Champions for Wellness

One of the best aspects of being a local business owner is that I can pick and choose my colleagues.

Being a resident of the Tri-Valley for nearly half my 50 years has exposed me to some extraordinarily talented and dedicated professionals in fields complementary to my own. And since I want to provide as well-rounded a source of guidance for healthful living to my clients, friends and family as possible, I’m glad I know some outstanding practitioners right here in our own back yard.

Here are two:

Christine Dickson, Ph.D., Tri-Valley Psychotherapy

I first became aware of Dr. Dickson while visiting the library with my kids. She was presenting a series of public education seminars there on Thursday nights ranging from reducing information overload to developing a perspective of optimism, which will be presented June 21 at 7 p.m.

When we had coffee last week, Dr. Dickson, seven months pregnant but vibrant and energetic as can be, impressed me on a number of levels. I respect bright, articulate professionals who are dedicated to advancing their field of practice and sharing their gifts for the betterment of others. But I deeply admire those who go the extra step to be highly accessible and write or speak to a broader audience than they could reach on a one-to-one basis, simply because it’s not for everyone and it takes a lot of work and time.

There is usually no immediate, direct benefit to a practitioner's business that results from these activities, but the community is enriched by their efforts. She has also appeared on local cable access TV 30’s “Conversations with Robin Fahr.” The video can be found on her home page and is well worth the time to watch.

Dr. Dickson and I have a good deal of common philosophical ground, including an appreciation for self-empowerment and personal effectiveness literature. She also enjoys working with, among her many other specialty areas, teen girls and self-esteem building support and guidance.

Jill Daniels, R.D.

This work, coincidentally, is also a passion of the second associate I feel proud the work with, Jill Daniels, R.D. Jill was the nutrition professional on staff at Club Sport Pleasanton when I trained there in the early 90s. We met briefly then but began a closer working relationship a few years ago after she launched her private practice.

Jill is one of those rare practitioners who gives generously of her time and energy to a number of philanthropic efforts, through her church and various other organizations, as well as being a top-notch professional in her field. She specializes in sports nutrition and we’ve referred clients to each other over the years. My clients have been impressed with her knowledge and compassion, as well as her obvious commitment to her practice and her clients’ well-being.

Like Dr. Dickson, Jill has a particular interest in self-esteem building in young women and is involved in a volunteer, multi-faceted program to guide and inspire those who participate in the program to grow into healthy, self-confident individuals.

I’m honored to call both of these wellness service providers my friends and colleagues, and I look forward to expanding our work together.

To that end, Tri Valley Trainer will be hosting a workshop on overcoming emotional eating and exercise avoidance on Saturday, June 30 at 1:00 p.m. Details can be found here.

Check out the websites for both Ms. Daniels and Dr. Dickson in the links above for more information about their great work.

Want to talk in-person? I’m usually at the studio and can always be reached at Dan@TriValleyTrainer.com .