Teresa 52 Before enrolling in the Cliff Jumping Program, Teresa was As the Assistant Principal of a Middle School, a very demanding job. "I have students in my office all the time, and one thing for sure is they are angry and unhappy to be there." A parent of two boys in their late teens, Teresa's family life was often very challenging. "I was completely devoted to looking good. In appearance and in conversation, I overcompensated and never shared my struggles with anyone but my husband. To the world, I had to look like a perfect wife, mother, principal, and friend in every way." By the time she joined her friends at a lovely event to celebrate her 50th birthday, Teresa was being treated for high blood pressure and had experienced several mini-strokes. And still, keeping up the facade of perfection was of critical importance to her.

Just after her big celebration, Teresa went alone to have a second mammogram and an ultrasound to investigate a suspicious lump. In the physician's office that morning, I vaguely heard the doctors words; "Mrs. Rohrkemper, I need to do a biopsy and I feel certain that you have breast cancer. Is there anyone you can call to be here with you?" Teresa shares that, "My initial reaction was feeling annoyed that I would be late for work and how much this would mess up my day. It wasn't until I sat there awaiting the biopsy that I called my husband and did the most difficult thing for me- ask for help."

"After my diagnosis was confirmed, I did a lot of reading about cancer and illness and I quickly saw one consistent message in all the accounts. The process of fighting a disease like cancer was guaranteed to be a life-changing experience." Teresa shares, "In a moment, a voice from deep inside of me said: 'if this is going to change my life, I want it to be about ME, not about cancer.' I saw my life so clearly, and I knew how much I needed to change. I had no tools to accomplish my new-found mission and I was determined to win the battle not only with cancer, but with my suit of armor."

"I enrolled in Cliff Jumping, a six-month program of consciousness training, and I began to be aware of how 'unconscious' I had been of Me. I was unaware of my needs and thoughts, and paralyzed by my fears. With my Cliff Jumping trainer, I started to understand fear and risk differently, and I made several bold moves right away to take care of myself." Back at school Teresa read a statement to her teachers about her prognosis, called a full student assembly and had the teachers read it to the students. At home she took similar action, at a family meeting Teresa read a letter to her sons and shared with them her newly discovered need for self-care. "I told them, 'while I will always be here for you, my life can no longer be for you, my focus has to be me.' I requested that they begin making conscious choices, taking actions that had consequences they could live with, or face the piper. I am now devoted to saving myself rather that those around me."

Teresa worked diligently in the Cliff Jumping Program to live with intention, discover her personal desires, and risk to make choices that affirmed her needs. As each fork in the road appeared, she looked inside (rather than outside) for the right choice. During chemo Teresa returned to work and faced the students and staff with her new wig look. "This would have been impossible for me before," says Teresa, "but during those days I began to accept myself at a deep level and my wig became my ally. It was an outward sign to all that I am not perfect."

"The wig came in handy in other ways too," Teresa laughs, "and it became my trump card." On occasion, when a child in her office would express that no one understood how bad life was going, Teresa would take off the wig and say, "'Oh really, I have cancer, and my life stinks too, want to trade lives?'" Through the Cliff Jumping Program, I picked up this kind of 'moxie' and have been using it ever since."

Today, Teresa embraces life in a whole new way. She has a genuine stillness inside that is so profound that it impacts the demeanor of those around her. Teresa says, "There is a new tradition of responsibility within the school; teachers and students alike understand how their choices and actions affect them and the whole community. When someone asks me now, 'how are you?' I pause and say, 'I am great!' and I mean it! I am so grateful to be alive, able to do work I love and I get so much joy from being present in each moment. Even my husband of 28 years has a hard time recognizing me. I share things that happen in my day and I am not worked up into lather. I just don't get that way anymore. Now I know the value of sharing my life, all the twists and turns of it, out in open-view rather than behind the mask. The Cliff Jumping Program was an indispensable part of my healing process, and my coming home to me."