You might be curious as to who I am to be writing this blog. My academic credentials are a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1973, plus taking required continuing education courses for the 40 years of my professional life. Also, I have read many spiritual and philosophical texts by historical and contemporary thinkers from all the world’s wisdom traditions. (I will provide you with a list of recommended readings under the “Books” heading.) However, my real credentials arise from 40 years as a psychotherapist, teacher, learner and truth seeker. Oh, and I better mention being a parent and grandparent too. In many respects, my children and grandchildren have been and still are my most important teachers.
I retired when I sold my psychology practice in 2013. Since then, I have bought and sold four houses, traveled internationally, and been in several relationships. I am now settled into a small, mountain, resort/spa community in south-central Mexico with a lovely, intelligent and challenging Mexican woman. Since retiring I have continued to teach sporadically and learn regularly, but mostly I have been enjoying the fruits of retirement. However, I have also experienced a low-grade sense of emptiness, which I now realize has stemmed from my reluctance to recognize that a retirement built entirely upon self-satisfaction is not enough to feel joyful and purposeful. Hence, this blog.
What I find most meaningful and fulfilling is sharing concepts that can be easily understood because of their simplicity, but powerful because of their validity. If understood and accepted, these concepts can be life-changing. I have never been a proselytizer, but frequently people still seek out my opinion or ask my point of view. At those times, I gratefully answer in the hope that something I offer will be helpful, healing, enlightening, or catalyzing. Consequently, the other impetus for beginning this blog is the persistent encouragement from friends, acquaintances, other professionals, and occasionally from family, to be more organized, steady, and public in sharing what I know.
Thank you for landing here. I want you to enjoy this blog, but I also want you to find the content useful, provocative, inspiring, clarifying, and occasionally confounding.
Peace and joy,
Stephen A. Timm
(Please note that all the content on this site is copyrighted. If you would like to use any of the material here, please contact me. Thank you.)