Hidden Gems: Meet Ronald Alexander of Open Mind Training Program

Ronald, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From 1978 to 1985, I founded and directed the Center for Health and Healing at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Office Towers on West 3rd Street in West Hollywood, later relocating it to Santa Monica in 1985. The Center for Health and Healing was the very first holistic medical and behavioral psychology center west of the Mississippi River.

During the early 1980s, I also launched my executive leadership and creativity consulting practice, becoming one of the originators of the coaching movement on the West Coast. Alongside psychotherapy, the Center offered yoga therapies and mindfulness meditation training—not only for individuals and families, but also for business organizations in television, film, music, and the emerging dot-com industries.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For the most part, my journey has been smooth. Still, as one of the first to introduce meditation and creativity training into healthcare, I did encounter resistance from some in the medical community who questioned the validity of these approaches. Thankfully, as research has increasingly confirmed the benefits of meditation and creativity, these practices are now widely recognized and embraced.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Today, I maintain a private mind-body psychotherapy practice in Santa Monica, CA, where I work with individuals, couples, families, and groups. In addition, I’m a Creativity and Communication Consultant, International Clinical Trainer, and Executive and Leadership Coach. I am also the Executive Director of the OpenMind Training Program, a leading-edge organization offering personal and professional development in core creativity, mindfulness-based mind-body therapies, transformational leadership, and meditation. You can learn more about me at www.RonaldAlexander.com.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
Our city is an amazing vortex for creativity, new ideas, and changes. What I like the least about it is the traffic and air quality.

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