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SNAPSHOT: BARBARA SHOHET

Occupation: I am a psychotherapist with a group private practice, the Danbury

Center for Living Skills in Danbury. I do individual, family, couples and

adolescent counseling. I have worked there for 2« years. Prior to that, I

commuted to Rockland County, and then I said to myself, "Why am I doing this?"

Biggest Change in Town: I have only been a resident for four years, but I have

seen two changes. One is the plethora of development. We bought an existing

house. One of the things we loved about Newtown was the wooded area. But that

is disappearing. The developers are on the march. Two, we moved here just when

Newtown was going through a self assessment on capital improvements. Taxes

have escalated a little faster than we had anticipated, but if you put it off,

it'll only get worse.

Family: I and my husband, Robert, have been married for five years. He's a

financial business and estate planner in Newtown.

Hobbies: I love reading, swimming and singing. I enjoy the arts and going to

the theater and Friends of Music concerts. I go to Town Players productions.

My birthday is coming up, and I want to see their latest play. When I moved

here, I was very impressed to find local theater groups. Community theater is

alive and well in Connecticut. I have tried to make SCAN (Society of Creative

Arts of Newtown) meetings, but I always seem to be working. I dabble a little

in watercolors. It makes me happy. It's one of the things I do to relax.

Books: I like contemporary women's fiction, such as by Toni Morrison, Alice

Walker and Alice Hoffman. I like stories that ring emotionally true but with a

little bit of magic or spirit in them.

Organizations: I am the second vice president in charge of membership for the

Business and Professional Women (BPW). I have also been a volunteer with the

AIDS Program of Greater Danbury. I facilitated a group, but I am still

available to help them out.

Travel: My husband and I went to Antigua last year. We try to go someplace

once a year, but we're in the stage of our life where we're focused on work

and family. I have cousins with children, so I play Aunt Barbara.

Philosophy: I think there's a quote from Emerson -- Though we travel the world

over to find beauty, we must carry it within ourselves or we will find it not

-- that comes closest to a personal philosophy I have. I use this a lot in my

work. The key is to feel worthy and valuable inside yourself.