Official Bio
McDowell Graham is a well-respected Author, Transformational Thought Leader, and Therapeutic Storyteller whose calling in service to others is to help people see themselves and their place in the world with new eyes.
McDowell uses a unique combination of intuitive ability, life experiences, professional background, and education to teach people how to listen to their own internal guidance system and support them to effect change from that place of inner strength and knowledge.
McDowell has developed a powerful and proven three-step process called Examine Envision Emerge that helps people learn how to examine their current thought patterns and belief systems; envision what they want to have, be, or do in their life; and chart a new course to emerge into the light of a brighter future.
McDowell is the author of five books in the Examine Envision Emerge series. Each book focuses on a specific “perception transformation” topic designed to challenge existing assumptions, attitudes, and beliefs in order to consider new horizons. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective, an opening of the mind, a “crack in consciousness,” to begin to see new possibilities.
McDowell is also an acknowledged expert in the field of Business Process Reengineering. She has over 30 years of experience in helping organizations fundamentally rethink how they do business. She begins by examining their current processes and then recommends easier, faster, more efficient ways to get from Point A to Point B. In that time, she has learned to apply her considerable expertise to assisting individuals with what she calls “Personal Reengineering” – helping people look at how they’re navigating their lives now and, ultimately, find a shorter, better, or more fulfilling way to get from where they are to where they want to be.
McDowell offers a variety of affordable, smart, easy-to-use tools and tangible takeaways that will enable people to expand their understanding of themselves and their world. In addition, her down-to-earth, offbeat, and humorous style makes her a popular and engaging public speaker (well, at least her dogs think so).
Unofficial Bio
Let’s Start with Some Fun Facts
Astrological Signs: Aquarius Sun; Leo Moon; Gemini Ascendant (any wonder that I’m a Therapeutic Storyteller? It was written in the stars!)
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Wood Goat (again, no surprise: I love the woods, and I’ve enjoyed many a happy past life as a goatherder)
Spiritual Home: Scotland
Actual Home: Still trying to figure that one out
Animal Spirit Guides (why have just one when you can have three??):
- Badger. The Keeper of the Stories of All Beings. The badger’s jaws are the symbol of powerful expression and ties the badger to the mysteries of the word and the magic of Storytelling. In addition, people with a Badger Totem can organize anything down to the last-minute detail. We dislike clutter and love a tight schedule. Time management is our middle name. (My color-coded vacation calendars are a thing of beauty. Also, is it any wonder I’m an Accountability Coach?)
- Rabbit. Considered sensitive and artistic, and who doesn’t want to be thought of that way? Plus, I love their defensive abilities for hiding and resting. They create a shallow bowl in the earth, called a form, open to the front and back for a quick getaway and allowing them to plan for possibilities. Sounds about right.
- Goose. Those with Goose as a totem typically have a belief in stories and legendary places that reflect the life quest they have come to take upon themselves in this lifetime. And let’s not forget the most famous Goose of all, Mother Goose, whose stories and rhymes were designed to quiet children (although I doubt that any of my stories quiet anyone, let alone children).
Loves dogs and horses, is deathly allergic to cats (must be some karmic debt I’ve yet to repay)
Bats right, throws left (not that I plan to play baseball anytime soon)
Personal Motto: “Will Work to Feed Dogs”
Favorite Quote: “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde
Favorite Maybe-There’s-Hope-For-Me-Yet Quote: “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” George Eliot
Why “Cracks in Consciousness?”
In 2009, I was discussing with my spiritual advisor how I might be able to use my professional background, personal experiences, passions, and talents to be of service to others. Reiki Master? I had taken several Reiki classes. No, that doesn’t seem right. Remote Energy Healer? Might make sense, since I lived pretty far away from people or towns. But no, that’s not it either. Psychic Medium? Nice, but I’ve never been able to talk to anyone else’s dead people, only my own. Then she said, “You know what happens every time you and I get together? I feel all of my chakras shift and line up. Then it’s like you crack open my consciousness and show me new ways of thinking and new ideas I hadn’t thought about before.”
Bingo – Cracks in Consciousness it is!
My Background
I always wanted to be a writer. I’m captivated by stories and words. As long as I can remember, writing, telling, and listening to stories is the way I’ve made sense of my life.
So over the years, I realized that maybe my own stories might help others make sense of their lives too.
Stories are also a great way to connect with people. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, and everyone wants the chance to tell it. While we’re here on earth, we are here for each other, we are here to share our experiences, we are here to heal.
I also believe that everyone is born with an inner calling or dream. I think the Universe conspires to help us make that happen. We’re given signs, opportunities, and experiences along the way that are designed to keep us on the path even though we may from time to time stray from that path.
It’s like having a spiritual GPS to navigate our time here on earth. The Universe enters the destination, but we get to choose the route to get from Point A to Point B. There are lots of different roads to take, and usually lots of detours, but eventually we get to where we’re supposed to be. And every time we hit a roadblock, or get lost, or turn left instead of right, the Universe recalculates the route – and sends us new opportunities, experiences, and road signs to keep us moving forward.
And that’s what happened for me.
First, I became a technical writer and editor so I could keep a roof over my head and feed myself and my dogs. It wasn’t The Great American Novel, but I took pride in using words to make difficult concepts easy to understand. I even won a few awards for my user documentation.
Then I became a business process engineer. My job was to help people change how they were doing business to get from Point A to Point B in the easiest and most efficient way.
And during all of that time while I was feeding myself and my dogs, I started exploring how stories can heal us. I learned how to really listen to the stories that people told me in order to understand the message behind the words. I began connecting with other wayshowers and healers, which enabled me to figure out how to use storytelling to help people get from where they are to where they want to be.
And all of those experiences and opportunities eventually enabled me to fulfill my life’s purpose.
Each of us is given opportunities to pursue our dreams. But time passes and life intrudes, and the dream seems to get further away. We don’t seize those opportunities or even see the road signs any longer, and now it’s very easy to believe that it’ll never happen.
And then it does.
I was no more than 10 years old when I knew I wanted to be a writer.
Fast forward 50 years, and I was 60 years old when I published my first book.
But the roads I chose to take on the path that the Universe had laid out in front of me and then kept recalculating made my dream come true at just the right moment. And now I’ve written four more books.
Becoming a technical writer and process engineer, getting to work with people who had interesting stories to tell and lessons for me to learn, trusting my intuition, recognizing synchronicities, and eventually learning how to connect with my Team in Spirit to channel their messages in my books, and let’s not forget, now we can self-publish and we don’t need a literary agent anymore – making THOSE choices and being on THAT path to THIS time and place enabled me to become the kind of storyteller I was meant to be.
How I Can Help You?
So why choose me to join you on this journey of personal exploration?
Aside from the fact that my dogs think I’m pretty dandy, let me tell you more about what I can offer you to see if where I am is the same as where you would like to go.
1. First and foremost, I practice what I preach and walk the talk.
Each of my offerings has been developed based on my own experience with and actual use of the Examine Envision Emerge process in my daily life. It’s my personal roadmap to figuring out whether doing things the old way is the best way forward for me. This powerful and proven three-step process is designed to help people learn how to examine their current thought patterns and belief systems; envision what they want to have, be, or do in their lives; and chart a new course to emerge into a brighter future.
Each step in this process is described in detail on the Examine Envision Emerge page. If you’re eager to set sail on this part of your voyage of discovery (and if you’d like to know how this process literally rescued me), I encourage you to head over there now!
2. I believe in the transformative power of options.
Maya Angelou said, “In order to avoid this bitter end, we have to be reborn again, and born with the knowledge of alternatives.” I subscribe to this philosophy wholeheartedly. Central to the success of “personal reengineering” is the ability to see that there are always options from getting from where we are to where we want to be – but sometimes we lose sight of that and feel boxed in or stuck on a train that never stops and seems to be going nowhere. I’m very good at finding new ways to do old things, suggesting possible new courses of action, or simply offering a different perspective.
3. And last but not least, I, too, am on the journey of personal exploration.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve reimagined, reengineered, reinvented, tweaked, trashed, and transformed myself all in the name of “growth.” So, I can state with complete confidence and absolute conviction that I know exactly how you feel, and I’ll be with you every step of the way!