Spacious Mind
Coaching
Coaching
Welcoming Life As-it-is:
Coaching, Conferences and Courses
Contemplative Dialogue based on Non-dual Buddhism and Advaita
Coaching, Conferences and Courses
Contemplative Dialogue based on Non-dual Buddhism and Advaita
Michael Shandler, Ed. D.
Life is full of twists and turns and I've had my share. I grew up in Cape Town, South Africa and came to North America when I was twenty-one. Now, forty plus years later, I'm a father and grand-father. I've lived in five countries and had the privilege of working with people in many walks of life. Whatever experiences and success I've had as a coach and consultant have always reflected my personal and spiritual values. One of my values is that we have responsibility (response-ability) to learn and grow. As a young man suffering an early disappointment, a wise mentor at the time told me – “there’s no garbage, only manure for the tree.” I've tried to take this pithy teaching to heart and shared its central theme with all whose paths have crossed my own.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to learn from several great teachers, mentors and coaches, both in the eastern and western traditions. There are too many people who have had strong influences to mention here by name, but excerpts from the writings of some can be found on this site. I am grateful for their guidance and direction.
My professional experience has spanned a wide variety of situations and contexts. For the past thirty years, I’ve worked with people as a life coach and therapist and as a change management consultant in organizations worldwide. My clients have ranged from non-profits such as the MacArthur Foundation to leaders in Fortune 100 companies to entrepreneurs in small start-ups. I’ve collaborated on six books in the human relations field, ranging from The Marriage and Family Book: A Spiritual Guide (1978) to Vroom! - a graphic comic about collaboration and teamwork (1996). My Planning Inspired Performance program – an intensive visionary planning and organization-building process - has been used in numerous for-profit and non-profit organizations as a practical way to organize around a commonly held purpose.
I earned a Masters degree in Counseling in1981, and a Doctorate in Leadership and Group Psychology, in 1983, from the University of Massachusetts.
