Diana with a few of the children she has been photographing in San Cristóbal
I was beginning to believe that the unhappy and downright unpleasant person who put on my clothes every morning and went to work, was the real me. My corporate job left me exhausted and listless after long, unfulfilling hours of work. Work soon became all I did, or spent time recovering from. I knew I had to make a change. But what else could I do? I’d become so submerged in this “other person” that I could not imagine being capable of doing anything other than my current job. I knew I needed help and searched the Internet for career counseling organizations, but I was looking for something different. That is when I found Centerpoint.
I was leery about what they could do for me when I tested the water with the one-day workshop, LifeWork Renewal. The Cycles of Change model was introduced and I began to feel that maybe there was something else out there for me. I let what I’d learned in the workshop tumble around in the back of my head for six months before committing to signing up for the Retreat. As anyone who has gone to one will attest, I came away changed.
Centerpoint opened my eyes and mind to possibilities. They did not supply me with THE answer, just many wonderful questions, the best ones starting with, “What about…?” and “What if…?” With a renewed belief in possibilities, I started exploring long buried interests in photography and writing, wondering how I could combine them with my love of travel and make a life of it.
I wanted to explore cultures and traditions from the inside. I wanted to live a year or two in a place, get to know it, photograph it and write about it before moving on to a new location. I decided to make a major leap, getting rid of anything I couldn’t carry with me, take my camera, and a laptop, and head to Mexico. I started to map out an exit plan for myself.
It took me three long, patience-trying years after the Centerpoint retreat to finally leave my job on June 30, 2006. By then I had taken many classes in photography and writing, paid off bills, saved money and all that was left was to get rid of my things and go.
Even though all my passions are tied together now and I live them rather than wish I was, it’s still difficult day-to-day making a major transition. When it gets tough, the lessons I learned at Centerpoint come back to help and support me.
I keep an image in my mind from the retreat. It is a metaphor from an Indiana Jones movie about making a leap of faith. Indy is being chased by the bad guys. Emerging out of a tunnel, he finds in front of himself a bottomless pit with no way across. The only way to cross is to put his foot out into nothingness, and only then will the bridge forward appear, not all at once, just step by step. My bridge continues to appear much like Indy’s; in ways I would never be able to plan. I just put my foot out there and see what appears.
Megan's Story: "What do I want to do with my life?"
In the summer of 2006 I found Centerpoint. Wait...that makes it sound so matter-of-fact, so blah, like I just found my socks in the morning after a 5-minute, groggy hunt. It wasn’t that simple or that straight forward, though. It was more like I had found the sock that had been missing for months when I made the mistake of washing it and sending it to sock heaven via the dryer. It’s the sock that I loved so much, that was lots of fun with all the cool colors that I thought had vanished or had been victim to some sock-homicide. But lo and behold, there it was safe and sound and back on my foot! That’s how it felt when I found Centerpoint.
I was looking for a job; I needed to get out of my current one and Centerpoint seemed to be just what I was looking for. I was a young college student (not that I’m completely grown up now but thanks to Centerpoint I feel more so). I wasn’t quite sure of any sort of direction but I knew that I wanted to be in a field that helped people. I was sick of the corporate world so I decided to try non-profit which I thought would give me the jump start I was looking for even though I wasn’t quite sure of my overall direction. Anyway, I ended up working as the Front Office Manager for Centerpoint and absolutely loved it. I settled in quite well; I felt as though I’d been there forever—it was a fabulous fit. As corny as it may sound, I began feeling as though I was blossoming into a stronger, more self-assured person with each day I was there.
This past winter I decided to enroll in the Early Career Passion Search workshop. It sounded like fun and I figured it would be interesting to take; I had no idea what I was in for! To put my experience into a small paragraph for you to understand is next to impossible. The class itself, Centerpoint, my instructor, and my fellow peers all helped me see what I had been searching for since I was a child. They helped me realize what I want to say when asked “What do you want to do with your life?” I had always responded to that dreaded question by quickly stumbling through some clichéd answer that I knew would force the person to be somewhat satisfied with what I told them. Now I tell them I’m a “momma to all animals” and am destined to help and care for them.
As of now I’m not quite sure how I’m going to do that, but for the time being I know I’m where I’m supposed to be which is just perfect for now. Each day I go to school, get closer to the end of my program, and to my new career choice I feel more complete. So I suppose it’s fair to say, “Centerpoint, you completed me!”
Don's Story: "Wow, those people at Centerpoint were right!"
Last year, my company decided to close the office in which I was based. I found my remaining time very stressful– juggling the task of looking for a new job and having to train my replacements within the company. As the final days of my job approached, I felt dread about being unemployed and about the upcoming transition. I had been without a job in the past and found it to be very difficult.
As soon as I was notified about the company layoffs, I immediately re-contacted Centerpoint. They had helped me in the past so it was only natural for me to come back to them again. I knew I would need help going through these uncertain times.
Centerpoint helped me discover new ways of thinking about the job search. I learned that networking is more than just talking to people about job openings. I learned about transition jobs and how they can be beneficial. By taking Lifework Renewal I better understood the cycle of the job search process. This helped me deal with times when my motivation was low. I also took part in their weekly Job Search Clinics. I enjoyed the supportive group atmosphere. Being part of a group was necessary for me during the transition and I always felt better hearing from others. On the flip side, offering support to them helped me feel like I had something valuable to contribute. I also made some great connections there.
During my three months of unemployment, I found myself more productive than I expected. In addition to the job search, I filled my time with community activities, personal development and spending more time with my family. In fact, I found my motivation towards the job search increasing as time went on. Wow, those people at Centerpoint were right!
I had a number of job interviews and was offered a job by the company that I was most interested in. This job is in retail real estate for a large corporation. I’m so excited to go back to work again. Centerpoint, I’m glad you’re there when I need you!
Brenda's Story: "Centerpoint has helped me to clarify and refine my definition of me... "
Sister Mary Verda, my first grade teacher, had a profound affect on me as I learned my abc’s and the Catholic catechism. And as most of us experienced in our early, informative years, I was asked the universal question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Well, I am still evolving into that person. I always knew that words would play into the grand scheme somehow. A few years after first grade I began to blossom into a writer. Centerpoint has helped me to clarify and refine my definition of Brenda the Writer.
The first words in an article, poem, or book can be daunting. The last words on that first draft can be just as formidable. Staring at a blank sheet of paper or computer screen is a little like looking up into the night sky and realizing just how insignificant we are in the scheme of things. There are times we may need a kick-start to clear our minds of the element that stops us cold along the path we take in our lives – Fear. Fear of failure. Or maybe even fear of success. It wasn’t until I stared long enough at a manuscript that had gone cold and dusty in my study that I decided to take a class at Centerpoint. The odd part of the whole thing was that I had no expectations that a class, or any type of encouragement, would help me out of my apathy.
I first heard of Centerpoint when my sister, Rhonda Brown decided to go to a Centerpoint retreat. For months it was all she talked about. I knew there was something magical when I met Carol Vecchio. But it took a while before I enrolled in ‘Getting Unstuck’. Through the weeks, a small group of us talked, processed, created, and tried to understand what prevented us from moving forward. The class introduced me to Miriam, a friend who remains involved in my life and my writings to this day. I could not say that I understand the fundamentals of getting unstuck, but weeks after the class ended my life began to flourish. My writing came together and within a matter of months my book was finished. Whether the product ever goes to publishing isn’t as important as finishing it. And maybe the question of what I want to be when I grow up is important enough to ask with each dawning day. The growing never stops. And Centerpoint is a tool in the process of growth that is applicable to everyone’s life.
Adrian Schwausch's Story: "Passion Search or Passion Serendipity?"
I recently completed a Passion Search workshop and what I discovered wasn’t what I expected. Like most of us who have contacted Centerpoint and taken, or thought about taking, Passion Search, I have been struggling with the conundrum of “What to do with my life.” For years I’ve tried many avenues, all leading to less than total satisfaction. I began class with high hopes and low expectations, and somewhere during the class, something unexpected found me.
To quote an Open Space principle: “Whoever comes is the right people.” Not only was this true for me and our group, I feel it is the most important aspect of the workshop. One of my fellow students has been an actress for most of her life, and her feedback frequently relayed that she perceived I have an aptitude for acting and voice. Other students agreed. Never before had I given the concept of being an actor more than a moment’s thought, and I certainly didn’t expect that to come from Passion Search. Yet here I was in a workshop designed for finding one’s life passion, and this was one of the amazing things that I learned about myself.
Another anonymous quote: “The universe supports you when you are on your path.” On a whim I took a one-evening Voice Over course through a local continuing education school. I found the class to be thoroughly engaging and interesting. Halfway through, the instructor asked me to stay after class. I was taken aback by what this wise and seasoned acting teacher told me. In a nutshell, she saw potential and wanted to work with me. I’ve been taking lessons from her ever since, and am finding the process, concept, and future potentialities exciting.
I can honestly say that Centerpoint, and in particular the Passion Search workshop, was the medium by which the universe illuminated the path toward my life’s passion. I didn’t get what I was looking for: I found something unexpected and much more exciting.
Rhonda Brown's Story: "Centerpoint Changed My Life!"
"In the summer of 1999 I started a journey that has changed the course of my life. I had been working for a large corporate organization in various jobs for close to 23 years. While I enjoyed most of the work, it was not fulfilling and I knew something was missing.
"I had heard about Centerpoint from a friend a couple years earlier and went to one of their introductory sessions. The Retreat looked inviting but out of reach at the time. Then one day I decided to make a commitment to make some changes in my life by attending the Retreat. The four days turned out to be one of the best investments of my life. It helped me to clarify the areas and the things that I really enjoy doing and learn how to incorporate those into both my work and my entire life.
"When I look at the work I'm doing today (I'm still in the corporate world), there isn't anything else I'd rather be doing. I have just completed a coaching training course and plan to become a certified coach later this year. Coaching is my way of focusing on bringing spirit back to the world by working with people to recognize their unique gifts and talents. This new focus has opened up a new world for me... literally. I've been invited and have accepted an opportunity to travel on a cultural mission to Kenya next year.
"Centerpoint truly has been the catalyst for my journey and I can't wait to see where it will take me next!"
Sharon MacTavish's Story: "Centerpoint Helped Me Rekindle My Passion!"
"It all started when I was 17. Well, actually I suppose it started way before that, but the age of 17 seems to be a turning point for most of us. Isn't it ironic that at that age, with little life experience, and even less preparation, we're supposed to figure out what we want to do or be for the rest of our lives. I enjoyed making clothes all through high school - clothing for my sister, costumes for the senior play, and even my friend's prom dress. I realized that I had an interest in, and even a flair in fashion design. So, I applied to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, a prestigious fashion design school. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that I had been accepted to attend the night school there but not the day program. As a 17 year old, I thought that night school is for dummies, and I wasn't a dummy, so I wasn't going! No one at school, in my family, or in my circle of acquaintances said " no Sharon, you're wrong." I didn't know enough about fashion design to realize that just getting admitted into F.I.T. was an accomplishment.
"I had to decide quickly what do I want to be when I grow up. Doctor? Lawyer? It's too late in the application process for that, I'll be a Nurse. While in Nursing school I applied to pre-medical school and was accepted. My Dad said, "finish your nursing school and you'll always have something to fall back on. If you still want to be a doctor, you can still go." Once I got started in nursing, I found it to be challenging enough (as a Cardiac Care, then Community Health Nurse) to not pursue medical school. But, I could see inequity and some real injustices in the treatment of nurses in the health care system, and I decided that I wanted to do something about that. After 10 years as a nurse, I decided to go to law school so I could practice health care labor law. After 3 years of hard work in law school, and continuing to work as a nurse to pay for it, I had my JD. I was ready to go to battle for nurses to help correct inequities in pay, treatment, and benefits. I applied with the Washington State Nurse's Association , but found that I was ahead of my time. The job I wanted hadn't been created yet. It was five years or more after I tried to convince them of the benefits of having a labor lawyer as part of the Association that they finally hired a lawyer. In the meantime, I was recruited by a hospital insurance company that needed a Nurse Attorney as staff council for claims. I have been working there 13 years, and although the work has been challenging, my heart hasn't been in it.
"Seven years ago I heard about Centerpoint and found out about an upcoming retreat. I liked the idea of a career "retreat" so I decided to attend. Toward the end of retreat, we were asked to make something that symbolized who we are. I found needle and thread and sewed a heart. Who could have imagined then that sewing was still a passion? I sure didn't. Then, at the end of the retreat they gave us a quote which I've had on my wall at work ever since. It says: "Don't ask what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." by Harold Thurman Whitman. The message of the quote, the skills I learned and the people I met helped me rekindle my passion in fashion design and have the courage to make yet another career change.
"Two years ago I started back to fashion design school here in Seattle with the New York Fashion Academy. I started part time, and class by class I did it. I finished the certificate program in July, participated in the New York Fashion Academy's fashion show, and launched Sharon MacTavish Designs--Fine Clothing for Real Women. My Design Studio is a warm, comfortable, professional-feeling space for women to come talk about what they want, choose their fabric, get measured and fitted, and together we create anything from a new version of their favorite article of clothing to a complete wardrobe.
"Thanks to Centerpoint and the New York Fashion Academy for helping me to realize my dream. In my 50th year, I'm now a custom women's clothier!"
Doug Frick's Story: "Centerpoint Helped Me Find My Passion!"
"If one thing can describe my professional life until recently, it's that I followed the opportunities that presented themselves to me without much thought as to how they fit with my core values. That indecision led me to follow in my father's footsteps as a geologist, which then led me through a series of career moves that proved successful in a conventional economic sense but left me ultimately unsatisfied with my life. The lure of economic success, professional recognition and providing for my family were sufficient motivation for many years; but it became increasingly more difficult to sustain a level of performance that I could be proud of, and more importantly, the satisfaction that comes with doing something that I loved and believed in. That old phrase, 'leading a life of quiet desperation,' resonated more and more in my thinking.
In 1998, I was encouraged by my wife to consider the Retreat offered by Centerpoint as a way to explore my discontent and perhaps find new perspectives for living and working. Two major themes emerged from that wonderful experience. First, I recognized the passivity with which I had approached life. Secondly, I unearthed my dormant passions - to teach and inspire others - that is to take an active role in improving life on this planet.
Since attending the Retreat, I struggled with making that quantum shift from my previous life to a more self-directed life that fit with my values. My dabbling in documentary film making as a hobby finally led to a complete break from my previous career into a more satisfying, multi-faceted life centered on film making and volunteerism. I am deeply grateful to Centerpoint for helping me change my life!"
Chris M.'s Story: "Where the Magic Took Place"
How would I describe to someone the work you do at Centerpoint? I tell them that Centerpoint takes a holistic approach to career exploration. You use a model of transition that helps one realize that changing careers is a process, and that it’s important to be at peace with where we are in that process. And when we do the work that needs to be done for that stage of the journey, we can move on to the next stage. Centerpoint provides a structure of support for doing that work, in solidarity with others who are also making transitions and with the guidance of facilitators who are well versed in the process. The work itself takes a variety of forms—there are times when the work is inner work; there are times when the work is outer work.
The work entailed by Passion Search was not at all what I would have necessarily conceived career work to be. It was demanding. And it was necessary. I must say that I would not have gotten nearly as much out of the course if I had not spent the time that I did on the homework—and I spent a lot of time on it. At the end of the course, I had written a work vision statement that truly resonated with me—though it contained not even a hint of a job title in it. Ironically, in the midst of finally forgetting about the search for a job title, and in doing the work of Passion Search, a job title did begin to emerge in my mind. I tried to just ignore it, but it kept coming back. And I gradually began to realize that I didn’t need to ignore it any longer—that it had emerged for a reason and that it made sense to explore it. That was my next step after the course, and it was in following that next step that I obtained the job in which I now find myself.
Passion Search was the course where the real magic took place. Yet I probably would not have had the patience to do the work of Passion Search nor would have understood how in the heck some of that work was relevant if I had not first taken Lifework Renewal.
It worked for me. I’m in my fourth week at a new job in a completely new field, and it feels great. I’m using the skills I wanted to be using. I’m contributing to an endeavor I believe in. And I love it. And funny thing, that work vision statement I wrote at the end of Passion Search . . . it’s uncanny how well it describes my new position. Imagine that!
Faye's Story: "I got my voice back!"
Faye was interviewed several years ago about her experiences with Centerpoint. Here’s what she had to say:I had been an attorney for 15 years. I was about to turn 40 and didn’t know if I wanted to continue in law. Was this where my spirit was calling me? Was practicing law my passion?
One day as I was going through my desk I noticed a bracelet I got from a Centerpoint fundraiser. Looking at the tag which listed the Centerpoint website, I thought, “I should check this out.” Cost was a concern because a previous experience with a career counselor had been very expensive.But I went to the website and took the little quiz there and I said, “That’s me!”
I took the one-day LifeWork Renewal workshop and I felt that it captured exactly how I felt. I could see what season I was in and what season I’d like to be in—the way they say the circle of our lives go. My next step was the Retreat. I thought I needed to be away so that I could really hear my voice.
What I discovered during the 4½ days of the Retreat was that all the participants had more than one issue; that there was a reason we kept making decisions that didn’t bring us passion. We did life charts and when I looked at mine I went – Aha! All the choices I’ve made have been based on other people’s expectations of what I should do and who I should be. The retreat made me understand that if I am going to find my passion I need to start listening to my own voice and my own expectations.
What I got from the retreat was my voice—I got my voice back. I don’t know if I had ever heard it before, but if I had it was forgotten because it was so long ago. Now I’m going to listen to what feels good to me.
Today Faye continues to listen to her voice: “I’m enjoying life so much more because I’m doing what brings me joy. I’m exercising regularly which has been beneficial both to my health and my overall mental well-being. Over the last year, I received a lot of compliments on my weight loss. I also got a promotion at work courtesy of a wonderful new boss. Although I’m still practicing law, I’m now in a position where I’m better able to use my skills and talents. I would say that going to the retreat was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. Instead of being fearful in my 40’s, I’m feeling fabulous in my 40’s.”
Barbara Noonan: "I Re-Met My Creative Spirit"
In April 1997 I found a Centerpoint Catalogue in a Fremont coffee shop and it grabbed my attention. I liked the idea of a non-profit, holistic approach to my career and to think about being able to look forward to Mondays again. Although I loved the company I worked for, I had burned out in my current position. I tried taking a long vacation, suggested a job change to my boss; but I was trapped, unhappy and felt like I was at the edge of a precipice. I knew I wasn’t helping the company and it was time for a change.
I met with Centerpoint for a consultation about the retreat program and I felt like a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Here was an organization that understood my needs and after 5 intense introspective days with nine others at a retreat, I re-met my creative spirit that was dormant all those years. I was able to see and hear and appreciate nature again and I had the courage to ask for what I needed in my life.
Fortunately my enlightened boss found a way to commit to my happiness and helped create a job that matched my skills and talents based on my renewed spirit and energy. I dusted off my camera, took art classes and found life outside my work setting. I gained confidence in me and sought out what made me happy – a balanced life of career and creativity.
It’s been 8 years now and I still share my dreams and challenges with two friends I met at the retreat. We continue to set goals and support each other in our seasonal changes.
As you can see from the artwork on display and in my web site, I’ve maintained the creativity. I will say I am back at Centerpoint networking and exploring more ways to keep a balance in my life with my next career. I learned some valuable tools at the retreat and continue to keep referring back to them to keep me on track. It’s great to be around people who inspire.
So… if anyone has any ideas how an artist, photographer, teacher, human resources director, botanist, cruise director, naturalist and hiker who is familiar with computers and loves to play can enhance their company or workplace, please let me know. I’m trying to find a job inspiring others to learn how to play in the sandbox of life.
Last year, my company decided to close the office in which I was based. I found my remaining time very stressful– juggling the task of looking for a new job and having to train my replacements within the company. As the final days of my job approached, I felt dread about being unemployed and about the upcoming transition. I had been without a job in the past and found it to be very difficult. 
Sister Mary Verda, my first grade teacher, had a profound affect on me as I learned my abc’s and the Catholic catechism. And as most of us experienced in our early, informative years, I was asked the universal question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Well, I am still evolving into that person. I always knew that words would play into the grand scheme somehow. A few years after first grade I began to blossom into a writer. Centerpoint has helped me to clarify and refine my definition of Brenda the Writer.
"If one thing can describe my professional life until recently, it's that I followed the opportunities that presented themselves to me without much thought as to how they fit with my core values. That indecision led me to follow in my father's footsteps as a geologist, which then led me through a series of career moves that proved successful in a conventional economic sense but left me ultimately unsatisfied with my life. The lure of economic success, professional recognition and providing for my family were sufficient motivation for many years; but it became increasingly more difficult to sustain a level of performance that I could be proud of, and more importantly, the satisfaction that comes with doing something that I loved and believed in. That old phrase, 'leading a life of quiet desperation,' resonated more and more in my thinking. 
How would I describe to someone the work you do at Centerpoint? I tell them that Centerpoint takes a holistic approach to career exploration. You use a model of transition that helps one realize that changing careers is a process, and that it’s important to be at peace with where we are in that process. And when we do the work that needs to be done for that stage of the journey, we can move on to the next stage. Centerpoint provides a structure of support for doing that work, in solidarity with others who are also making transitions and with the guidance of facilitators who are well versed in the process. The work itself takes a variety of forms—there are times when the work is inner work; there are times when the work is outer work.
Faye was interviewed several years ago about her experiences with Centerpoint. Here’s what she had to say: