Megan Raphael

Message from Megan

I am a woman on a mission to change the world. I want everyone - women and men - across the globe to appreciate and honor the feminine face of courage.

My dream is for every woman to know how amazing and courageous they are, every day. To relish who they are, as they are. To value themselves and their gifts. To deeply understand in their bones how much they matter.

I know that when women are empowered, their family and community are empowered. I understand that when we love ourselves and love our lives, we, in turn, love others and allow them to live their lives as they choose.

I see the world's problems and I know the old approaches of 'power over' - dominance and control - are no longer working. Feminine principles of collaboration, bridge-building, seeking understanding, and taking a "Seven- Generation" view are desperately needed now. We need to balance the world by blending intuition and inner wisdom with logic; reflection with action.

Championing the feminine face of courage delights, thrills and inspires me. I hope you find the same delight, thrill and inspiration from being a part of the Courage Project international network of other amazing, courageous women.

Warmly,

Megan

My Professional Background

Prior to focusing my time on working with women in Courage Project, I had a long, fulfilling career in organizational development, group facilitation, leadership training and professional life coaching.

Before returning to my home state of Michigan in 1998 I spent over 20 years in the Pacific Northwest. During those years I had unique experiences working with all types of organizations and businesses helping executives and staff build strong teams, and develop collaborative leadership skills. For 12 years I was President of Raphael Consulting, and Raphael-Leritz Consulting, two successful management development practices in the Portland, Oregon.

In addition, I have 10 years of progressive management experience in health care organizations. I managed a multi-physican medical clinic for Kaiser-Permanent Medical Care Program . After I moved back to Michigan I served as Health Services Director for one of Northern Michigan's largest Indian Tribes, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. It was an amazing experience and I had the rare opportunity of being involved with and learning about Native American culture.

During all those experiences most of my work was with women. While I've always had the good fortune of working with really great men who shared my values and goals and were what I consider "evolved men", I've always enjoying working with women. I find women are more willing to delve deeper into emotional and spiritual aspects of any issue or situation. I like the more collaborative approach and perspective women bring to the table. And there's a different level of honesty very often between women that allows problems to be solved more readily.

In 2003 I found myself wanting to focus more on working with women and along with my then-business partner, Jennifer Byron, started True North Experiences. As life does, an unexpected opportunity arrived at our door in 2004 to write a book.

From there, as they say, the rest is history.

Professional Experience

2003 - Present		Founder and President of Courage Project. Public speaker, workshop leader, personal and professional life coach, author.
1999 - 2003		Director of Health Services for Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians. Suttons Bay, Michigan
1990 - 1999		Principal and Senior Consultant with Raphael Consulting and Raphael-Leritz Consulting, Inc. Portland, Oregon (1990-1998) and Traverse City, Michigan (1998-1999)
1985 - 1990		Organization Development Consultant and Trainer with Legacy Health System, Portland, Oregon
Prior to 1985		Management Development Trainer and Consultant, Developer and Instructor of Patient Relations Training, Medical Clinic Business Manager, and Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist.

Educational Background

Certified Professional Co-Active Coach through Coach Training Institute (CTI), the first life coaching training program to be accredited to offer college credits for courses. Completed CTI's extensive two-year training in 2007.
Advanced courses in organizational development and counseling psychology.
Graduate work on MBA - Portland State University
BA, Social Work - Michigan State University

Personal Background

I grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan, a suburb north of Detroit. After high school I went to Muskegon Community College and lived with my sister and her family for 2 years. It provided me with much-needed stability and a close family situation after years of living in chaos and fear with an alcoholic mother. Her drinking and my parent's divorce when I was 13 were very difficult and I was glad to escape at the earliest moment.

I transferred to Michigan State University where I had incredible, growing experiences as a Resident Assistant in my dorm, and being a college student during the Vietnam War.

During my junior year I fell madly in love with a fellow Resident Assistant, Peter. We got married in 1973 when I was 21 years old - a young un' - and despite all odds for people marrying so early, we have continued to have a growing, fun, loving relationship for all these years. We are looking forward to celebrating our 35th anniversary this summer.

We moved to Portland, Oregon in 1975 after a brief visit there; I can remember it was a beautiful, warm December day with no snow and I was hooked.

While I always knew I wanted to have a family, we intentionally waited for 10 years to get pregnant because I just knew I wasn't ready until then. My son, Ryan, now 24, was such a wonderful addition; Alexandra, now 21, was born 3 1/2 years later. Both are compassionate, lively young adults and it's such a pleasure watching them discover their paths.

Living in Portland was great. It was a terrific place to grow up ourselves, and to raise kids. But one day, after living there over 20 years, I woke up and said "I think it's time to move back home to Michigan."

A year later we were moving into our new house in Traverse City - a town that was always a dream for me to live in. It was one of those decisions I knew was absolutely right and I still feel the same way today.

I live in an old house built in 1891 three blocks from the Grand Traverse Bay. I can honestly say there isn't a day that goes by that I don't say, "I'm so lucky to be here!". Between the beaches and water, the great energy of the town, the laid-back atmosphere, and now Michael Moore and his State Theatre, I'm living the life of my dreams.

Interests and Passions

I love being on water, motorboating, kayaking, swimming, having a campfire under the stars, looking for petoskey stones and beach glass, walking on the beach, being in the woods, camping away from the maddening crowd, beading, doing stained glass, writing, biking, rollerblading, reading fiction and non-fiction (personal/spiritual growth) books, going to the library and coming home with a stack of new books to read, traveling and learning about new places, going to historical museums, listening to Alicia Keys, Dixie Chicks, Aretha Franklin, Mozart, Beethoven and Patsy Cline, journaling, being alone. I love laughing.

Personal Philosophy

From an early age I had this deep, abiding belief in my right, my ability, and my need to choose how I wanted to live my life. As a young child turmoil in my family life caused me to retreat to my room, or when we were at our cottage in Northern Michigan, to the lakeside on my favorite "thinking rock", to contemplate, be quiet, listen. To decide what I was going to do with my life.

During those hours alone I considered the chaos around me and somehow, heard a small voice inside, helping guide me through my life. It was an inner knowing that led me to choose healthier relationships, to be a working mother, to learn to be courageous in facing and confronting conflict, to be self-employed and to work for other women's right to choose.

I've believed - strongly- that if I listened carefully enough and followed my inner Authentic Self, I would be alright. And I have been. I've experienced rich relationships, deep satisfaction and joy in my work, and a sense of peace.

I also learned early on about living an authentic life. I lived a double life my early years, and especially in high school. On the outside I was happy, go-lucky; my yearbook shows a young woman involved in many school activities and a smiling Homecoming Queen. Very few, if any, of my friends at school knew that outside of school I was living a very different life. I didn't share with many that my parents were divorced and my father was no longer living at home with us. Not many realized I was walking home afraid I would find my mother dead drunk - or just dead.

I believe now, looking back, that that un-authentic life took its toll. I realized as I got out of college and begin finding my way, that living a lie - projecting something that wasn't true to the outside world so people wouldn't know the 'real' me -was a source of stress and great unhappiness. I had to learn - re-learn, that is - how to be authentic and live a life that was in tune to who I really was.

Heroines, Heroes, Mentors and Influencers

Every woman I know who is living and loving every day.

My family because they are strong and compassionate.

My mother who taught me about forgiveness.

My sister because of her fiery protection of our family property's woods and water.

Eleanor Roosevelt because her deep convictions sprung from her compassion for all people, and because she was a strong, courageous woman in an era that wanted her very badly to be a quiet, timid First Lady.

Oprah Winfrey because she followed no one's expectations for her life except her own. In her honesty and truth about her weight, and her quest for integrity and spirit, she has inspired women of all colors and age to more fully accept themselves and reach for their dreams.

Virginia Satir, mother of the Family Systems approach in counseling, because of her deeply compassionate questioning, her keen insight into people and her complete acceptance of each person. I had the privilege of attending a workshop she conducted when I was in my late 20's; she appeared very old to me then - probably in her late 60's/early 70's - and it was the first time I had ever seen a woman professional of her age. Her wisdom, her ability to quickly connect on a deep level with her 'clients', and her grace created a new vision for me for how I wanted to be in my "old age".

Abe Lincoln, who followed his own truth and vision for a better country despite indescribable political pressure and risk.

Nelson Mandela, who maintained his vision for equality and justice, and his gentle compassion for people of all color through years of dark, solitary days.

Dan Pallotta, who, through an amazing ability to tap into the best desires of people to challenge themselves and give to others, inspires people to do their "I'mpossible" best. For developing the best tag line ever: "Humankind...be both".



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