DEPARTMENT:

New features debut this issue

Generations Hawaii is adding two new features with this issue.

“Settling for More” is a question and answer column about relationships after 50. The authors are Tom Merrill and his wife Bobbie Sandoz-Merrill. They are enthusiastic about this opportunity and hope it provides a needed service to Generations Hawaii readers.

Their resumes are impressive and both have Hawaii ties.

Thomas Merrill, Ph.D., is former president of the Hawaii Psychological Association and past chairman of the State Psychology Licensing Board. A board certified clinical psychologist, he is licensed to practice in Arizona, Hawaii, Louisiana and Mississippi. He received his doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, earned his Master’s in education from the University of Hawaii, specializing in counseling psychology, and his Bachelor’s from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

He served as affiliate faculty for 10 years with the American Schools of Professional Psychology-Hawaii Campus and as an adjunct professor in clinical psychology at UH. Prior to his career in psychology, Merrill was senior vice president of Hawaii’s largest advertising agency. He also is a musician who plays guitar and bluegrass five-string banjo, sings and has written and published in the folk music domain.

Merrill is one of a select number of psychologists elected to the National Academies of Practice as a Distinguished Practitioner in Psychology. He created and served as chairman of the Hawaii Mental Health Center Inc., a system to deliver pro-bono mental health services to families in need.

Bobbie Sandoz-Merrill is a nationally known parenting and school consultant who has a Master’s degree in clinical social work with a specialization in child development. She was an award-winning columnist for seven years with the Honolulu Advertiser and spent 10 years swimming with wild dolphins and whales in the open ocean to gather research for one of her books – “What Dolphins Want You to Know,” previously titled “Listening to Wild Dolphins,” which was published in five languages.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and psychology in the United States and a Certificate of Foreign Study from the Institute for American Universities affiliated with the University of Aix-Marseilles, France.

Sandoz-Merrill is a co-founder of Unity School of Hawaii and founder and president of New Visions in Education established for the purpose of developing an International Demonstration Center for training others in the Unity School approach to education – keeping the joy of learning and spirit of children alive while teaching them appropriately kind social behavior and high-level living and thinking skills.

She’s also a founding board member of HUGS of Hawaii and a past vice chair of the Child Development Center of Hawaii.

Thomas Merrill, Ph.D. and his wife Bobbie Sandoz-Merrill, MSW, are writing a new column about relationships after 50 which debuts in this issue of Generations Hawaii.

The Merrills now are freelance columnists, authors and consultants who also conduct seminars throughout the U.S. They live in Arizona, but spend two weeks a month in Hawaii.

Their most recent book is “Settle for More: You Can Have the Relationship You Always Wanted … Guaranteed!” (Select Books 2005, $21.95). The secret to their own relationship success is shared in this book. They first met in childhood and following a brief youthful crush, took different paths in building their lives. After they each had lengthy marriages end, they met again and have melded their lives into a powerful and fulfilling relationship. He has three daughters and four granddaughters and she has a daughter and son and three grandsons.

Their goal in the column for Generations Hawaii is to help couples have loving relationships that nurture each partner. They believe it’s never too late to have the kind of relationship you want. They will answer questions of general interest in the magazine, keeping identifies private if requested.

Also in this issue is Senior Spotlight, a focus on a senior volunteer with a list of other volunteer opportunities. Seniors represent a major source of volunteers for numerous organizations and services in Hawaii. We want to encourage volunteerism and pay tribute to those who give of their time.

Our first volunteer spotlight is on Alan Takemoto. I chose Alan to kick off this series because he is a regular customer at Starbucks Hawaii Kai Towne Center where I have been working as a barista since the store opened more than two years ago.

He volunteers regularly at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and also volunteered at the Waikiki Aquarium.

If you have comments about these new features or know of a senior volunteer who should be recognized, please let me know at dianne@tradepublishing.com.

Aloha,
Dianne Glei

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