Lee E. Mortenson: Personal History

Lee was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1948.  Over the next five decades, he received 4 academic degrees, founded several successful businesses and wrote and edited a large number of publications in professional journals. (For more details on Lee's professional and academic history, click here).

While his professional career was externally rewarding, his personal life lead him to deeper introspection and on an entirely different journey.  By the early 1990's, Lee had been married and divorced three times.  While he had all of the standard signs of "success", he was depressed and recognized that he was a party to all of the "failures" of his marriages.  His successes didn't seem to "feed" him in any meaningful way.  

At first, Lee sought professional help, then was involved in a number of local and national Men's groups, attending the New Warriors weekend initiation adventure in 1992 and, in the late 1980's and early 1990's, managed several regional gatherings of men at Buffalo Gap, West Virginia.  Each of these experiences helped him to understand a little more about his inner issues, and when he began a new relationship with Carol, he decided it was time to dig deeper.  This lead to a decade long involvement with Doug and Naomi Moseley, two teachers who focus on relationships to others and to yourself.  Over the past decade, Lee moved from an occasional workshop attendee to an interest in assisting in Intimacy Training.  In 2003, he began a four-year apprenticeship with the Moseleys, working with clients and groups.  Starting in 2008, he and Carol join the Moseley training staff, assisting with some of the week-long trainings in Taos, NM, in addition to their practice in Maryland.

Carol Kirkland: Personal History 

Carol was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1954.  After attending  business school and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she worked in the pathology department at UNC, at an otology practice in Nashville, Tennessee, and finally at ELM, where she served as Vice President for the firm’s large Association Management Division for 17 years.  Carol retired in 2002.  Carol had been married twice before she and Lee entered into a relationship… and she was hesitant, to say the least, about the “M”-word (marriage).  And, to a man with two young children…dangerous territory, indeed!  Developing a strong internal relationship in addition to a relationship with Lee that is vital and strong and the challenges of being a step-mother have all been part of her work over the last decade.

Carol began to attend Moseley-led intimacy training workshops in 1998, and five years ago, entered into their training apprenticeship, working with clients and facilitating groups.  In addition to her Relationship Training activities, she serves as staff on week-long trainings for Intimacy Training in New Mexico.

Lee and Carol as Partners

First in business, then in relationship, and now as Partners in Relationship Training, LLC. Lee and Carol have worked together as partners for more than two decades.  In addition to their weekend workshops in Potomac, they have also conducted workshops for the Hyde Schools (parents and alumni), and serve as staff for week-long retreats in Taos, New Mexico with Doug & and Naomi Moseley.  Both also work with individual clients and couples, in person and by telephone.