Who Are Our Clients?
I’m often asked to describe our clients here at the Center. Although we help a wide range of people, with a wide range of concerns, there are some common elements across many of our clients.
- Spiritually inclined. Many of our clients come from a community with a strong spiritual orientation, and nearly all our clients regard themselves as spiritually inclined, with a deep need for meaning in their lives. Those with a more traditional background want to keep some of the best of their traditions, while also exploring other meaningful philosophies and traditions – but without negative overtones around in-group thinking, loss of individuality, or a feeling of being controlled.
- Successful, but wanting meaning. Our clients are likely to be successful, but they are often lacking meaning and purpose in their careers, and want to be involved with more meaningful work. They want to be agents of change in the world, to help repair some of the brokenness that they see around them by bringing their creativity into the world. They want to be able to make a living from doing that. A surprisingly large number of our clients who fit this description are attorneys.
- Experiencing relationship challenges. Relationship challenges are endemic to today’s world, and some of our most satisfying work is with couples. Couples in which either or both partners fit into the descriptions given here are highly likely to benefit from our work, as we can help them to recognize, celebrate, and successfully adapt to deeply rooted differences in their worldviews and ways of showing up in the world.
- Second-generation immigrants. Reflecting my own background as a refugee and an immigrant, many of our clients are themselves immigrants, or children of immigrants. Whether born elsewhere, or here in the United States, strong feelings of displacement and alienation are commonplace. The search for meaning, for right livelihood, and for joyous relationships are all affected by our clients’ deep connection to their roots, spiritual background, and cultural heritage.
- International. A large number of my clients are either expatriates, living in the United States, or people living in other countries around the world. These clients tend to have both a global and a spiritual mindset, and enjoy having a similarly-minded healer to help them with their journey.
What To Look For With Us
Clients who fit different social categories may find somewhat different experiences here than they have come to expect from other coaches and counselors. Following is a brief guide that may help you get the most out of potentially working with us.
What you might expect if you describe yourself as…
- Female. In patriarchal societies women face many challenges both here in the US and abroad. Even freedoms for women in the US, and the sometimes subtle limitations on those freedoms, can be confusing and challenging. Here at our center, we have experienced these challenges ourselves. So we are able to be helpful, often quite quickly, with issues relating to gender, career, relationships, parenting, and more, for our female clients.
- Male. Our male clients will find a great deal of support for issues around career and relationships while gaining a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives. (Most of our male clients are seeking understanding of diverse perspectives when they come to us.) Men who come in as part of a couple seeking counseling often find their eyes opened to their partner’s perspective, quickly – sometimes shockingly so – and effectively.
- Younger. The majority of our clients are under 40. While the topics we tackle at Centerpeace are of interest to all age groups, it’s often younger people who find themselves most affected by the mix of issues we focus on. We also have middle-aged and older clients, largely made up of people who are notable for their youthful outlook and open-minded approach to life.
- LGBTQ. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning your gender categorization and/or your sexual orientation, you will find a warm welcome here. We have a strong record of success in helping LGBTQ individuals overcome a range of traumatic experiences (see below) and life challenges, inflected by their LGBTQ status. We also have a rich list of well-respected LGBTQ coaches and counselors to whom we will refer you on, as appropriate.
- Ethnically mixed. Ethnically mixed individuals, and those who are experiencing conflict based on not being white in a country that is still largely led by white people, also find a home here. As a Persian Jewish immigrant who arrived in America in my early teens, I’ve needed to study this kind of cultural interaction – or, often, collision – carefully. I have many lessons to share, and I’m also still always looking to learn. As with LGBTQ individuals, we also have a rich list of coaches and counselors of various ethnicities and areas of specialization, to whom we will refer you on as appropriate.
- Traumatized. Many of our clients have suffered abuse – usually in early life, and often compounded by later abuse. The experience of trauma is often combined with, if not partially related to, membership in the diverse groups listed above. We here at Centerpeace have deep personal experience with trauma, including resolving past pain and reducing ill effects in the present. We are often even able to help find gifts within traumatic experiences, which our clients find to be empowering and transformative.
More About Our Clients
- In speaking to past and current clients, some inspiring descriptions emerged.
- Our clients are mostly between 25 and 40, and tend to be highly intelligent, achievement-oriented professionals – entrepreneurs and creative types, financially and emotionally relatively stable. They are seeking to be of service, and to be part of the solution, not the problem.
- We see almost as many men as women – different from many practices, which see mostly women. We have tremendous diversity in terms of ethnicity, spiritual and religious alignment, and national origin.
- Our clients are looking for personal growth and in developing better leadership skills. They want their spiritual growth to be part of, not separate from, therapy.
- Our clients want to live with purpose and intention, and make the most of their time here on earth. They seek challenge – and to challenge others. By meeting these challenges, they seek to grow, and live a more fulfilling life.
- The burning issues that bring people in to see us include: feeling stuck, and unable to move ahead with their dreams; not able to express themselves creatively; and not as successful, or as able to make a difference in the world, as they feel capable of being.
- Often, our clients are looking for their intimate relationships to be amazing, rather than simply comfortable. They want to experience true love, then bring that love into the world at large.
- They need help knowing where to start in making change, both within themselves, and in the world. And they are looking to heal past trauma – usually from their early life, but sometimes from adulthood as well.
Changes Our Clients Experience
- After working with me, our clients tend to become more self-assured, with greater self-esteem. They learn to communicate better, listening to others, expressing themselves more clearly, and trusting their own inner voice.
- Our clients see their relationships become healthier and more sustainable – in their families, with friend, and in romantic connections. Their spiritual practice is often strengthened, and they live with greater emotional and spiritual depth and integrity.
- In their professional life, clients identify their passion in life, and take steps to bring it to the world. They are bolder and take bigger risks, enabling them to make money from their passions.
- Because we work with our clients on leadership skills, as well as more traditional, more personal, counseling topics, our clients experience many benefits from their work with us.