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About Sid

Sid’s work in Effortless Internal Family Systems (EIFS) and as a mediator is a celebration of all that arises within us along with recognizing the peace, love and fulfillment inherent as our intrinsic nature.

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Core Influences

Sid’s approach is profoundly shaped by three primary influences

Dick Schwartz

Internal Family Systems – illuminating the inner harmony we are.

Byron Katie

Internal inquiries – celebrating the love we are.

Marshall Rosenberg

Nonviolent Communication – highlighting the peace we are.

Early Life & Inspiration

Growing up in the Southern United States, where bold lines were often drawn by race and other surface labels, Sid found inspiration as a teenager to see the world differently.

This sparked an adventure in heart-opening, celebrating, and clearer seeing that continues just as richly today as it did 40 years ago.

Each Zoom workshop remains a delightful surprise, where you are both the inspiration and the celebration.

Professional & Learning Journey

For those who find value in understanding the influences, history, and experiences that shape a facilitator, the details below may provide a helpful glimpse into whether Sid’s facilitation offers the resonance and safety you seek for inner exploration and celebration.

Following Law School

Travelled throughout the United States with Marshall Rosenberg

Augmented legal mediation education with heart-centered conflict resolution

Center for Compassionate Communication

Established a center providing mediation and conflict resolution training

Led hundreds of workshops and general assemblies

Worked with schools, businesses, and churches

Training with Byron Katie

Witnessed Byron Katie conduct a mediation

Paused his life and traveled to Barstow, CA

Moved into her home to train, help host events, and facilitate her process for visitors

Significantly deepened mediation abilities

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Spent a year studying with Dick Schwartz, founder of IFS

Inspired by workshops in Nondual IFS with Loch Kelly

Developed capacity to appreciate and celebrate subtle inner expressions and inner harmony

Intent

Sid has the privilege of considering Marshall Rosenberg, Byron Katie, and Dick Schwartz as friends and mentors, and his work strives to serve and extend their inspirational legacy.

Mosaic Experiences

Sid’s life journey has included a mosaic of rich, earnest, and creative experiences.

  • Worked in trauma-themed environments facilitating peace, including supporting juvenile prisoners to find compassion for those they despised
  • Spearheaded conflict resolution training in schools across the United States, using a loving giraffe puppet as a teaching aid
  • Attended a small gathering at the White House with the President celebrating compassion in workplaces
  • Developed the EIFS Parts Dance Party, arising from years of exploring healing through movement (Ecstatic Dance, Five Rhythms, Continuum)
  • Provided improv therapy as an active member of the Boulder Playback Theater improv troupe
  • Traveled globally studying with facilitators of Self-abidance, love, nonduality, and celebration of life across dozens of traditions and perspectives
  • Served as an advisor to intentional communities to help realize compassionate, inclusive, celebratory visions
  • Joined Thich Nhat Hanh on a reverent peace walk fostering peace and mindfulness
  • Served as a game show host for "Celebrating Your Magnificence," produced for dozens of high school gatherings
  • Performed stand-up comedy at retreats, portraying the voices of contemporary spiritual teachers

Professional Clarification

It’s important to note that while Sid has delved deeply into various therapy, healing, and spiritual models, professionally he is a mediator and does not have a formal psychology background or psychology degree.

Additional Influences

Some of Sid’s other favorite influences and inspirations that echo throughout EIFS include:

  • Mr. Rogers

  • Joseph Campbell

  • Thich Nhat Hanh

  • Rupert Spira

  • Rumi

He looks forward to the next inspiration.

Might it be you?

Past snapshots

Serving as DJ
Serving as DJ
Teaching Conflict Resolution in Schools which has been one of my greatest joys
Teaching Conflict Resolution in Schools which has been one of my greatest joys
Founding the Center for Compassionate Communication teaching conflict resolution with puppets
Founding the Center for Compassionate Communication teaching conflict resolution with puppets
Traveling with NVC Founder and Mentor Marshall Rosenberg
Traveling with NVC Founder and Mentor Marshall Rosenberg
White House Gathering with Vice President Al Gore
White House Gathering with Vice President Al Gore
White House Gathering with President Bill Clinton
White House Gathering with President Bill Clinton
Costa Rica retreat with IFS founder and friend Dick Schwartz who is one of Sid's primary professional mentors.
Costa Rica retreat with IFS founder and friend Dick Schwartz who is one of Sid's primary professional mentors.
With Paige & Loch Kelly
With Paige & Loch Kelly

Sid's journey

Throughout my journey, I studied or collaborated with facilitators from many  Wisdom Traditions and awareness models. Inspired by the profound sharing within our EIFS groups, I chose to incorporate here diverse videos from my personal journey. This decision stems from my desire, as the facilitator who often invites others to vulnerably share, to demonstrate my vulnerability, investment and commitment by showcasing having “skin in the game.” My intention is for this sharing to contribute to creating a space where all expressions of our humanity feel genuinely welcomed. I’m in the early stages of posting segments, and while the currently available ones are limited, I hope they won’t lead to categorizing me under specific views. Given that this journey has been central to my life for 30 years, with participation in hundreds of trainings, there isn’t a particular path or perspective that defines me or my approach.  

Playlist

3 Videos
Description
Description

Five-minute dialogue with Rupert around the liberation of parts and celebration of the joy of sangha.

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