It's the end of 2023

 2023 is coming to an end.

It's incredible to me the amount of travel, exporation, study, engagement, learning, care and connection that has been part of this year, again! Wow!

It's been fun the past few months to be back in front of 100+ University students in four on-campus courses - and to be building networks of new friends and colleagues in Idaho.

Two books published this year! Woot! That may be it for the next many years!

A few fun opportunities to engage new care for clients are emerging for me in 2024 . . . so we'll see what happens with that - in fields tied to neurofeedback.

I've got more travel planned for 2024 than I know what to do with - and opportunity to engage online work and online teaching from any location! Hooray!

I remain invigorated by my work with persons with Severe & Persistent Mental Illness working for a major National Provider - and - with availability for me to sit-in-on instruction with the Massachusetts Bridgewater State Hospital Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology! Bonus that I get paid to attend the free-to-me-CEU courses!   

For the past three years I partnered in clinical work with a superior, great, caring, diligent, and perspicuous supervisor.  This person has been a solid beacon for me and such an important understanding human.  She's engaged me with clarity in communication, understanding and wise perception. It's sad that the particularities of our working relationship have had to shift, and yet I am deeply, deeply grateful for superior vision from her for my professional development and maturity. What a joy to have attentive, clear, guiding, maturing supervision! A reminder to me that at every age and different stages of life we need mature guides, wise perspective and discerning counsel from others. I hope to be as good for others as this human has been for me - toward a world that is characterized by more peace and more flourishing.

So grateful for new friendships fostered in 2023 and deeply meaningful relationships from 2020, 2021, 2022 and pre-COVID to resonate with vibrant meaning in my weekly life and truly my every-day-life! And, to have met so many great new professional psychotherapy colleagues in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Colorado who provide context and meaning to many issues of my professional development and aid in resourcing my questions!

And, at the end of the 2023, according to Oregon Health Authority records, just 201 persons are licensed by the OHA to be facilitators engaging persons with psilocybin services - and I was among the first 20 in June . . . and still in that group of just 201 now. 

Life's complexity abounds - and yet the opportunities for providing care and expanding in my own calm clarity abounds yet more!

~ marty alan michelson

Life & Mentorship & Gratitude

My life is characterized by so much for which I am grateful.

Tonight I hosted for dinner, a young couple from the University where I'm active as a Professor.

It is such a joy to be with young persons with their vitality, their curiosity, their insight, and their desire to be shaped to shape the world to be better.

This week, the Chair of our College shared with me that a Senior reported to him:  "Dr. Michelson's class is the best one I've taken in my four years here!"  Fun!

The Provost of the University recently tasked me with aiding some colleagues in conflict, using my peace and conflict negotiation practices, fostering clarity where mis(sed)ing communication, mis(sed)ing perceptions and mis(sed)ing understandings exist.

And . . . today, too, as with many days, I engaged a young person in a Suicide Watch and Mental Health Assessment with my contract work in government facilities for some interstate work in Mental Health.

What a life!

What a great, grand, wonderful life - to aid others, to mentor others, and to work toward peace and flourishing for all living beings.

~ marty

Changes, Books, and Shift with Great Colleagues

In the Fall I'll be teaching University courses as I return to my full-time role as Professor.  I'll be back among a host of students and superior faculty colleagues. 

In the past few days, with a colleague, we published a book.  What a delight to have worked on a great project with a great friend (who now lives in Thailand) who I've known from my childhood! The book started in 2022, our friendship began in 1973!

In the past month, my other 2023 book was published. How great that several colleagues and friends informed what emerged in my 2021-2022 project!

I've recently quit working for an exceptional company in Portland, OR.  My boss proved to be a great leader who demonstrated wisdom, insight in compassion, clinical acumen, and leadership vision, and supervision, for how she led and provided direction to me, and to all of us on her team.

I've cut back nearly all of my Mental Health Professional hours and will only be medically on-call working for another great company, where the Health Services Administrator over our Medical Facility has become a great friend, in addition to her keen oversight and directing me in my roles there.

I've always loved reading, writing, learning with others, completing great work with others, being shaped by great supervisors, engaged with great leaders, impacted by super colleagues.

What a life!  How great to live it in the company of others!

Be the best You.

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.

― Ernest Hemingway

It's Who You Know - The Privilege of Good Humans

It's amazing how much easier life can be when you work with good people.

This past 9 months  . . . it took me several months to get a *responsive* professional to help me with layout and design on my most recently published book

I finally found a great partner to collaborate with and within weeks - my 1st Book for 2023 was published!

This same expert was then able to immediately began work on my 2nd book. Book #2 is much more complex in layout features, as it is a workbook with textbooks and numerous font changes. And yet, working with a competent professional, Book #2 should be published within a few weeks!  

Boom! With a good person - and with good people - good work can be done.

When you know good people to work with, work is easier.

Life is better!

I've been fortunate in three decades of professional life to collaborate with and connect with many great people, to work under good bosses and a few superior leaders.  I've learned from everyone of them.  

What a delight to be meeting, networking with, building friendships with, and developing professional relationships of depth with so many people in diverse settings in the past few years especially!

I am privileged to know good people!

I'm a better human for knowing them.

Oregon Health Authority - Licensed Psilocybin Facilitator

 Of 335 million Americans.

Only 19 are Legally Licensed to facilitate Psilocybin for health and wellness in a U.S. State under the Health Authority.

I am one of those 19 (as of June 2023).

Licensed under the Oregon Health Authority, I hope to begin work with a major pharmaceutical corporation's full psychiatric and psychological clinical research project, for which I have made application, in the next weeks.

Oregon State Public Official

 Another year for Civic Responsibility in Oregon.

Many, many good things.

My life is characterized by many good things, new opportunities, emerging friendship, new awareness, learning and growth.

May I ever be humble to learn and may I always be open to care for others.

May I remain curious, and healthy, and whole. 

~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

Path finding for life

Finding your path in life. 

1. Cease comparing yourself to others and instead do what is best for you. 
2. Acknowledge your emotions and take necessary steps to address them. 
3. Be kind to yourself and avoid negative self-talk. 
4. Remember that they are not alone . . . and to check on your loved ones. 
5. Seek help when required . . . in learning new things and in all forms of health (existential, medical, physical, spiritual & mental).
6. Engage self-discovery and knowing yourself better.  And pursue the life you value.
7. Understand your limitations to work within your own learning abilities and stretch goals that do not radically disrupt your safety or comfort.

I am.

Who I am is always me, while who I am is yet emerging. 

Who I am now is shaped by who I was, while I'm yet still becoming. 

Who I am now is made up of who I have always been, while it is not yet fully who I will be. 

~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.