The Launch of Shallowhorn Consulting, LLC

I’m proud and excited to announce the launch of Shallowhorn Consulting, LLC. I actually had this idea three years ago when I was contemplating the next phase of my career. I even initiated this process with the Small Business Development Center at my alma mater, SUNY Buffalo State. But I wasn’t quite ready so I put the idea on the shelf. In 2018 I participated in the Health Foundation of Western New York’s Health Leadership Fellows Program. This intensive 18-month residency program emphasizes personal and professional growth through self-assessment, group work, and executive coaching. As a result, I came to realize that I had the potential (like we all do) to go beyond my own self-perceived limitations.

Flash forward to the summer of 2019. After a leisurely vacation on Cape Cod with my wife Suzy, where we celebrated our 25^th wedding anniversary, I had an epiphany. I came to realize that I wanted to stretch myself and go in a new direction. It was at this time that I reached out to a former colleague from Horizon Health Services, Lisa Prefontaine. I knew Lisa from our work together on a couple of public forums on teen mental health and suicide as well as our mutual participation in Horizon’s Special Review Committee meetings. I always had a great deal of respect for Lisa’s deep knowledge of clinical concepts and therapies. So, I approached her about teaming up and she eagerly accepted my invitation.

Since then we’ve been laying the groundwork for this new venture without any idea of what was to come. We initially began to connect with organizations and work on developing relationships. But then COVID-19 hit. My first reaction, like so many others was, will those I love and care to be safe? And it then extended to the wellbeing of our nation and world, considering the rapid spread of this deadly disease. All of a sudden, the collective anxiety of our planet went through the roof at lightning speed.

What I realized, is what I’ve known all along. We need to take care of ourselves and each other. In the end, it is our relationships that matter. It is through healthy relationships that we are able weather any storm that comes our way. That is how our predecessors did it, regardless of where they come from. We all have to face this adversity with unity and empathy.

Which brings me back to our new endeavor. Lisa and I are committed to educating both behavioral health professionals as well as the general public about the latest developments in the fields of mental health and addiction. We are excited to be able to offer workshops as well as providing organizational development services on creating mentally healthy workplaces. We will be doing this through both in-person and online offerings. We are excited to be collaborating with the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work Continuing Education Department to provide these trainings to those working in behavioral health, as well potentially to organizations outside the mental health arena.

So, please feel free to reach out if you are interested in connecting. We’re here to serve.