Welcome to the Essex Center...
a learning and living community in formation.
Our agency is currently online through this website and our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/2live1slifewell
Is the Essex Center for me?
Our mission and program philosophy
We aim to create and follow a supportive model of human growth that becomes a way of daily living incorporating the discernment, pursuit, and evaluation of our life’s work.
Each participant can expect to receive feedback and support for their life’s work and, in turn, each participant takes responsibility to support others as they discern, pursue, and evaluate their life’s work. We work to avoid harsh competitiveness, excessive cerebral or academic approaches, and any form of the depersonalization, diminishment, or marginalizing of any person, within or outside of our Essex Center community.
Life on earth: a core question, answered by a model of growth and touchstones to guide us
We begin with the core question: what’s the living for in this life on earth?
To answer this question, we envision a six-step process of growth through the lifespan, each step building toward the next steps:
spirit, values, learning, work, stewardship, mission, and vision.
This growth process exists within the context of our relationships and solitude, as well as including rest and play.
We refine this vision with touchstones that create a sense of shared perspective from a vision that uniquely guides our community, giving the Essex Center cohesiveness, identity, and direction. [button]
First touchstone.
We each are an eternal self, living within eternal communities, on an eternal life journey.
Second touchstone
We dwell within the intersection of body and spirit. We are both corporeal (body) and spirit (self) systems in constant interaction with each other, and we are living within a universe of experiences and relationships larger than ourselves.
Third touchstone
We commit to working towards dynamic, thriving health in all the areas of our life: identity and authenticity, relationships, responsiveness and attunement, work, income, physical and mental well-being, and our appearance.
Convenient Online Classes
Our test prep courses are offered online, so students can study from anywhere. We use the latest technology to provide an engaging and interactive learning experience.
Current Services
Fees and confidentiality
All sessions are — usually and preferably — either in person or on Zoom; however, telephone sessions are also an option upon request.
Life happens, so rescheduling and cancellations are inevitable, with no financial penalty if at some point we agree to continue on a fee basis, unless in the sole judgment of the practitioner these have become excessive. No-shows are charged at full fee unless an emergency prevented prior canceling or rescheduling.
There is no electronic recording of Life's Journey Counseling sessions by this practitioner, but the practitioner and participant may take notes during sessions. These sessions are confidential, but as they are educational, not clinical, in nature, the requirements of legal authorities are respected and followed.
Taking the Next Steps
Exploring this website and checking out our videos and playlists are options to help decide whether this service is worth trying.
More directly, there is the offer of a no-charge, 30-minute telephone or Zoom call to ask any questions, explore your needs and requests, and begin to get a conversation going about helpful ideas and priorities. (AND SEE SPECIAL OFFER BELOW!)
If you decide that you wish to schedule the next step, an initial in-depth consultation, you may telephone or email James.
Life's Journey Consultation
We are all on a journey, a pilgrimage through this life on earth. Sometimes, this living experience unfolds naturally, with health and clarity. Other times, however, some aspects of our life or work are not coming together well. Perhaps our relationships or families are struggling, or learning has become a challenge, or what work to do is unclear. Sometimes, practically every dimension of our life could be a muddle, with little sense of direction.
The role of a Life's Journey Specialist has been created to make available professional short-term or long-term informed conversations to enable and support decision-making and progress in what life needs and goals we are working through or toward, whether for ourselves, a group we are in, or an organization we participate in.
Sometimes, all we need is a chance to talk to someone who will listen. Other times, a specific frustration, difficulty, or struggle needs to be the focus of support, encouragement, and enlightenment.
When it is relevant or central, we consider if there is some mindset, attitude, emotional pattern, or sense of self that could be enhanced for better life outcomes, which is the foundational sense of "spirit" we use here to guide out dynamic life's journey.
Appropriate clinical referrals are made, when needed, when issues arise to be able to make use of this educational, supportive service.
"Your best mission is our mission."
We collaborate with each participant in their goal to live well:
- by taking good care of oneself, others, and nature
- by creating, pursuing, and evaluating one's life's work mission
- by attunement to the energizing, focusing intersection of body and spirit, whether that is, for you, "spirit" or "Spirit," "divine" creativity or "Divine" creativity, or "grace" or "Grace."
We focus on building:
- thriving health
- a wise and effective mindset
- beneficial life projects
- and an enduringly joyful and transcendent spirit.
We work with active participants who are:
Adults of any age who are ready to address their concerns about, and potential for, improving their personal life and building their life's work.
Young adults — or adults of any age — who are making life transitions to technical and higher education, work life, and independence, and who are interacting with those in their lives involved in their progress, such as parents/guardians, life partners, employers, and educators.
Older adults who are undertaking a life review, and seek to develop and express their generous spirit through continued learning, personal fulfillment, and dynamic service endeavors.
In all of these services, we assist people who seek to find or develop, then intensively work on, projects that are worthwhile and engaging to them and that make a noticeable contribution, large or small, to making some aspect of the world a better place.
Thus, we honor, support, and work with people:
- who now may be struggling in one or more areas of life
- who wish to achieve and maintain current their levels of personal and professional growth and happiness
- who are ready to make the changes needed to achieve their fullest life potential, seeking something more worthwhile and engaging.
"On life's journey, we will walk with you."
"There is nothing more satisfying than helping someone with their own journey." — Dimitri Moriatis, Spiritual Arts Institute
"Education in Perspective"
During the winter and spring of 2026, we can ask:
in times of crisis and change, are we focusing on
building our own positive spirit and mindset?
