 I first approached Beryl Allport with the aim of getting control over one particular problem I was having. I hoped that she could provide the necessary tools to let me find the internal motivation to beat this long-standing issue. Beryl quickly showed me that focusing on a single aspect of my life could be at the expense of the many other important aspects of my life. Through her gentle questioning and probing she caused me for the very first time in my life (I'm 51) to seriously consider all the things that I am, all the things I do, and all the things that I could be.
Even more important, she helped me to sort out the interrelationships and relative priorities between this diverse assortment of activities we call life; that these are not static priorities but constantly in need of fine-tuning as things change. The most profound part of this entire experience has been that although I turned to Beryl for the answers, I received instead the guidance, motivation, and help to find the answers inside myself where they have been all along. Although initially I thought my time with Beryl would be like a 'project' with a beginning and an end it has become instead a permanent change in the way I approach myself and my life.
My family and my co-workers have all commented on the positive changes they have seen in me. I am now looking at things and exposing myself to new ideas in ways I never would have dreamed possible or even practical a year ago. Although I had a tendency to look at life in terms of black and white, and right or wrong, I now can see the entire pallet of possibilities in between. My experience with Beryl has changed me in many positive ways and started an evolutionary process which will lead me to clarifying and achieving my life's purpose. My formal time with Beryl is nearing its end and I will soon be "flying on my own". Beryl will never be far away and I know that there are many phone calls, e-mails, and cups of tea ahead just to stay in touch - for that is her style. I look to the rest of my life with excitement about all the possibilities ahead.
Since this work with Beryl, I have participated in her Retirement Preparation Workshop. It measured the difference between my needs for retirement and my preparedness. It showed me two important things: firstly, it confirmed that much of the work Beryl had already done had considerably narrowed or eliminated the gap in many areas; secondly, it was right on the mark for areas that it said needed additional focus. I found that it validated Beryl's efforts to date and was completely compatible with her holistic approach to wellness.
Bob Mosher
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