I recently learned the sad news that Judy Roberts, MSW, LMHC had passed away. Those of you that have been loyal Cascadia attendees for many years undoubtedly attended one of her Ethics workshops. I credit Judy with much of my success with Cascadia Training. 

Way back in the beginning of my career at Cascadia Training (then Cascadia Resource Exchange), I was struggling to find my way…and professional presenters. One day in 2002, I received a call from Judy saying that she had seen that we had been offering a few trainings and wondered if we were looking for an Ethics trainer. It just so happened that I was in desperate need of an Ethics trainer. Judy told me that she had been offering trainings thorough an agency in Tacoma and through a few different agencies in Seattle. What she really wanted to do was just present her materials, not have to set the room up, produce her own materials, etc. I told her I could help her with that, and we agreed to schedule our first training together. 

Well, that first training was a success and the beginning of a wonderful professional relationship. Judy developed several Ethics–related workshops that we offered through Cascadia. She also told some of her friends who were presenters about me. One of them was Yvonne Owen. Yvonne and Judy were great friends, and I always enjoyed booking workshops for them on the same day. We would then spend lunch together in the classroom. Judy would always bring a chocolate bar from Ken’s Grocery near her house. The bar would a love poem in it, which one of us would read aloud with our own special flair, and we would all have a good laugh. This is one of my fondest memory of Judy. 

Judy and I traveled the state together presenting workshops. We would take road trips to Yakima or fly to Spokane. She was a well-respected presenter and a fun person to be around. I truly enjoyed her company. 

Late in 2009, Judy presented one of her more demanding workshops, “Recordkeeping: Covering the Bases.” It probably was less than a week later that she called me to say that she was going to have to hang up her presentation hat and would be closing her practice. While presenting that workshop, she realized that she was really struggling. She had recognized the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (which I believe claimed her sister), and always the ethical therapist, she knew that she needed to retire. 

It was truly a sad day for me. Not because I had lost one of my most successful presenters…but because I wouldn’t be working with Judy again, no more love poems or road trips together. I had a celebration luncheon for Judy shortly thereafter, and she presented me with a plaque that hangs in my Shoreline Center office. It always makes me smile when I see it.  

Thank you for everything Judy C. Roberts, MSW, LMHC. You are missed. 

To chocolate and poetry…

-Brian