BRUCE SCOTT, Ph.D., author of Being Real: An Ongoing Decision, and Free The Children, is a parent, psychotherapist, teacher, community organizer, storyteller and relationship facilitator who lives and works in California, Oregon, and around the country via e-mail or invitation. He listens for the clear, inherently freeing voices of children, adults, and himself that, when heard fully, reveal surprisingly creative information and processes wanting to happen behind physical symptoms, conflicts, and so-called impossible situations.
His Experiences
His work experience began at age 8, working with his father in a television/radio repair business in Los Angeles. It was here that he learned to reach out and be at ease with people of all ages, women and men, all over the age of eight. The day after high school graduation, he was hired as a forest fire fighter in the mountains of Southern California, living in the mountains of the high desert for over a year. With the wisdom of the 30 year old supervising ranger, Bruce began to appreciciate the silence of the high desert, the slowed down pace of living, and the discipline to become serious about fire, saving lives and paying attention to everything around him. Especially the need to notice and pay attention to everything.
At the age of 20, he found himself in the South China sea, serving in the Navy as a journalist and photographer about a naval aircraft carrier for two years. It was his first conscious experience as an "activist", standing up for the rights of the Filipino sailors hired by the Navy to be the cooks and servants to the officers. This experience led to degrees in psychology and the social sciences, allowing him to teach public school for two years, then work among American Indians, African Americans and within Hispanic communities. The more he met other people of different backgrounds, the more he saw what people held in common. He went on to work with school systems, children, large and small groups, write books, and eventually feel the seriousness of his purpose on this planet. To bridge the artificial divisions between people, espeically between children and adults.
His work has taken him around the country as a lecturer, group facilitator, therapist and writer. He has been a college instructor, community organizer, and a teacher of conflict resolution skills.
Touching On Philosophies and Outreach
For two decades now, Bruce has been applying the teachings of Carlos Castaneda, Arnold Mindell, Dan Millman, Taisha Abelar, his son Boye, and himself. The foundation of his work includes three important fundamentals: everything in life is about relationship, discipline is an internal process rather than one imposed upon others, and that he must first apply in his own life what he teaches to others.
His dedicated efforts with people include recognizing that physical symptoms are a direct source of information, and are not incidental to the whole life of each person. In other words, physical symptoms are part of the process of being self-aware and at peace. His primary intent is to encourage the strong, inherent voice of children, adults and himself, and to stand for everyone fairly. Approaching without blame, and without the need to make someone wrong, gives room for profound healing and understanding. He recognizes that behind each conflict, separation, diagnosis or so-called addiction is a creative process wanting to happen.
