About

13718761_10154323508199935_8566553626367258392_n1-afae0b2e03564cbc8c0be85a5c013dfe

Hi, I'm Heidi Klauber, the creator of The Center for Human Potential. 

I work with teenagers who want to understand themselves better. Some might even feel misunderstood, disconnected, stressed, or unsettled. They might seem moody, disengaged, and unmotivated, but can't quite understand why. I also work with teens who tell you they are fine and come across very put together when sometimes that's not actually the whole picture.

I create safe spaces for teenagers to explore important life skills like self-awareness, self-care, and self-compassion without judgement.  Piquing their curiosity so they feel more comfortable, connected, and grounded, not only improves family relationships, but makes the teen years an easier and more enjoyable transition into adulthood.

You can read more about my desire to start The Center for Human Potential in my introductory blog post here.

          "It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." - Frederick Douglass

I just finished reading What's the Point of School by Emma B. Perez. In her book, Perez states:

"In preparing students for a future we cannot predict, it is best to give students everything they need to be happy, healthy individuals who know how to manage their lives; what their strengths, interests, and values are; and how to turn those into a financially sound career. Our current education system is not set up to do that. It is time that the focus of our schools shift to the individual student. The success of school should not be measured by how many of their graduates are admitted to college. It is more important that individuals be able to manage their inner world, relate to their outer world, and find their place in the world.  We need individuals to know themselves, know their communities, and know how to create a comfortable and happy life based on their interests and skills."

You can read more about my converstaion with Emma and my review of her book here.

Another important thing you should know about me is that I like to question and challenge the status quo. That is why I love this quote so much:

          "The most damaging phrase in the English language is 'We've always done it this way!'" - Grace Hooper

To that end, I have been struggling for years with traditional resumes. I dislike having to reduce myself to only my education, training and expereince for a particular job. I was eager to push back on how it "should be done" and actually tell people more about who I am as a person instead of what I had done in the past. In an effort for you to get to know me a bit better, I am including a copy of what I call my: 

"Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change." - Brene Brown

cabo

Ok, ready? I am going to share a secret with you that very few people know about me - and when I say very few, I mean only my parents.

I failed my nursing boards - not once, not twice, not even three times.

I failed my nursing boards a whopping four times and never became a registered nurse in the state of New Hampshire after earning my bachelor’s degree in Nursing from UNH with a 3.2 GPA.

Wow, writing that didn’t sting as much as I thought it might.  But, it has taken me 25 years to realize this was a pivotal moment in my life that has shaped how I interact with the world.

Very few people knew because I carried so much shame around it – so much so that I never told anyone or even identified it as shame, until recently. I just moved on with my life.

In sharing this part of me with you, I am letting go of the decades-long subconscious belief that I am not smart, not capable and not worthy because I couldn’t pass that damn test!

My deep dive into this part of my life has me reframing my narrative and a long-held belief system. It has also given me a wonderful sense of freedom and peace…finally.

Quite honestly, I’ve spent the last 10 years really getting to know myself and - newsflash - I’m not done. Nor will I ever be really.

It's like I always say to my kids "don't judge things as good or bad, right or wrong, but simply as more information."

It’s been a wild journey that I wish I had begun decades ago.

That is why I am passionate about exploring these concepts with young adults: so they can make better-informed life decisions, have an understanding of what they are feeling, and create healthy relationships that thrive.

 

A few other fun things about me...

heidi on at
ben and avery
heidi and luke

I am a New Englander. I am a middle child. I am an Appalachain Trail thru-hiker. I am certified in Myers-Briggs and Applied Positive Psychology. I am a one-time half-marathoner. I am a recovering perfectionist and people-pleaser. I sing and dance when I do chores. I've had two near-death experiences - one in an airplane and one underwater scuba diving. I was the tour manager for the Listen Up Project and the campus director for the School of Creative and Performance Arts (SOCAPA). I have two teenagers, Benton and Avery, and a 6 year-old dog named Luke. I am always learning. I am currently working on getting my master in Psychology with a concentration in Child Development. All of my life experiences have led me to this point and I am loving the journey of leaning into curiosity. I have an affinity for colored markers and flip chart paper. I love autumn, cider donuts, movies and challenging the status quo. I took four teenagers end-to-end hiking on the Long Trail during the pandemic. It was an amazing experience full of impactful learnings about ourselves and each other. Oh and I love, love, love a good quote. Here are some of my favorites:

"We ask some variation of the question how are you feeling, over and over, which would lead one to assume that we attach some importance to it and yet we never expect, or desire or provide an honest answer."

- Dr. Marc Brackett

“The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of a parent.” 

-Carl Jung

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"When ideas become conversations that lead to action, that's when real change takes hold."

- Jonathan Fields

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no educataion at all."

- Attributed to Aristotle

 

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"We speak with more than our mouths. We listen with more than our ears."

- Fred Rogers

“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.”

- Brene Brown

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.”

- Nelson Mandela

Some of my affiliations: