I work in financial services in a highly stressful, eat-what-you-kill type of environment. Prior to working with Dr. Matthew Mandelbaum, I had reached a plateau in how effective I could be in my communication both with my clients and in my romantic relationship, because my childhood traumas had left me feeling consistency vulnerable, victimized and not in control. Matthew has helped me connect with my adult self, to recognize my competencies in problem-solving, and to at the same time recognize my challenges in relationship effectiveness that are a by-product of my childhood traumas. Working with Matthew has directly facilitated my ability to remain calm in the present moment in tense business negotiations. It has also helped me identify when I’m engaging in the present moment as a personal partner versus when I’m reverting back to ineffective relational patterns that I learned in childhood, and it is this very noticing in the present moment that changes the game for all of us. Once we can see how we are unintentionally self-sabotaging, there is hope for every single one of us, no matter how deep our traumas may be, that we can lead a happy, conscious and related life. Matthew has been a hugely beneficial influence for me in achieving this point of view.