Doug, aka “db” is a devoted husband and continually amazed father of two boys:  one 20 years old, the other 2 years old.

db is the Spiritual Counselor for Hospice Partners of Southern California, a non-profit end of life care provider.  As such he provides an InterFaith approach to bringing sacred, healing presence and counsel to people facing the end of their lives.  Therapeutic interventions include Active Listening, Relaxing Meditation, Simple Yoga and Breathing, Identification with any “Higher Power” of one’s understanding, Prayer, Reading of Sacred Texts, Assisting with Life Review and Legacy, DreamWork, Guided Visualizations, Leading of Rituals, and other such “treatments”.

He also provides similar support to families and caregivers of the dying, as well as to the Hospice Staff.  In March, 2013, he will become and Ordained InterFaith Minister, having completed a multi-year training through The Chaplaincy Institute,  He believes that not talking about death is killing us, and is adding his voice to those who council diving into the mysteries of death so we can more fully experience the miracle of life

In his former life as a television executive, db became very familiar with the physical aches and mental anxiety that come with long days at the office. As one-of-the-guys in a weekly basketball game, he also became familiar with how often we use intense physical activity to work out some of that stress. And he is familiar with the trauma our bodies can suffer as a result, having had laser knee surgery to correct complication from those office job/basketball playing days.

db is also familiar with how amazingly the body responds and rebounds when we learn how to truly connect with it. Having discovered ways that yoga and other spiritual techniques can serve as a “medicinal anti-dote” to the toll of his own daily life, he now happily shares with others what has been passed down to him through his website posts, weekly yoga classes, private lessons, and stream-able “Healing Yoga” short video series.

Certified by the National Yoga Alliance and having gained inspiration from the guidance of such teachers as Max Strom, Erich Schiffmann, Denise Kaufman  and Saul David Raye, Doug’s teaching — and personal yoga practice– have evolved to use shapes that explore the body’s energy, rather than using the body to achieve “picture perfect” shapes. His lessons aim to help students open up from the inside, extending the body’s full range and ease of motion

db grew up in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, where he was known as “dj” (middle name:  ”John”); went to college in Princeton, NJ; and now lives in Santa Monica, California. He also loves to travel (and has a special connection to Maui, Hawaii), hiking and all times in nature, experimenting as a cook, cheering for his Green Bay Packers and, most of all, sharing this wild ride of Life with his wonderful wife Michelle and his beloved sons Harry and Quin.