Joyce Vissell
Joyce Vissell, RN, MS & Barry Vissell, MD have been a couple since 1964. A nurse and medical doctor, their main interest since 1972 has been counseling, healing and teaching. As a result of the worldwide interest in their books, they travel internationally teaching about personal growth, relationship, parenting and healing. They are the founders and directors of the Shared Heart Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the world one heart at a time. Their six deeply-moving books on relationship, family and healing are:
THE SHARED HEART: Relationship Initiations and Celebrations
MODELS OF LOVE: The Parent-Child Journey
RISK TO BE HEALED: The Heart of Personal and Relationship Growth
THE HEART'S WISDOM: A Practical Guide to Growing Through Love (also available as LIGHT IN THE MIRROR: A New Way to Understand Relationships)
MEANT TO BE: Miraculous True Stories to Inspire a Lifetime of Love
A MOTHER'S FINAL GIFT: How One Woman’s Courageous Dying Transformed Her Family
As a result of the wide popularity and unique perspective of these books, Barry & Joyce have been sought after to present talks and workshops internationally. They have been featured presenters for The Association of Unity Churches (including the Adults of Unity National Conference), The International Conference on Sacred Sexuality, Findhorn Foundation in Scotland, the Living Enrichment Center, The Bob Barcley Foundation, The Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), Science of Thought Foundation in England, Unity in Yoga Annual Retreat, and Adult Children Of Alcoholics (ACOA). They have been invited to offer programs at Omega Institute, New York Open Center, Interface Foundation, Whole Life Expos, and hundreds of “new thought” churches internationally. The Vissells are regular guests on radio and TV nationally. Their books have been translated into six different languages.
They are contributors to the New York Times bestselling series, Chicken Soup for the Soul.
They write a monthly column, “New Dimensions of Relationship,” which appears in 80 publications internationally.
The Vissells are the 1991 recipients of The Aquarian Award, a national honor given to those who have made an “outstanding contribution to the transformation of human consciousness.”
In 1992, they built a center for their work on 16 hilltop acres in the Santa Cruz mountains, where they live, counsel individuals and couples, and facilitate workshops and trainings.
Guideposts Magazine (approx. 15 million readers) featured Joyce and Barry, telling the story of their spiritual transformation and interdenominational marriage in their November, 2001 issue.
In 2004, a story from their book, Meant To Be, was made into a CBS Movie of the Week, “It Must Be Love,” starring Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen (real-life husband and wife actors), and directed by emmy-winning Steven Schacter.
The Vissells have two daughters born in 1976 and 1981, and a son born in 1989. They are committed to “walking their talk,” so they spend as much quality time as they can cultivating their relationship with each other and with their children.
“Obviously, the choice between human selfishness and divine Selfishness is not about leaving or not leaving a relationship. More important are the day-to-day opportunities in the course of relationship. It is really the choice of living from the heart or living from fear. And how do you live from fear? Saying "yes" when your heart wants to say "no." Saying "no" when your heart wants to say "yes." By not listening to your heart (i.e., what is best for your soul), you compromise your truth, and cause suffering in the relationship. You may be afraid of hurting your friend. You may be afraid of losing their love and friendship. Whatever it is you are afraid of, it is still fear that is ruling you, rather than love.”
“I remember a time when I was rejected for speaking my truth. The rejection hurt very much. I kept going over and over in my mind my motives for sharing my truth, and each time I realized that I had come from my heart. This person refuses to be my friend anymore. Over the years I have come to the feeling that Leo was able to access right away. This person is missing out on so much, for I am a loving person and a good devoted friend. I could have enriched this person's life. I no longer feel the personal pain of rejection, but the sadness for what my former friend is missing. I realized also from this experience that it is most important to speak one's deepest truth and to follow the calling of our heart. As we do so we are filled with an inner power and conviction to give the precious gift that we came to earth to give.”
“We have been together for 40 years, married for 36. There have been three times in our relationship when we were unable to resolve an issue on our own. We used all the skill that we have and yet it was still unresolved. In those three times we sought professional help because there was a blind spot for each of us. The therapist was able to listen to both of us and help us come to a place of resolution that we both felt good about. I feel very grateful for that help. Most times we have been able to work things through on our own. Sometimes we can clear the issue in a matter of a few minutes, sometimes an hour and sometimes it can take several days. But we still keep working on it until we both say that we feel complete, we understand our own part and responsibility in the issue rather than simply blaming each other, are willing to go on, and there is an even deeper connection and sometimes even humor to the situation. In working each issue through to completion we have been able to retain a beautiful lightness in our relationship that we both cherish.”
“An unresolved issue will be like a cancer with the potential to spread into other areas of your relationship, eroding the joy, lightness, love and beauty.”
“It is not about how much money we make or how big and powerful our work appears to others, it is about the love with which we put into each act of kindness toward another human being.”
“Whatever your financial status in life, or whatever work you do, know that you can make a significant contribution to your family and world by doing small things with great love.”
“For me, I would rather have a small gift given with great love.”