(Bess) Melissa Derfler Goodnight

(BESS) MELISSA DERFLER GOODNIGHT...  

After VHHS, I spent 10 great years at UCLA,  earning a  B.A. in Biology and a Ph.D.  in Neuroscience.  Then family circumstances caused me to change direction,  so I spent a few more years  going to Medical School at UC Irvine and doing Residency training  in Psychiatry.  The many years of study resulted in a career that was a deeply satisfying path to follow.  Sharing  the joys and sorrows of  people’s lives is a great privilege, but also an enormous challenge, which made me seek grounding in spiritual and philosophical truths  --  the Gnostics, Tao, Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, and the search for the origin of Consciousness. 

I retired from my Psychiatry career a few months ago, but the seeking for truth continues.  Along the way,  I married my dear husband (a musician, mathematician, and software consultant with current projects in Blockchain applications)  --  and marriage is an ongoing  adventure.  We live on the beautiful central coast of California, but often seek solace on our little farm in Oregon.  We especially love skiing in the Rockies, and exploring all the islands of Hawaii.  We do not have children, but our lives are full and satisfying.  Overall,  life has shown me many peaks and valleys,  and it continues to be  a remarkable journey.