Alan Stamp with feathered friend!
I've been fortunate to have spent 40 years in the counselling and therapy field. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be in human services. I completed a diploma in counselling in 1978 and started my career working and living on First Nations Reserves in North Western Ontario. After working for several more years, I eventually attended graduate school. I worked as a therapist for a time, and applied for a 4 year internship in Family Therapy at Pacific Coast Therapy Training Institute. Under the guidance of Dr. David Freeman, among others, the academic emphasis was placed on understanding the importance of theory in clinical practice. That training was one which resonated with me the most, and it enabled me to understand the power of the stories we are told, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. I remained at the Institute as a faculty member, therapist, Clinic Director and Instructor for another 8 years. Additionally, I maintained a private practice where I work with clients employing a Systems orientation. For the past 18 years, I have been the Clinical Director at Jewish Family Services.
In April of 2017, I published “My Life Under Water", a semi-autobiographical tale of my struggle in the Vancouver of the 1970s. It told the story of coming out as a gay young swimmer. I'm pleased to say that my book was a finalist for the Canadian Book Awards, and it brought attention to the broader community that being different for many continues to be a complex struggle. My second book - "My Life Above Water" - details the advent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Vancouver during 1983 and was published in 2019.
Throughout many years of training, I've come to believe that for many, the past is alive in the present. My guiding philosophy is to understand how family and/or family of choice may influence who we are and who we may become.