Biography/Credentials/Services
Biography
How do you fit a lifetime of fabulous and diversified experiences onto one small
page, without sounding egotistical? It's challenging, and kind of embarrassing.
But people want to know, so here goes:
I was born and raised in the Cold Spring Hills section of Huntington,
Long Island - between Huntington and Cold Spring Harbor. My grandfather was an
original settler of Huntington; I was a third generation Huntingtonian. My
father was an attorney and partner to the district attorney, and my mother
devoted herself to being a wife and mother, and to charitable organizations. As
a young girl I attended dance classes where the girls wore white gloves and the
boys tuxedos, and later was sent to charm school. I was raised to be a lady. But
when life's experiences meet you head-on, and you find that not everybody is
like your family, "being a lady" can equal being walked upon. It was all
valuable, yet a lot to unravel.
As a girl I enjoyed being a tomboy, writing, and having feature parts in
the school plays. I wrote, produced, directed and cast (the cast consisted of
the neighborhood children, my sister, and our family dog), a play for Halloween.
I sold tickets to the neighbors for 5 cents each, 2 cents for children, and
asked my mother to provide refreshments. When there weren't enough ticket sales,
I ran around the neighborhood just before "curtain time," knocking on doors.
Soon our audience filled our finished basement, the site of the play. We made $3
(my parents kindly didn't deduct the cost of the donuts and cider. I had much to
learn about business and overhead!) We donated the proceeds to the Red Cross.
The Long Islander newspaper published the story (they must have been desperate
for news)! To my chagrin, forever after, my mother took pride in showing that
clipping to every one of
my dates.
I wrote poems and stories, and tried to hypnotize my sister
...interesting
to ponder where that came from. So, I was a regular girl except for two
things: the other children
asked my advise, and at times, alone in our backyard, I talked to angels. I kept
that quiet....to let people know that, then, would not have been cool. My mother
knew I was communicating out there with somebody 'invisible,' and attributed it
to my vivid imagination. She was not quite accurate. I guess my destiny was set
early on.
After receiving my B.A degree, I landed my first real
job, as a
Probation Officer for the Suffolk County Probation Department. I was the second
female officer hired by the department, and the only investigative and
supervising female probation officer on staff the entire time I was there. I was
given a caseload of female and male offenders of all ages, had a county car and
learned to use a gun. I think the boss took one look at me and expected me to
quit any minute. At least he hoped that I would. Had it been up to him, he would
not have hired a female officer in the first place. The analogy "Charlie's
Angels" has been used, except there was only one of me. But, I didn't
quit. This was too interesting to leave, despite the many challenges the
director...and the probationers and paroles ... threw at me!
I was with the
department six years; found it a great life and career experience. Not
incidentally, it was here,
among my all male colleague probation officers, that I learned that men and
women communicate differently, and indeed are, different. However, this was
before John Gray's Mars-Venus books and similar. When I tried to give talks on
that theory in the 70s, at the height of the feminist movement, it was not
well-received.
After one broken engagement to a Canadian M. D resident (he later became
an extremely successful and very traditional Oncologist at the University
of California. For both people's sakes, sometimes broken engagements are a
blessing)! I then had a boyfriend who was a jazz musician; with him I sang
professionally for a time.
I became a meditator in 1969, went to two established meditation
ashrams, was at separate times a director of centers in each of the two different
meditation paths. The meditation master of the second path has been my teacher
since 1981.
I truly believe that God doesn't waste anything. While I was still working in NYC, I became increasingly interested in holistic methods and meditation and studied both with varied teachers. There I learned about nutrition and weight management, exercise of the body and face, and make-up application; today I can help clients in those areas. I learned as a photographers' rep about promotion. I use that knowledge today to share information about methods, products and services which will help people. I began Mindworks Center in 1976.
Credentials
I
attended Syracuse University for three years with a major in journalism and
minor in psychology, transferred to Hofstra my last year where I received my B.
A degree. After I left my NYC work, I formed my company MIndworks. I started
my initial private practice, which was in natural forms of healing, meditation,
hypnotherapy (Dr. Herbert Spiegel, of Columbia College of Physicians and
Surgeons was one of my teachers), Reflexology (I had
Asian
tutors in Reflexology in the 70's, and also studied with the International
Institute of Reflexology and Mildred Carter's
Methods). I became certified as a Reiki Master. I returned to school and
earned my Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at C. W. Post
College doing an internship at a drug and alcohol treatment center, became
Board Certified as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. I then earned a Doctoral
Degree, my residency at State University of New York, Stony Brook. I became
adjunct professor of Psychology at C. W. Post College and
at Hofstra
University, and also taught courses at New York Institute of Technology.
Concurrently I was building my private practice.
I was producer and host of a television show called Mindworks by Cablevision and
Viacom.
The format was guests, and call-ins on psychospiritual themes.
Today I'm in private practice in Fort Salonga, Long Island (between East
Northport and Kings Park), and give workshops and lectures here at the Center,
and away from the Center for organizations and for the public.
I was a founding Vice President, and Vice-President elect of the Autism Society
of America, and the Founding President and President elect of the New York and
then Long Island Chapters.
In 2004 AAAC was
dissolved and Helping Autistic Persons Participate Independently through All
Communication Techniques, aka HAPPI ACT, was formed. In 2005 we were
incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in the State of New York.
HAPPI ACT's purposes are similar to those of AAAC except expanded to also
include advocating for verbal communication and interpersonal interaction.
Please visit us at www.HappiAct.org
My book, Please Don't Say Hello, published by Plenum Publishing, was the
first book on autism for children, and for a long time, the only one. It
won many awards and was translated into foreign languages. It finally went out
of print when Plenum was sold to a publisher of text books, but is available
through libraries and through Amazon.com and other internet sources. I would say
to anybody who will read it now, if you buy the book, will you please cross out
the statement that I made therein that children with autism are "sick." I would
never write that today. I no longer believe that. Even so, I feel Please
Don't Say Hello is still a very valuable book in explaining autism to
other children and families.
I have one copy. (I found it amusing that when I went to an
out-of-print source to buy another copy, I was told it was $80 because it is
autographed by "the author.") Unfortunately I have no idea where any of the
foreign editions are, except for the one copy
that I
have of the French version.
My books have brought me in contact
with so many new people and experiences, including that one called "the book
tour." You can read
about it in my website under the section, "My Books". I am available for book
talks and signings; please ask.
Helping people to look, feel and live well is my greatest calling and joy.
I love animals; I've had several dogs and cats at one time, but presently
I've sized down to one egotistical cockatiel Serena who has had an amazing bio
of her own (You can read about her adventures at
http://www.LIglobal.com/articles/serena/default.shtml) and two young cats
whom we adopted after they appeared at our back door in 2005. We know
nothing about their history or how they hooked up out there, but now they are
with us, named Frick and Frack, living the good life and remaining inseparable,
having earned the charms "Spoiled" and "Number 1 Cat", respectively on their
collars.
I
also enjoy - though not necessarily in order of degree
of enjoyment - jazz,
films, concerts (especially singers), theater, working-out, singing, dancing,
gardening, cooking delicious vegetarian meals for family and friends, seeking
out and trying new products and information (to pass the best of them on to my
clients and students), shopping for "finds," being with my friends, family
gatherings, going to the ashram and all the meditative related practices.
I
consider my greatest achievement my close relationship with my family; I am
extremely proud of my son Mitchell's
uniqueness and growth within his autism, and of my daughter Lizbeth's
accomplishments, fine character traits and charm.
My husband Paul is a Financial Consultant; his advise in his area of expertise
has been very helpful to me in my career.
(For more on how he might help you, please click in the index onto the page,
"Financial Consultations.")
I
divide my time between my busy personal and professional lives. I lead a
beautiful and balanced life today. For this, I feel so fortunate.
My
Services
Integrating Alternative (Holistic) with Traditional Methods....
I
work with individuals, couples, families and groups:
The alternative methods that I incorporate include but are not limited to
Intuitive ("Psychic") readings/diagnosis, Flower Essences, Hypnosis, Reiki,
Reflexology/Acupressure, Color Therapy, Callahan method, Eye Movement, and
Desensitization.
I formulated my method of therapy, which I call Alternative Affirmative Self-Therapy,(AAST):
It has to do with human dignity, responsibility, courtesy, and a positive
and organized yet fun-filled approach to meeting life's challenges and growing
beyond them.
I'm a Licensed Interfaith Reverend;
I perform personalized lovely ceremonies for your wedding, anniversary,
confirmation, christening, baby naming, and your other precious life events.
I give lectures and workshops:
I am now teaching "Marma Shakti: The Secret for Creating the Life of Your Dreams"
workshops through permission of Dr. Pankaj Naram, world renowned Marma
practitioner. And we have
meditation groups here at the Center. (Please see Events page of my website for
more on this.)
I strongly believe in the mind, body and spirit connection -- that in order to
feel really well and to function optimally emotionally and spiritually, we have
to be physically well and strong. For these reasons I also recommend proper
nourishment, exercise, cleansing, and hydration (water) of the body. I am in
favor of helping people to enhance their natural attractiveness, the body being
the temple of the soul.
I have a reputation for honesty, integrity, and excellence in the services that
I perform. I keep up to date on new findings. My innate caring about people and
my belief in the tremendous potential within each individual, along with my
personal experiences and education, qualify me to bring out the very best in
those who enlist my services.
I am presently considering an additional line of products, including my audio
tapes on meditation, relaxation, relationships and the like, stress reduction
products, and more. Stay tuned in.
If you are interested in any of the above, or have any
questions/comments/suggestions, I welcome hearing from you..
© 2007 Dr. Phyllis-Terri Gold Mindworks Center for the Self ~ 631-269-5330