I grew up in the Pennsylvania woods, along Lake Erie, and moved to Colorado in 1970.
My doctorate (Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1977) was in Experimental Psychology, with a research focus on human learning and psycholinguistics. I was certified in the sparkling new field of School Psychology, and worked in the schools for 15 years. I became dissatisfied with what I could accomplish there, and went into private practice — next year it will be 15 years since I made that happy decision.My private practice centers around learning. Among other issues, I help parents and kids handle school, coach older students in success strategies, and problem solve with adults about careers. My great joy in all that — the theme that I hope unites all my work — is to encourage people to find and develop their fullest potential and to apply that potential to a happy, meaningful life. In Grow With the Flow, I amalgamate what I've learned from personal and professional experience with new research and theory in cognitive development.
Grow With the Flow is my third book. I've thought about the ideas here for the three decades since our first child was born, but things were a little busy for a few years, and I didn't get started writing it until Paul and Andy were about to head off to Macalester College. I spent a decade in the writing: collecting ideas and examples, trying out strategies with my astonishing clients, asking my kids what worked for them, trading ideas with my partners, and rejoicing in the wisdom and joy of my wife, Carol. Much of the important conceptual work of the book was done walking the trails along the Cache la Poudre River. The Poudre served as a model for how effective intelligence is organized. Its presence has been one of the joys of my life; in gratitude, I work with others to preserve it.
… he made reading useful by talking to her of what she read…
Jane Austen
Mansfield Park, Chapter 2
