By my late twenties, my love of the theater had resulted in an undergraduate degree. But, aside from a short stint in retail, I had no work experience. So I entered graduate school, which was an incredible challenge as I was raising two children on my own at the time. For many years, I constantly tried to be in two places at once. Because my children depended on me, I was determined to stay the course.

The payoff was discovering my gift for counseling. After earning my master’s degree, I went on to do post graduate work in addictions and co-dependency. Then my supervisor said, “Helen, you have a gift for seeing relationships.” She suggested that I get my license in marriage and family therapy so that I could fully use my innate understanding of the inner play between people. I’ve always attributed my “big picture” view of relationships to my theater background where it is important to understand the interaction between the characters and how it affects them.

I worked as a marriage and family therapist for several years, then once more bet everything on my passion and ability to succeed by opening a private practice. Despite my fears, by the end of my first week in business, I had a waiting list of potential clients. For more than 20 years, my practice has continued to thrive. I’ve added business consulting to my areas of expertise and work with several company presidents who trust me with their business counseling.

The gift I continue to share with my clients is an understanding of how people interact and the skill to help them spot the faulty elements. I teach people how to think and act with clarity. I know that when we deal with people in a respectful, honoring way, the rewards appear. Prosperity seems to flow effortlessly, relationships flourish, and happiness becomes the norm instead of a rare surprise. It is in that spirit that I created The Five Key Disciplines of Success course.

I have taught this course in my therapy practice with a success rate in the 90 percentile, with both individuals and businesses experiencing remarkable results.

The Five Key Disciplines of Success is available on CD or as a workshop.

~ Helen Dahlhauser, East Bay Counseling