Dr. Picucci >

Michael's Story

History

Michael PortraitIn 1983, at 38 years of age, Michael left a successful advertising partnership and checked into New York’s Sloan Kettering Hospital. The terminal cancer diagnosis he had just received seemed to be the final chapter to a life that, while ‘outwardly successful’, was inwardly filled with pain and struggle. He had suffered deeply for many years - losing his wife to cancer, and then losing himself to addiction, depression and questions surrounding his sexual identity.

Though his sadness was deep and at times overwhelming, it wasn’t rooted in facing what seemed to be the end. Instead, it seemed to spring from a palpable and haunting sense that he had not lived up to his potential. While it would have been understandable had he reacted to this feeling by spiraling into regret and depression, instead, he somehow found a deeper dimension.

Michael discovered that beneath the surface of this feeling was a compassionate voice that was looking to guide him, not punish him. It told him through a felt sense that despite what the doctors said, this needn’t be the end, but rather an end – to be followed by a new beginning. While he didn’t know it at the time, this was indeed the beginning of a relationship with what he was to come to know as his ‘inner compass’.

And so, with the ceaseless support of his life-partner, Michael focused on healing himself with any and all means available. He explored both traditional and untraditional healing treatments and modalities. To the surprise of his doctors, in two years time he was cancer free, and a very different person. He had no career to define himself with anymore, but with a little money left from the sale of his business, Michael went back to school. He completed his doctoral education in Psychology and began helping clients suffering from addiction and depression. At the same time, other parallel learning opportunities opened up, and propelled him into the realm of energetic healing of trauma, along with the relational and sexual challenges of our time.

Michael Today

Receiving AwardNearly 30 years have passed since his original terminal diagnosis. In that time, Dr. Picucci has authored four books, co-founded private sector and non-profit organizations and sits on several boards of directors and advisors. He has been blessed, on numerous occasions, with the opportunity to publicly express the evolution of his personal and professional discoveries - an experience he meets with immeasurable gratitude.

One of Dr. Picucci’s proudest achievements is the synthesis of years of research and clinical experience into his healing model called Focalizing - Going Within to Move Beyond. Drawing inspiration from traditional Psychotherapy, Somatic Healing, and Authentic Process Healing, Focalizing offers specific techniques and insights that result in remarkable client transformations. Dr. Picucci describes his focalizing capability as “a most sacred experience,” through which he shares an evolved understanding of the richness and possibilities available to us all.

Michael and EliasMichael has been sharing his journey with his partner-in-life, Dr. Elias Guerrero. Among other things, they share a profound love of the Catskill Mountains on weekends—an environment which supports most of Michael’s written works.

To learn more about Michael’s fascinating and remarkable personal healing journey from addiction, cancer, heart attacks, HIV, traumas, multiple losses, and near–death experiences, and his miraculous recoveries, read the interview he conducted with Dr. Jane Hart for the “Healing Bridge Project” website.