"I was 52, a divorced single mother of 2 adult children, executive director of a nonprofit agency, board president of my church, in a long-term love relationship, had many loving friends and led workshops and classes in my spare time. My life appeared busy and purposeful; those who knew me saw an exciting, inspiring and happy woman. This was only half the picture. I had been suffering from severe depression and anxiety for the past year and a half, was taking medication, couldn't get out of the bed in the morning and most days sat at my desk unable to move or think. My happy and successful exterior barely covered the truth of my being; the daughter of a physically abusive father, a cancer survivor and the mother of a depressed, suicidal daughter. The immense pain I had hidden for years would no longer stay concealed.

God delivered The Option Institute to my door in the form of an article by Barry Neil Kaufman. His words broke through the walls surrounding my heart. I called for the video and catalog, memorizing both! The real-life stories in the catalog gave me hope that even I would find this a 'Place for Miracles.' I then made a phone call that changed my life. I signed up for Grand Summer Sequence (formerly Living the Dream) and finally gave my heart a voice.

During Grand Summer Sequence , I made daily changes in my beliefs about myself. My new beliefs enabled me to leave a job where I worked too hard so that I could focus on taking care of myself. I left a 'love' relationship devoid of love, trust or respect, and began forging a new relationship with my children that is free of co-dependency. Most importantly, I was finally free from the burden of the past, something I hadn't been able to accomplish with therapy, meditation, prayer or reading.

Later, I returned to The Option Institute to participate in Radical Authenticity and Wide Awake. I learned that by focusing on the things in my life that I didn't want, I was not committing to what I really wanted and that when I so often said, 'I don't know,' I really meant, 'I don't want to know.' I realized that authenticity is ALWAYS the safest way to travel and that since we're always 'making it all up,' why not make it up to be the best? I now wear no masks; I show my one true face in all relationships and situations. I only seek relationships based on the language and actions of love.

I came to The Option Institute to save my life; if I did not change, I would have brought about my own demise. I took that chance to change and I ran with it - and I still am."

- Jan-Marie Gundacker, 52, Writer/Coach