About

I am an author and speaker who encourages you to PRESERVE YOUR BLOOM — to use your talents and resources to be the best you can be. (You can read my full “Preserving Your Bloom Manifesto” here.)

I have published more than 800 columns on everything from bad hair days and unruly children to reinvention after the nest empties in newspapers and magazines, in addition to my podcast and blog. My newest book, The Secret Life of the Weight-Obsessed Woman deals with overcoming addiction, in my case an eating disorder, in order to find renewed energy and life.

I have been fortunate to have been featured on NBC News, CBS News, Fox News, and many others, bringing my message to the masses. But really, this is personal isn’t it? That is why I spend my days reaching out, one person at a time, not just talking, but listening to your stories:

I also share my life on social media, which has opened up my world to connect with tens of thousands of followers.

As a speaker, I have presented at dozens and dozens of events, always customizing my talk for the specific audience, and relishing in meeting new people and hearing their stories. Learn more about my speaking (or book me to speak to your community) here.

My Background: 

It all started with me trying my hand at publishing a parenting newspaper. I was in the same city where I had experienced a failed first marriage. My aunt was absent-minded. My uncle was ailing.

I wrote a first person account about my two-week ordeal and used it in the premier edition of the newspaper. I titled it “Incidentally, Iris” in case I came up with any other things I wanted to reflect on in future issues. And I signed off with the phrase “Keep Coping” — which was about the only thing that I managed to do during that visit, albeit not very gracefully.

Since that time 30 years ago, I’ve written on a vast number of topics — parenting and family issues, major milestone events, health and well-being challenges, goals attained and those that fell short, losses avoided and losses sustained. Honors. Awards. Hard won wisdom. Empty nest. Empty heart. Maintaining relations with adult children. Long distance grand parenting.

At first I believed my column was so well-received because my children, my husband, and my life were just so interesting that no one could resist reading about my experiences. Over time, I observed that almost every bit of feedback I received dealt with my readers’ unique responses to both my world and my words — in relation to their own life and personal concerns.

When I wrote about losing my grandmother at such a young age, people who had experienced premature loss spoke up.

When I wrote about the poignancy in watching my “average” children excel — and sometimes not excel — in school and extra-curriculars, people who also had “average” children spoke up.

When I wrote about coming to terms with the sadness involved in watching my children grow up and leave home (or not leave home when they should), people who had experienced that same sadness spoke up.

When I wrote about the delight of stealing a few moments of solitude and relaxation in the midst of a busy day of responsibilities and deadlines, people who also had time constraints and never ending pressure spoke up.

Readers approached me in doctors’ offices, at Little League games, and in grocery store lines. By mail. Then by text and phone message. The feedback was and continues to be centered around my ability to figuratively reside in my readers’ kitchens — to mirror their thoughts, hopes, fears, goals and aspirations.

When I started, I thought I was writing a column about me. But it didn’t take me a long time to realize it really was about my reader. Recognizing that, I expanded into publishing a book of my earliest columns in 1996, Slices, Bites  and Other Facts of Life and launched a motivational speaking career.

Here’s some feedback:

Iris is a GPS for the spirit.

Iris is a far from perfect woman who knows life’s tough, but beautiful.

Iris is all about what real women relate to.

Iris is a slice-of-life writer/speaker who peels back the layers.

Iris’s writing is informative without being boring; fluffy without being insignificant. 

Upon retirement in the spring of 2013, I began the technology catch-up essential to spreading my wings. My means of communicating has evolved, but my core mission/message remains constant: fostering connection, encouraging more than just coping, cultivating greatness and preserving my followers’ bloom and mine.

Let’s do it together.