Organizations

The process of effecting change in an organization is not all that different from the process that we use in working with individual clients, couples and families. In all of these cases, we begin by building rapport and trust with the client, and then work collaboratively with the client to identify functional and dysfunctional patterns of behavior, explore the inner dynamics that underlie behavior, and identify ways to enhance overall health and effectiveness—in this case, the health and effectiveness of the organization.

In some cases we are called in to address a specific need, a particular issue, or an identified set of goals and objectives. In other cases, an organization may approach us with only a vague notion that things are not running as smoothly as they could be. Our task then becomes to dig deep within the organization (as we would explore the psychic depths of the individual client) and identify impediments to optimal performance. In many cases, ineffective communication is a major cause of organizational dysfunction. In other cases, the executive staff and the board may need more substantial leadership development, governance training, or executive coaching.

Tom's 25 years of experience working for not-for-profit medical societies and other health-related organizations, and Lorena's 35 years working in education administration, have provided us with a substantial foundation of experience for advising not-for-profits. Past clients have included the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the National Medical Association, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American Hospital Association, the National Hemophilia Foundation, and the American Burn Association.