Community Support Group Project

Support Group Facilitator Reference #1

To whom it may concern:

Kerry King has been my communication (life) coach and friend for the past ten years. Through my work with him, I have grown tremendously both personally and professionally. He has given me immeasurable support and empowered me to become the woman I knew I could be. My work with him has been amazing, incredibly challenging and also highly rewarding. I am now embarking on a new phase of my life, with a number of life-long dreams coming to fruition: acceptance to do graduate work at Yale University School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, a very exciting career offer, and, perhaps best of all, a commitment to myself to follow my bliss and intuition by taking a year "off" to immerse myself in studies of the natural world.

During my time in Hawaii I operated a nursery business that was a success, and financially the sale of that business will help enable me to undertake these next challenges. I also wrote three books. My relationship with my boyfriend and business partner of the past ten years has also been exemplary, truly uplifting and enlightening from start to finish, thanks to Kerry's facilitation and support. My health and fitness has never been better, yet it has never been more effortless. When I look at how I got to this place, the myriad levels of support I have received from Kerry stand out at every turn.

Through my work with Kerry I have developed and strengthened some fundamental character traits including:

• integrity (a key part of my life, and a concept I did not give much thought to until I met Kerry)
• truthfulness/honesty
• openness
• responsibility
• an ongoing commitment to personal growth
• a commitment to serving others.

Through my relationship with Kerry I have learned the following skills:

• How to speak my truth, however uncomfortable, and share my experiences with others in a responsible, uplifting way. (My old pattern was to stay silent or shut down if I felt upset or unhappy, because I did not know how to communicate these experiences in a way that released them.)
• How to make and keep agreements (which may seem simple, but I had so much to learn)!
• Tracking my problems to their true source, to discover patterns of behavior that were not working for me. (Problems have become not something to dread or avoid, but an opportunity to discover something important about myself).
• How to ask for what I want.

I had had a number of failed romantic relationships before I met Kerry. His support in telling the truth, in staying on top of communication, of tracking any abusive patterns and reinforcing positive behavior, has given me enormous confidence in any friendship or partnership I undertake.

I must add that in all these years, Kerry has been there for me at all hours, even in the middle of the night or at 3:00 am. I remember when I first met Kerry, I was so thrilled to discover that such a person exists! Here was someone willing to tell me the truth, to be with me when I struggled, to be a clear space where I could share my fears in a way that they disappeared. He also has delighted in getting behind my intentions, whatever they were, without imposing agendas or judgments of his own. This is a rare quality not often found in friends or family. Even in my darkest moments, Kerry has been there to validate my experience and, simply, to be with me. I feel so thrilled and fortunate that I had the chance to work with him so closely. I regret nothing. Kerry can truly say, just like the Genie in Aladdin: "You've never had a friend like me!"

I strongly recommend working with Kerry as a communication and life coach.

With aloha,

Kim*

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