Sid’s EIFS and mediation work is a celebration of everything that arises within us along with a recognition of the peace and fulfillment inherent in our intrinsic nature.   Sid’s three primary influences have been Marshall Rosenberg of Nonviolent Communication, Byron Katie of internal inquiries for peace, and Dick Schwartz of Internal Family System’s celebration of our inner life.  In addition, Sid has been deeply influenced by Mr. Roger’s  enjoyment of and fascination with any and every human being before him, by Joseph Campbell’s intellectual passion for finding intimacy in our shared human experience, and by the poet Rumi’s falling in love with all of us as his Beloved.   

Chronologically:  Following law school, Sid travelled throughout the United States with Marshall Rosenberg, to augment his legal mediation education with Marshall’s profound heart-centered conflict resolution.  Subsequently, Sid established a Center for Compassionate Communication providing mediation and conflict resolution training which also included leading 100’s of workshops and general assemblies for schools, businesses, and churches.  His work was refined after witnessing Byron Katie conduct a mediation. Spontaneously pausing his life, he visited Katie in Barstow, CA asking her to teach him her way of facilitating peace.  She agreed.  He moved into her home to train, help host events and facilitate her process for visitors, significantly deepened his mediation abilities. In later years, Sid dove into the realm of Internal Family Systems, once again hitting pause to spend a year studying with its founder, Dick Schwartz. This experience developed his capacity to better appreciate and celebrate the more subtle inner expressions of our humanity.  Sid has the privilege of considering Marshall, Katie, and Dick as his friends and mentors, and his work strives to serve and extend their inspirational legacy. 

Sid’s life journey has included a mosaic of rich, earnest, and creative experiences.  Here are some highlight moments from his Professional Top 40 List that reverberate throughout his current expressions of EIFS:

• He worked in many trauma-themed environments helping facilitate peace, including supporting juvenile prisoners find compassion for those they despised. 
• His journey led him to spearhead conflict resolution training in schools across the United States, employing a loving giraffe puppet as a teaching aid.
• Sid had the privilege of attending a small gathering at the White House with the President celebrating bringing compassion into our workplaces.
• Arising from years of exploring healing through movement in Ecstatic Dance, Five Rhythms and Continuum, he developed the EIFS Parts Dance Party as a celebration and homecoming.  

• Sid artistically engaged in the field of therapy by providing improv therapy as an active member of the Boulder Playback Theater improv troupe.

• He traveled the planet studying with facilitators of Self-abidance from dozens of traditions and perspectives helping him find common themes and develop his facilitator skills.  
• He served as an advisor to intentional communities helping them better realize their visions of offering an experience of compassionate, inclusive, celebratory community. 
• He joined the venerable Thich Nhat Hanh on a reverent peace walk for fostering peace and mindfulness in the world.

• He immensely enjoyed serving as a game show host for a show he conceived, “Celebrating Your Magnificence.” He produced it for dozens of high school gatherings celebrating  playfully facilitating students to enthusiastically, confidently and vulnerably showcase their gifts and uniqueness.   

• His sense of humor and playfulness extended to performing stand-up comedy at retreats, where he portrayed the voices of contemporary spiritual teachers.

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.