Risa’s Biography:
I am a professional organizer, writer, and teaching homemaker, with a wide range of experiences, hobbies, pursuits, skills and talents. I work with all ages of people and in many different situations, including special needs and hoarding. One of my particular gifts is to be able to see the “big picture” at a glance, and thereby design and craft a way to assist my clients through sometimes sticky and difficult organizing issues. I particularly espouse a Collaborative Therapy model where there’s a therapist, an organizer and the client, all working together to help meet the client’s challenges in an efficient, creative and compassionate way.
I majored in Latin and Greek with a smattering of Polish, Russian, Arabic, French, Spanish, Hebrew and Yiddush thrown in. I’m a Credentialed Elementary School teacher with an exciting year teaching ESL in Israel during the 6-Day War. I hold a Master’s in Library Science from Simmons College and have extensive experience running a Government Documents Depository Library, and Children’s, Music and Reference Departments. The Welfare Department hired me as a teaching homemaker in Shasta County, and I continued to work there as a substitute teacher, home and hospital teacher, and private tutor. At one point I spent 6 weeks in Poland as a flutist and accordionist, touring with the Krakoviak Polish dancers out of Boston for an International Dance Competition in Dzezhov, and I’ve been a professional clown at children’s birthday parties and events, setting up games, making balloon animals, doing face painting, bubbles and magic shows. The outdoor life calls to my heart and soul, and I grow much of my own food; I can show you how.
Writing comes easily for me, and I moved out west with my cat Max to become a children’s writer and poet. Max, alas, decided he didn’t like my choices and ran away the day we arrived. I design, write and illustrate funny “All Occasion” greeting cards, and can edit and proof your manuscript, letter, college entrance exam essay, your bio, or any other compositions.
I started my organizing business in 1999 because I saw the need to help people manage their busy lives both on the job and at home. We have too much stuff, the stuff turns into clutter, and the clutter impacts and complicates our lives.
Organizing is a very personal adventure; if you’re ready to make a commitment to yourself, I will move mountains for you.
