My name is Andy, I’m 40, and I live with my wife near London, Ontario. I wanted to share a few words about my good friend Dan Skinner.

I have known Dan since we were about 10 years old. We played competitive baseball together and were both part of the extended learning program at our respective public schools. Throughout high school Dan was easily one of the people I most respected—even back then, he was humble, intelligent, honest, kind and trustworthy. We kept in touch sporadically after high school, but in recent years we’ve reconnected, and I’m very grateful we have.

I have struggled with depression, anxiety and confidence issues for a large part of my life. Being able to discuss these problems with Dan has proved very helpful to me. In fact, I can honestly say I have found it more beneficial speaking with him than a number of counselors and doctors I’ve visited in the past. Not only has Dan given me insightful mental-health-specific advice, but also valuable life advice.

When speaking with Dan, it always feels like a healthy discussion (as opposed to a debate or competition). He has encouraged and subtly challenged me to be more open minded and to think more about the world around me, which has benefited multiple areas of my life and led me to be more open and accepting of other perspectives.

Dan never preaches or tells me what to do. Rather, he plants seeds of success, knowing full well that I have to be the one to water them. He is willing to share details about what has helped him find success, while also being aware of the fact that we’re all individuals, and what works for one person may not work for others. As such, he always makes suggestions that are specifically tailored to me and helps me discover what works best for my life. Simply talking with Dan inspires me to think and grow, and he is always careful to not overwhelm me with too much advice or too many suggestions at one time.

Dan really emphasizes the benefits of a healthy and positive lifestyle rather than recommending I simply rely on medication to make my life better. For the past year and a half I have been doing quite well: I haven’t felt depressed, my anxiety is under control and my natural confidence is the best it’s ever been. Going off a medication and decreasing another medication have no doubt played a role in this, but Dan’s friendship and suggestions have also played a huge part. Dan Skinner has helped me move forward in a positive direction in my life. Dan is a world-class listener with a true and genuine desire to help others unlock their full potential.

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