FITZGERALD, Liv 1950-

PERSONAL: Born January 24, 1950, in Detroit, MI; daughter of Gerald Thomas (a police officer) and Ida Fitzgerald; married Paul M. Detweiler, June 8, 1969 (divorced, May, 1987); children: Brian, Keith. Education: Eastern Michigan University, B.S., 1986, M.A., 1988; Wayne State University, Ph.D., 1996.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o F.A.C.T. Publishing, P.O. Box 6124, Marietta, GA 30065. E-mail—livfitzgerald@msn.com.

CAREER: Hair and Co., Brighton, MI, owner, manager, and public relations representative, 1974-84; National Institute for Burn Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, trainer and public speaker, 1985-87; General Motors Corp., Detroit, MI, writer of instructional videotapes, 1987-88; Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency, Pontiac, MI, training and public relations representative, 1988-91; Federal Reserve Bank, Detroit, trainer, 1992-94; Fitzgerald Applied Communication Training, Marietta, GA, owner, 1998—, and publisher of F.A.C.T. Publishing. Georgia State University, instructor, 1997—. Public speaker, including appearances at Women's Fest, Michigan Institute for Educational Management, Livingston Intermediate Educational Management, Single Place, and Single Point.

WRITINGS:

Visualization and Brainstorming: An Exploration, 1996.

Typical Thoughts, Triumphant Results: A Five-Step Strategy for Mastering Your Potential, F.A.C.T. Publishing (Marietta, GA), 2001.

Author of home workshop and tape series, including "Lose Weight with Visualization" and "Reduce Stress with Visualization."

WORK IN PROGRESS: A book on mastering business potential with communication and visualization.

SIDELIGHTS: Liv Fitzgerald told CA: "Mastering our personal and professional potential has captivated my attention, and it is the focus of my writing. I studied communication and visualization for my doctoral dissertation and have continued researching their effects in my professional practice. When combined, communication and visualization create an explosive technique for attaining potential. In my seminars I've helped thousands of people learn this technique to lost weight, stop smoking, and reduce stress. On a professional basis, my seminars help managers inspire excellence in their staff.

"With communication we learn to take small steps toward our goals. One woman I know lamented that she wanted to write a book but couldn't find the time to write 300 pages. I can't find the time to do that, either, but I can write one page at a time—small steps. The small steps necessary for reaching our potential are creating correct thoughts, creating correct behaviors, and developing a plan of action. When asked, most people agree that these steps are necessary for attaining goals, yet too often we skip the steps! Then we're stunned when we are in the same position where we were last year and the year before that.

"Communication is a prerequisite to effective visualization. Most of us are under the misguided impression that to simply imagine what you want is visualizing. To the contrary, visualization has specific steps that must be learned and practiced. In addition to the three steps mentioned above, visualization has a relaxation component, and when mentally rehearsing you must be 'associated.' Being associated means imagining your day as if you are actually doing the behaviors you desire, in contrast to watching yourself as if you were watching a movie. Visualization is a mental practice that aligns the conscious and subconscious mind. We can think of the conscious and subconscious as our 'two selves.' These two selves work under two different sets of rules: the conscious mind is critical, its job is to protect you. So when you want to try something new, it reminds you that you might get hurt, or you've tried this before and failed, or any other negative aspect. The subconscious mind is open and accepting of new ideas. It doesn't know the difference between real and imagined experiences. So, if you mentally practice a behavior you desire, the subconscious simply accepts it as real. Eventually, if you keep practicing, the conscious mind gives up being critical and starts performing the behavior the way you mentally practiced it.

"Typical Thoughts, Triumphant Results: A Five-Step Strategy for Mastering Your Potential is the only, upto-date, self-help book on communication and visualization. I wrote the book because there are no other sources available to describe this technique, and because the technique works!"