Youth Volunteerism/Mission Opportunities

BROAD STREET MINISTRY HAS A COUNSELING CENTER!
(Did you know that?)

BSM desires flourishing for every human being. Body, Soul, Mind and Spirit. That is why we worked hard to generate resources for a Counseling Center to take shape here. We have come along way--beginning with finding the center's first Director--EDD CONBOY. We asked one of our stellar seminarians-Miriam Tyler Todd--to interview him. If you have questions about his work or the work of the center, call the office 215.735.4847 or email him at econboy@councilforrelationships.org

Who is Edd Conboy and what is he doing at Broad Street Ministry? The basic bio would tell you that Edd is a thoroughly trained professional counselor who studied at Loyola College and San Francisco State University where he received a Masters in Family Counseling, and then another year at The California School of Professional Psychology in Berkeley, where he did some advanced studies in Family Therapy and Systems Theory. You would learn that Edd was born into a working class family in Center City Philadelphia, attended a Jesuit prep school in North Philly, and started asking a lot of questions through the riots of the early 60s that left much of the neighborhood burned. Yet, at times Edd’s life story reads more like an unlikely novel than a dusty biography. For sixteen years he served as a high school counselor and family therapist in the Bay Area. His work in the school’s athletic program led to work with other athletes including world champion grand prix motorcycle racers, Olympic athletes, and All-Americans that took him all over the world. Later, he focused his practice on high achievers in business, the law and non-profits. He is most proud, though, of his work helping to develop young, emerging leaders in the Bay Area who now are committed to staying in the non-profit world, and making a noticeable and lasting impact on our society.

What brought you to your current position at Broad Street Ministry?
I was looking for a phone number! I heard about the Council for Relationships and their community partnership and was just looking up their number. I wasn’t looking for a job. I had a perfectly awful job already! Once I heard about this new endeavor, though, I found myself interested. And as I’ve made it my habit to have an updated resume always on file, I emailed it out without thinking about it again until I heard from Sara Corse at the Council for Relationships. I have no grand plan when it comes to my career. I simply go where it is interesting.

The interview was no typical interview. I was interviewing them too. Job interviews are a lot like dating: we want to put our best face forward, but later on we may be disappointed. I’ve learned to skip all that. Broad Street had a similar way about them. They weren’t trying to be impressive. Integrity has become an important principle in my life. It means that we don’t always look good or aren’t trying to always look good. Integrity is a unifying principle of my world, and I am working hard to let go of what isn’t real. We spend a lot of time posturing and I think it is bad for our posture.

I was told you are a man of no regrets who has experienced a broad spectrum of counseling. Do you have no regrets?
I believe the Old English origin of regret means “to weep all over again.” I don’t think I look back at my life with a lens of regret. There are, of course, any number of things I might do differently now, but it is all the cracks in us that are interesting, all the flaws in us that serve as the entryway to see who we really are and let go of our suffering. I believe that is my purpose – to alleviate suffering wherever I can.

Was this always your purpose in life?
No, but it is something that has informed most of my life. My grandmother was the most influential person in my early life. She lived in Center City and her family was from Ireland. She taught us that the purpose of life is to be of service, and to be generous. Through my grandmother I’ve always had an aversion to stinginess, and at times struggled to remain generous. As my grandmother learned from her mother, generosity isn’t a luxury. It is not about writing checks as we see it now; it’s about the survival of the community, about cutting a potato in half, or maybe in half again.

Tell me about a recent experience that reminded you of why you do what you do.
I’m intrigued with why we suffer in our lives so much. I believe the way out of suffering is the way in: entering another’s experiences with compassion. A lot of people get it wrong. Suffering is not contagious. When we join with those in pain, we can begin to make meaning of our own. For instance a while back now I was sitting with a friend during a particularly difficult time in my life and she was right there crying with me. She asked me, “Do you think it is our purpose just to suffer?” I replied without much thought, “No, I think it is to alleviate suffering.” “Now,” she said, “I know you’re going to be ok.” People end their own suffering by being available to others and in that way it is wonderfully selfish!

What are your dreams for Broad Street Ministry?
There is something wonderful about being new and still discovering a place. In the unknown, nothing is set yet; so nothing is right or wrong. It’s fun to let go of anxiety and just listen. I’ve been in conversations over the past weeks with members of the community about what might emerge as the Counseling Center. It is co-creating work. I see myself as a steward; I’m not the owner of what is emerging. This spring there are dreams of starting a new model for Deacons at Broad Street and I’m working with Rhonda Rhone on that. There have also been conversations with Sara Corse about offering Pre-marital counseling for those who wish to be married at Broad Street. Of course, we have to train others because I can’t do it all. Half my time will be spent at the Council for Relationships, and the other half at Broad Street Ministry.

Some Afterthoughts…
One thought I had this morning is about an aspect of my work I do not say enough about (and didn’t say enough about yesterday!). I believe that it is a courageous and loving act when we seek help in our lives, when we realize that we need someone to hold the map and the flashlight to help us find our way in the dark. Over the years I have been touched by many clients in ways more profound than they could possibly ever know. Any time that I am permitted to accompany someone as they delve deep into the marvels that make them who they are – whether those marvels be moments of incredible pain, or at times even joy – I do feel honored. It’s as if I am invited to join them in some sacred space that no one else has entered into before. And in those moments when I witness someone break free from their repetitive, self-defeating patterns where they have been stuck, sometimes for an amazingly long time, it really is as if I am witnessing a birth.

Interview by Miriam Tyler Todd

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