ABOUT JONESin’

I never know exactly how to introduce myself when ranting.  Usually I start with professional qualifications but in the spirit of change I am going to do something different and start with personal information.   My life is an endurance sport.  I have many different things going on and it’s awesome.  First off, I have seven (7)…YES SEVEN…kids ranging in age from 23 to 2.  And yes, all these kids are with the same woman.

I have worked in the helping professions as a counselor, therapist, coach and administrator for over 23 years.  I have started multiple businesses and launched various non-profit organizations.  I teach at the university level and usually carry 2 or 3 classes.  Some people would call me a workaholic but that is an over-used negative way to look at things.  I say I enjoy what I do and prefer work over watching TV.  I have a multitude of professional credentials, Master Degree in Sociology and an MBA with a concentration in healthcare management.  I am an outstanding coach and therapist.  If they kept rankings of these type of things I’m sure I would be ranked in the top 5 worldwide (Just Kidding–sort of).

People say: “How can you handle seven kids and work all these hours and start all these different projects”?  I’m not sure how to answer that.  I don’t think about it in those terms.  We just do what we do and enjoy the ride.  It’s all about perspective.

I have been married for 24 years.  My wife has gone through some very difficult stuff with me and she has been the best thing that ever happened to me.  We will most certainly live out “until death do us part”.   And I hope I go first because I can’t imagine life without her.

My father struggled with substance use disorders and was a very unpredictable man.  It was confusing and sometimes scary growing up in that home.  My mom is awesome and I will always be grateful for the way in which she navigated that extremely difficult situation.  I did my best to follow in my father’s footsteps but found recovery in 2001.   I know how to overcome a very difficult addiction and I know first-hand what it is like to “put on a front”.  I don’t think anyone outside of my immediate family had any idea how poorly I was coping with stress.  I believe my personal experience has provided me with even more useful information than my formal education and training.  There is nothing like “been there done that” when it comes to helping people overcome difficult times.

The purpose of this blog is provide insight, information and resources that encourage people to free themselves from self-defeating thoughts and behaviors.  Stress and anxiety are naturally occurring phenomenon and in some ways they are actually helpful.  In the right context they will activate a person and get them moving.  However, in today’s world of polished appearances, social media fakeness, and interpersonal superficiality these feelings get suppressed.  This leads to numerous physical and emotional health issues.  This is not meant to be a life coaching blog.  Life coaches tend to give you a list of books to read, pointers on how to get up in the morning and go to the gym and a bunch of YOU CAN DO IT bullshit.  This blog is meant to be about real talk, real issues and the reality of human motivation.  This blog is meant to be useful.

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