Jean-Louise Jirik MC NCC

My story goes like this: Becoming a therapist was a mid-life goal for me so I packed in my career in advertising and media and went to grad school. I had some savings and supported myself with part time jobs and freelancing. I was divorced and on my own with a couple of dogs so my expenses were low. It was a costly journey and by the time I had my degree, passed the boards, and completed the internship, I was pretty much broke.

Luckily a psychotherapy practice doesn’t take a large investment so I jumped in and built my small practice with help from my mother and living on credit cards. One day I remember thinking “Whew, I’m finally making ends meet. It’s only up from here. I can afford health insurance now.”

I was so wrong. Just days after that thought crossed my mind, I went down with a crash. Literally. I took a bad fall in my own garage and, as a result, required surgery to pin the bones back together and more surgery and physical therapy after that. I was out of work for months as my body healed and the bills piled up staggeringly. All the while my clients went to other therapists, which is as it should be.

However, I had to restart from below zero because by then I was behind in my bills with no income. I was harassed by bill collectors, desperate, depressed, in pain, and ashamed of myself. The saving grace was that my condo and car were paid for so I couldn’t lose them.

We are all different, but reflecting on my case, I was motivated and open to do whatever it took to get those awful bill collectors off the phone and settle with the hospital. I believe the keys for me were

• willingness to accept the situation (not in denial)
• open to any reasonable solution (low ego)
• compassion for myself (improving my self talk)
• enjoy the renewal as it happens (I kept a spreadsheet)

This is not to infer that sticking to my budget and payment plan was a walk in the park. Far from it! I had many dark and confusing days, a bumpy learning curve, enormous frustration with myself, and absolutely mountains of shame. I was angry and embarrassed by what I had done to myself. For months I couldn’t have people over to my house without unplugging the phone because of the many harassing collection calls.

It took me awhile. I got some good advice and a large dose of humiliation, but it all became untangled and taken care of. As a result I learned to live within a budget and actually stuck to it and saved even more than anticipated. My cloud definitely had a silver lining and I hope yours does too.

Maybe a little more about my life's experience will help explain what inspired Silver Linings. A long time ago in a city not far away, with my new degree shiny and bright, I worked for couple of the largest advertising agencies in the country. I planned and implemented national campaigns for products you would recognize. I wrote ad copy and pr articles. I spun off that experience into my own advertising and marketing consulting business. I've sold TV time for a broadcast group. These were all tasks that helped hone my people skills, specifically listening to problems and recommending solutions from my arsenal.

United Cerebral Palsy tapped me as Regional Executive Director. I did fundraising and produced a yearly telethon. If you don't think helping persons with a disability is inspiring, well think again.

I've written for film and video and developed a weight loss program that is being updated and will soon be offered by modernlifesolutions.com.

In the Web 1.0 era I developed and managed award winning websites for a communication conglomerate.

I've volunteered as a grief counselor for the Humane Society helping pet owners cope with the loss of a loved one. Pet loss grief can be every bit as debilitating as loss of a human. And speaking of those, I've been involved with domestic violence counseling as well.

Spirituality is important in my life and almost 15 years ago I became a Reiki Master/Teacher. I also am an aromatherapy practitioner and blender of essential oils and studied under one of the best practitioners in the U.K.

More recently the entrepreneurial spirit called again and I started an all-natural pet food business in Southern California.

Developing the Silver Linings program is the culmination of all that has gone before in my life both good and not so good. It takes all of my skills as a communicator, therapist, writer and manager and wraps them in an inexpensive package that can help steer people in crisis away from the brink.

My hope is that you will purchase the program, read the book carefully and follow the exercises and then participate with others in the online discussion group. I can't solve your financial problems for you but I can give you the tools to see what is needed to cause positive change to happen in your life.

Jean-Louise Jirik
September, 2009