The Academic & Professional Story

The Spiritual Story

In the Winter of 2006 I was civilly committed, without just cause, to a mental hospital, which was something I never believed could occur in my wildest dreams or nightmares. I came to find out that what I thought impossible and most definitely improbable was certainly possible with absolutely no way to affect the outcome. This was one of those moments where the death of all that I had known, all that I once was and all that I dreamed of doing turned to dust for now the story of my life was re-written by other hands that had far more power to change the story of my life and work than I ever believed possible. This process of an illegal civil commitment began a tsumani of events based on a story that had nothing to do with my life, yet it held onto me like one of those nasty ticks you have to burn with a bright flame to get them to back off and let go as they suck blood for as long as they can.

For sixteen years that dark process and story had it’s claws dug deep into every aspect of my life. This journey, and literal fight, drained my resources with the malfeasance of the attorneys I had hired upon recommendation. There was no hiding from what this story did to re-work the experience and trajectory of my life, and others perceptions of me. I was never a social media person, so I literally had no online presence, but now this destructive information was plastered on Google and became the story I was now known by.

Finally, in July of 2022, I reclaimed my name and my TRUE STORY from a system run completely amok, through the power of prayer and a grace so strong it broke through the darkness and touched the heart of a Judge who finally honestly wrote, “Dismissed…vacated…she did not originally meet criteria for civil commitment” breaking through the walls of systemic self-protection, and finally erasing that action from existence. Yet, has that truth even become visible, nonetheless, become the dominant story that should be overriding the plethora of falsehoods. The short answer is, no.

With the swoop of his pen the Judge (bless his heart) brought an end to a sixteen- year battle through the legal system to take a step in the right direction of gaining back what should never have been taken to begin with … my life, my reputation, my work and my savings. Is it really over? How does one even go about seeking to reclaim all that has been torn asunder? The monologues of the psychiatric and legal profession hold far too much power with no room for the voice of those victimized to be heard, which is literally stamped out by the self-protection and conflicts of interest embedded deeply within these self-regulating professions that lack outside oversight. This is the power of Story. The power of the word … spoken and written by these professions. But what of all these stories? And just who holds the power of story? Who holds the power over your story?

Staying true to our authentic self is the herione’s or hero’s journey no matter what story is being projected onto us by society and by those in positions of power in the world. The stories of our deepest knowing are sacred. How do we hold that sacredness when others do not? How do we hold true to ourselves no matter what happens around us or to us? How do we maintain our resiliency in the face of overpowering odds and the perverse self-protection, inability and recalcitrance of those within the system to self-correct or provide remedy? Ever wonder why there appears to be such a lack of justice in the world today? Follow along as we dig into the far deeper story of (in)justice and the true power of a STORY.

Question: If you had looked me up and only saw the civil commitment and subsequent court battles and only knew me from your online view of this part of the story, what would you think, and how would you view me?

Patrice Valida Nerad, MBC, CPC, PhD (also known as Dr. Alethea) is an eco-systemic scholar, revolutionary thought leader in Heart Consciousness and Women’s Empowerment, a Master Coach and an advocate for civil rights and social justice. She graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree from Occidental College-Los Angeles and received her Masters Degree from the University of St. Thomas-St Paul, MN where she focused on the cutting edge of non-profit/for-profit partnerships. Her doctoral dissertation (California Institute of Integral Studies-San Francisco, CA in Transformative Studies, 2023) entitled, Separation from the Real: The Power of Story at the Heart of the Civil Commitment Process, laid bare the institutional corruption, systemic abuse and the story perpetuated by the psycho-pharmaceutical-legal industry. The stories told by immunity laden practitioners along with the structural problems of self-regulating aspects of the system essentially denies the civil rights touted in law that every citizen has been led to believe they are due.

Her coaching degree was presented by the prestigious Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara (now known as the Hudson Institute of Coaching) founded by Dr. Fredric Hudson. Dr. Hudson was also co-founder of The Fielding Institute.

She performed research work at the Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI) at UCLA in the neurobiology of learning. She also did extensive research on the process of death, dying and grief while deepening her studies of theology. She testified at the Minnesota Senate advocating to successfully pass the first law in the U.S. for unlicensed practitioners of Alternative Medicine/healing modalities to practice without fear of reprisal.

She has been an adjunct professor at the college level teaching courses ranging from science and spirituality to Jungian shadow work to health and healing. She organized and facilitated high level conferences for the University of Colorado, Boulder and Stanford University on behalf of the National Science Foundation and was publisher and co-technical editor for the symposium volumes. She played a significant role in orchestrating site visits and writing the executive summaries for the University of Minnesota Foundation to garner a higher level of cooperation with their significant corporate donors. Patrice also spent a great deal of time consulting and working with various non-profits.

In 2019, Patrice led the coordination of the annual conference for the Society of Consciousness Studies at Yale and The Graduate Institute.

Over the course of many years she has facilitated women’s healing groups activating and anchoring the deep story of the feminine mysteries, heart alchemy and reclaiming the power of our feminine story.

Question: If you only heard this part of the story, what would you think, and how would you view me?

And what of the spiritual, the cosmic and our intimacy with the Divine? It is not often talked about in these venues since science and spirituality don’t mix, or so we have been told. Our spiritual nature, our soul, our heart can be used against us, but to what end? What parts of us get chastised, demeaned or suppressed? As I was writing my doctoral dissertation I used a quote that contained the word “God” and I was told by one of my readers that it probably ought not to be included since I was speaking about science and the malfeasance of the system, and it could be off-setting. I kept the quote, but therein lies our dilemma. What do we exclude as parts of who we truly are? What stories are echoed constantly about who we are and/or what we should be? Who dictated that science and spirituality needed to be separated? Who dictated that our spiritual self should be silenced, laughed at, succinctly dismissed or lied about in order to demean us? Here again is where the power of story by those who can place things in public record runs amok, and where the denigration of the sacred occurs all too often.

We will delve into this in several of our blogs as we descend into the “rabbit hole” of things that make no(n)-sense. It is time to re-weave the story that has left society and our consciousness torn asunder. It is time to heal the brokenness all around us.

Patrice is the real deal ... she is an authentic healer whose intentions are pure ... the Holy Spirit works through her in a powerful way ... she has a heart of gold. I trust Patrice with all my heart.

— Jim Golden

A powerful, moving experience. This was one of the best visualizations I've experienced ... I felt peace in the middle of chaos. Thank you for the privilege of participating with you.

—Shadow workshop participant

You are a fearless woman. So blessed to have you cross my path in life.

—Joyce E. Logan, PhD, author & motivational speaker

You are articulate, clear, and profound.

—Dr. Frederic Hudson, Hudson Institute of Coaching

Patrice has high ethical standards, is exceptionally responsible, has excellent rapport with people, writes very well, and is very personable. I give her my highest recommendation.

William B. Krantz, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado, Boulder & Ohio Eminent Scholar & Professor Emeritus, University of Ohio, Cincinnati

Once again you have helped the University to orchestrate a successful site visit. The day was extraordinary and the benefits that were reaped are significant. Our relationship with our [significant donor] was moved to a new higher level of cooperation through this special day.

—Robert Hanle, V.P. and Director of Development, University of Minnesota Foundation

Without a doubt this was the best organized workshop I had ever attended. I am sure that it will result in significant cooperation ... needless to say, I was impressed … an admirable, magnificent job!

—NSF - University of Colorado, Boulder participants

Patrice magically and energetically guides one to RETURN to PURPOSE AND POWER, leading to self healing and heightened awareness of knowing your abilities.

—Elder Laura

You are a weaver of the sacred mysteries while holding the integrity, strength & wisdom of a heart-centered Elder and healer.

—Dr. Malidoma Patrice Some, elder, shaman, author, teacher

... in the years that I have been lucky enough to get to know her I have seen a wisdom and integrity unmatched. I have the highest and deepest regard for her. When she speaks, the world; the construct stops and in that space she holds, anything is possible.

—Hanakia Zedek, speaker, teacher, author, philosopher

Ordinary injustice results when a community of legal professionals

become so accustomed to a pattern of lapses that they can no longer see their role in them.

            Ordinary injustice is virtually always rooted in an incomplete story.

The complete facts of a case, the very stuff that could force a remedy, are usually missing.

—Amy Bach, JD (Ordinary Injustice: How America Holds Court, 2009, pp. 2, 8)