People have asked me about my appearance on Oprah for many years. It was way back in 1992 just after I published my first book (with my best friend Joe Rock), a self help book called Overcoming Relationship Impasses. (That book, now called “The Lone Changer,” is available as a download at http://heartandsoulofchange.com/resources/bookstore/)

It has always been a source of amusement for me that people are so interested in my brief moment in the spotlight. No matter what I put in my bio, the first thing that is commented on is my Oprah appearance. So in deference to an interest that has mightily stood the test of time, here are snippets of my Oprah debut in the world of TV media. But before you look at it let me say a few words in my defense. I was a full time private practitioner with zero media experience, and I was scared half out of my wits. They called on a Monday and asked me to be there for a Wednesday taping. So I flew up after my last client on Tuesday and checked into a very fancy Chicago hotel, The Drake. I didn’t have a clue about what I was doing. I knew a lot about the book, and a fair amount about working with couples, but nothing about how to handle this situation. The producers for the show, a young and extremely talented  group, were exceptionally helpful and had really done their homework. They really knew the book and asked me very good questions to prepare me for what might happen.  They told me that I had to be very assertive, even aggressive at times (not exactly my style!) and the last thing they wanted me to be was a wallflower. They noted that Oprah would intentionally provoke me, in a nice way, to comment on the action as it unfolded. I was freaked to say the least and rued the day that I ever thought to write a self help book! So here’s the deal: feel free to laugh but not in my face; and please don’t tell me how young I looked (the subtext being how old I look now!)

And one more thing: People often ask me about Oprah. What was she like? She was warm, friendly, and the consumate professional. I have nothing but good things to say about her and her staff. BTW, I have improved (thank goodness) on the TV front. Check out my TV interviews regarding the book What’s Right With You, including a friendly debate with a psychiatrist, at http://www.whatsrightwithyou.com/resources.htm

The bookstore is now open and has all my books including the just published 2nd Edition of The Heart and Soul of Change. More books of interest to the mission of the Project will be added periodically. Full length videos will also soon be featured. Webinars and slideshows are avaliable too. If you have been following the blog and this site, you know that the concept of “recovery” is thematic and a vital part of client directed, outcome informed (CDOI) ideas and practices (http://heartandsoulofchange.com/training/cdoi-members/what-is-cdoi/). I am very happy to say that the theme of recovery also applies to the bookstore. Folks in recovery are running the bookstore and the more products that are sold, the more hours can be offerred. Thanks to Mary Haynes for making this happen and for her ongoing commitment to the values of recovery.

Finally, I am very happy to announce that Anne-Grethe Tuseth is joining our team as a Project Leader. Anne-Grethe is the Leader of the KOR (CDOI) network in Norway and is a long time advocate of CDOI. She first brought me to Norway ten years ago and has been a mover and shaker of the ideas ever since. She orchestrated the first book written about CDOI by others than the developers, was instrumental in translating the Heroic Clients, Heroic Agencies manual into Norwegian, and has been a leader in training others and disseminating  the ideas. In short, Anne-Grethe is a powerful addition to an already incredible group. Find out more about the Project Leaders as well as the CDOI community at http://heartandsoulofchange.com/community/