.
And now for some personal information:
I am a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, an auntie, and a friend. I am passionate about animals and I am owned by several birds, bunnies, and dogs (my husband is allergic to cats, otherwise a few of them would own me, too!). My love of animals has caused me to be referred to as "somewhat eccentric" by those who love me (and some that only kinda like me) and that's okay because this is living life authentically for me. My husband, animals, and I live in a small cottage by one of the ten largest lakes in the world and our adult daughter visits us frequently, to our great delight. My husband and daughter are fantastic musicians, which means that our home is usually filled with music of some sort every day.
I am a flawed human being who is passionate about life and tries her best to empower everyone I meet - including you!
I was tempted to curl up and live my life out as a sad recluse (I confess that self-pity seemed somewhat attractive to me back then), but I had a young daughter watching me and I didn't want her to have that kind of mother as a role model. I wanted her to live life authentically, passionately, and without regret.
So, I forced myself to venture into the darkness that was my life at the time, and when I was in my early-mid 30s I decided to go to university. My daughter was in kindergarten when I started.
I chose to study psychology, and that was the beginning of my biggest transformational soul journey to date. In fact, I am still building on that journey today. Now, this isn't a story of the magic of education and how it turned my life around. To be honest, it almost destroyed me.
As I progressed through graduate school and looked down the barrel of a dissertation I found myself a bundle of anxiety, suffering with depression, and becoming physically ill from stress.
To be fair, I also had some personal crises happening at the time. My mother was developing dementia, my daughter was a typical teenager (enough said right?), and I was getting older. I know, drama again, but what can I say? It's how it was.
Can you relate to this? Are you restless or disillusioned and searching for more?
Well I'm happy to tell you that there is sooooo much more out there. No matter what has happened to you or where you find yourself now, life can be GOOD. I know this because I have experienced this.
It has taken me three decades to get to the place where I can say that I truly understand self-actualization now because I live it every day. I don't want you to spend the next three decades searching for it, so I am here to help you transform your life, experience personal and professional success, and achieve emotional wellness in your life and relationships.
For those of you who are interested, here are my professional qualifications:
I have a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, which means I am an expert in the workings of the human mind and behaviour. My undergraduate work was in Behavioural Psychology, so I know how to help people set goals and stick to them. I am, by training, a scientist, instructor, speaker, workshop facilitator, and life coach.
I have taught psychology for several years at the university level. I have mentored students at every stage of their academic and personal development, and as cheesy as this may sound, it is absolutely my greatest joy to watch these students go on to live extraordinary lives!
I am also an entrepreneur and successful business owner.
And now for some personal information:
I am a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, an auntie, and a friend. I am passionate about animals and I am owned by several birds, bunnies, and dogs (my husband is allergic to cats, otherwise a few of them would own me, too!). My love of animals has caused me to be referred to as "somewhat eccentric" by those who love me (and some that only kinda like me) and that's okay because this is living life authentically for me. My husband, animals, and I live in a small cottage by one of the ten largest lakes in the world and our adult daughter visits us frequently, to our great delight. My husband and daughter are fantastic musicians, which means that our home is usually filled with music of some sort every day.
I am a flawed human being who is passionate about life and tries her best to empower everyone I meet - including you!
To your transformation, success, and wellness!
Love and peace,
Lori
Love and peace,
Lori
What Others Say About Lori
“Through Lori’s gentle and compassionate nature I have been given the space needed to gain valuable insight and deep awareness into a painful life situation I experienced. She offered me a safe space to explore my thoughts and feelings in a warm, non-judgemental way which always left me empowered and inspired. I felt safe, understood and valued by her. She took the time to really understand, acknowledge and care for me. She has truly helped me in my transformation and has been a huge blessing on my journey.”
Karen, Social Worker and Artist
Karen, Social Worker and Artist
"Working with Lori absolutely changed my life. Lori helped me propel my music to national and international levels. When I later decided to change careers and become a doctor I turned to Lori to coach me through my undergraduate years and preparation for medical school. Lori sat down with me whenever I needed her, sometimes even on a daily basis! Whenever I needed to call she was there to coach me every step of the way. She encouraged me and held me accountable to my goals. She is one of the kindest people I know and I think anyone who gets the opportunity to work with her will consider themselves lucky to have found her. If you want to transform your life I highly recommend working with Lori."
Joel, Medical Student and Musician
Joel, Medical Student and Musician
"Lori is a gifted coach and cognitive psychologist who is skilled at tapping into human potential. Her questions and insights help cultivate awareness and breakthroughs. As a client, I continue to marvel at my growth and development following each session. Lori helped me tap into my strengths while learning to trust my inner voice. She is an exceptional coach who understands the coaching methodology and how it can be transformative in nature. I highly recommend her services."
Erol Meryl, J.D., M.Sc., B.A.
Erol Meryl, J.D., M.Sc., B.A.