Thursday, November 8, 2007

A tribute to Donna McDermott

If you have visited a certified stress management consultant you may have read a little booklet with a blue cover and two white doves. The booklet describes the unique stress management technique that is the main subject of this blog. It was written by Donna L McDermott back in 1992 when she was running the Family Stress Management clinic in Phoenix Arizona.

I never met Donna but it was her booklet that got me over the initial skepticism that I felt the first time I was exposed to this technique. I don't know what your reaction was the first time you saw it practiced but I probably dropped my jaw in disbelief. I sat through the first session and then promptly asked for some documented evidence that what I had witnessed was for real. I was handed Donna's booklet.

A legacy left behind

Sadly, Donna passed away of cancer three years ago (in 2004) but she left an online legacy in an extensive interview posted on the IPTQ.com website. You can also read more of her story on the Chi-Lel website. Scroll down past the top two stories. I am amazed at her energy that she describes in another Chi-Lel story here. I don't know what Chi-Lel or gongs are but they appear to be some sort of demanding physical exercise that increases energy. Donna also contributed a wonderful story, "From the Heart of a Joyous Child" to the Choose Life website.

Donna was one of the first to be trained and become a Certified Stress Management Consultant. I am confident that she helped hundreds if not thousands of individuals find relief from the stress of life over the years that she practiced. If you knew Donna or were helped by her, please feel free to add some comments to this post so that others may honor her memory as well.

1 comment:

Danny Byrne said...

her story truly is inspiring, and amazing how hopeful and happy she remained through the course of the treatment, never letting anything get her spirits down. I have been writing a rather large piece of information about her for my Health and Social Care coursework, i could feel my eyes filling when writing about her, but I'm glad that my research had brought me across this amazing story, i hope you yourself are ok now!