Sandy Erwin

Trooper passed the Therapy Dog Test!

This is the year of Trooper.  We've dedicated a lot of time to training classes with our newest addition.  Hopefully, before the end of the year he will pass his testing to be an official Therapy Dog.  Stay tuned.

Our 16 1/2 yr.old Cockapoo, Sydney, crossed the rainbow bridge.  First time in over 40 years I did not have a furry companion, the silence without a pet was deafening.  Even my clients missed the "barking doorbells".  So after our trip out west with Friends, we brought home Trooper.

The world is still adjusting to the unknown.  Our 15 yr. old mini dachshund, Olivia, crossed the rainbow bridge.  I decide to start Chainsaw carving, purchased a cheap battery operated saw, watched some youtube videos, got some logs and set up in the backyard.

Covid slowed the whole world and reminded us to live in the moment.  Welding was one thing I had never done and had an interest to learn, so we took a class from an artist in Altoona.

Was about taking life one day at a time.

Seeing the wonders of Peru, and testing my limits hiking the high altitude of the Rainbow Mountains.

Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. This was my first experience of a hurricane on a personal level, (In 2014 I married into a Puerto Rican Family).  Six weeks after Maria we were able to fly my Mother In-law and her Sister to State College. They lived with us for the better part of 2 years before returning to the island.

Perseverance and Patience is the best way to describe this year.   My wife was in, what would be, her final year before passing her Doctoral Defense.  Our hike up Cadillac Mt. in Acadia National Park reminded her that the only way out is through.

For years I've said I was Solar powered, and now our house is too!

Deepening, is the word that best describes 2014. In March I attended a Jin Shin Jyutsu Mentoring class in Scottsdale AZ. Five days, 5 students and one instructor. Each day was filled with indepth study, lecture, discussion and experience of the Art and Physio-Philosophy that IS Jin Shin Jyutsu. And as the laws in Pennsylvania have changed, In July I was able to legally marry my partner.

I continue to work with the Penn State Women's Golf Team, and feel blessed to hear their stories of how utilizing their Breath and self-help Jin Shin Jyutsu helps them stay focused and present, with their competitive and stressful student athlete lives. I also enjoyed a trip to Puerto Rico, where I learned to paddle board. Consequently I am learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone, and looking forward to more trips back to the island.

In a desire to merge my passion for Jin Shin Jyutsu, personal growth/transformation and athletics. I started working with PSU's women's Golf Team. Blending meditation, self-help Jin Shin Jyutsu, life coaching, and a unique perspective of energy and mind, body, spirit connection. I also enjoyed a wonderful time in Bryce Canyon Utah, hiking amongst the Hoodoos.

In addition to another third place age group finish in a sprint triathlon, I also competed in a "warrior dash".

Professionally

I became a Certified Life Coach through the American University of NLP.

And co-facilitated a Jin Shin Jyutsu self-help therapy group for folks dealing with anxiety.

In 2010 after reading Christoper McDougalls's "Born to Run" I transitioned into "Barefoot" running with the Vibram Five Fingers, competed in another sprint triathlon and placed third in my age group.

I also developed a course titled "Mindfulness exercise thru barefoot walking" and presented it to the staff of CHOICES.

As part of my affiliation with The Individual and family CHOICES Program, I completed the following trainings:

• The Emergence of Self: Engagement, Attunement, & Immersion in the Flow of Internal & External Systems: A Self-Leadership (IFS) Training Retreat for CHOICES
• Formative and Summative Feedback in Clinical Supervision with Post-Degree Counselors
• Clinical Supervision of Post-Degree Human services Professionals: The Functions and Special Skills of the Quality Clinical Supervisor
• Clinical Supervision of Post-Degree Human Services Professionals: Useful Models and Conceptulizations
• Clinical Supervision of Post-Degree Human Services Professionals: The Supervisory Relationship, Dealing with Resistance, Anxiety, and Other Issues Ethical Issues in Clinical Supervision

I competed in my first sprint triathlon and also tried my hand at golf—playing in “Coquese's Drive,” a tournament benefiting the Centre County Women's Resource Center.

Also in 2009 as part of my affiliation with The Individual and Family CHOICES Program, I attended the following Training Series:

Learn more at http://www.individualandfamilychoices.com/

• Integrating Holistic Practices into Traditional and Cutting Edge Counseling Treatment
• Part I: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Neurofeedback and Brennan Energy Healing Practices.
• Part II: Internal Family Systems (IFS), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Systemic Family Therapy and Attachment Focused Family Therapy.
• Part III: Strain/Counterstrain Body Therapy, Reiki, Cranial Sacral, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Massage and other Body Oriented Therapies.
• Part IV: Trauma Informed Treatment for Individuals and Families with Grief and Loss Issues.
• Self-Leadership for CHOICES: Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy Introductory Training Retreat with Bruce Hersey MSW, LCSW.