David’s extensive work with individuals facing life-threatening illnesses inspired him to co-write a book called Rituals for Living and Dying, which Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross referred to as “one of the best publications I have seen on the topic. I recommend it highly for anybody who has the courag e to delve into the issue of death and dying.”
David was working on Rituals when he first heard Ann Mortifee’s music. Impressed with the haunting melodies and depth of her lyrics, he recognized the impact that Ann’s music could have on people dealing with end-of-life issues. Soon after they met, they found themselves collaborating on the first of their many projects together, an album called Serenade at the Doorway. The album, which has been widely used in hospices and palliative care facilities, resonates deeply with people who are facing their own, or a loved one’s death. It is also a powerful resource for those confronting the death of a dream, a relationship, or a time of life.
Since then, David and Ann have presented many workshops together, and he has also become a creative collaborator on Ann’s musical theatre projects. In describing their unusual collaboration, David reflected: “While Ann’s genius shines all the time, with me or without me, somehow I can hold a space that seems to quicken that genius. So I get to be an evocator, the first audience, and the first critic, sometimes before a scene segment has even reached the computer keyboard. I have joked that our collaboration is like that of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Ann is the ‘Rodgers,’ and Ann is the ‘Hammerstein,’ while in some mysterious but precious way I get to be the ‘and.’”
Ann adds: “There is something in David’s intention, attention, and brilliance that seems to open a door for the Muse to step through. There is an alchemy between us that begins to brew the moment we sit down to work. Often we find ourselves laughing out loud at just who or what or how something chooses to come calling. Our collaboration and friendship is a tremendous gift and a much treasured blessing in my life.”
David is married to best-selling author and energy healing practitioner, Donna Eden. Her background, combined with David’s innovative therapeutic approaches, led the two of them to build Innersource, an internationally-recognized service organization that is a pioneering force in energy medicine, energy psychology, and consciousness studies. Their latest book, The Energies of Love, achieved best-seller status on The New York Times Relationship List.
David tours and lectures extensively and is widely recognized as a pioneer and leader in his field. He received the 2012 Outstanding Contribution Award from the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology and the 2015 Outstanding Leadership Award from the Canadian Association for Integrative and Energy Therapies. In 2013, he and Donna were honoured with the Infinity Foundation’s Spirit Award for their “contribution to the evolution of consciousness and its impact on society.”