Richard has been a wonderful mentor these last 6 months. His kindness, sense of humor and patience are deeply appreciated. Under his leadership our Board has been dramatically changed. Instead of the previous in person Board meetings in Northern California, Richard saw the importance of including the skills and ideas from a much wider area. Thus the Board was expanded to include members outside California with Board meetings by conference call, and face-to-face Board retreats scheduled every two years. These changes have enlivened the board with new energy and ideas.

Following the strategic plan developed at the first of these retreats, the Board focused its efforts on offering SAF workshops which would be led by a variety of teachers. The strategy being to not only help introduce Sensory Awareness to the public, but to also bring many Sensory Awareness leaders together to help strengthen their bonds and help facilitate in the further evolution of their Leaders' Guild. As a result of this the Guild has experienced a rebirth in vitality and a growth in membership and a greater clarity of structure.

Richard has helped establish Sensory Awareness as a credible and vital source of Continuing Education Units for professionals so that the SAF can now offer CEUs to Marriage and Family Therapists, Social Workers, and Nurses in California and to Massage Therapists and other body workers, nationwide. This means that many Leader's Guild members are now able to provide CEUs for the workshops they offer, helping them to attract new students.

Richard's dedication to this work is clear. He was the founder and first president of the Sensory Awareness Leader's Guild (SALG); with Stefan Laeng-Gilliatt, he co-edited Sensory Awareness: Reclaiming Vitality and Presence; has served as Executive Director of the SAF for seven years now; and over the years has been one of its major donors. Fortunately for me, he intends to continue to serve on the board of the SAF and to be my close consultant.

As Richard often says whenever I comment on his achievements: "I couldn't have done any of it without Sara." --(Meaning Sara Gordon, Secretary and Treasurer of the SAF). I am very grateful to have Sara Gordon as a partner in this endeavor. 16 years ago, Charlotte Selver asked Sara to take on this responsibility because she trusted her. I am so grateful for her knowledge and training in the core bones of the foundation, which is essential if we are to survive.

I plan to build on the wonderful legacy created by Richard and by Stefan before him; by Sara Gordon, and all the Board members over the years, as well as the input of many of the leaders in this work.

MESSAGE FROM OUTGOING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I hope you'll join me in welcoming Pamela Blunt as our new Executive Director. Pam brings many good strengths and qualities to the position. I believe this will mark an important positive new chapter for the Foundation, and I'm quite happy and confident in passing the baton on to her. It's a good time for some fresh leadership, and I know she will do a great job.

I will remain on the Board advising Pam when needed, but will be focusing my time and energy more on my private psychotherapy practice, offering classes in Sensory Awareness, and exploring other interests as well.

It is with a sense of gratitude as I reflect on the seven years I have served in this position. It has been an inspiring privilege to witness how deeply this work touches people and how passionate and dedicated they can be to it.

I wish to thank the members of our dynamic, energetic and selfless Board for all they have done, and are doing, to help promote the future of this wonderful practice. Working together over the last few years we have done much to help enhance its sustainability so that it can touch the lives of more and more people throughout the world.

I am also thankful for those special friends of this work who donate to the Foundation. Your generosity gives the SAF hope and encouragement in its efforts to keep Charlotte Selver's legacy of teaching alive and growing. Our Foundation is the only organization striving towards these ends, and without the ongoing support of folks like you, the potential growth of this important study will be greatly lessened.  

Lastly, I am most appreciative of the warm and seemingly tireless support and wise counsel of Sara Gordon, without whom the job would have been much more difficult and far less fun.

OUR WEST COAST WORKSHOP: SAVORING THE MOMENT  

Photo credits: Stefan Laeng-Gilliatt

SAF EAST COAST WORKSHOP NEXT FALL

JAPAN

Waking Up in Japanese

This book, originally comprised of excerpts from transcripts from Charlotte Selver's classes, was lovingly assembled and edited by Bill Littlewood and Mary Alice Roche based upon an earlier version by Ben Weaver.   

We are most grateful to Judyth Weaver and Yuka Saito for all their good work in translating this into Japanese and then bringing it into publication.  

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