Ellisville Author Aims to Help Tap Personal Magic

With the release of her latest book, ""Everything You Need Is Right Here: Five Steps to Manifesting Magic and Miracles," Kimberly Schneider strives to help readers tap into peace and enjoy it in a way that could be described as feeling supernatural.

As a student of counseling, the Ellisville resident and former trial attorney has experience coaching people from many walks of life—experiences she drew on to help shape her book, which targets issues such as self confidence, ego and clarity of mind.

Prior to her appearance at on Saturday from 10 a.m. to Noon, Schneider took time to discuss these ideas and more with Ballwin-Ellisville Patch:

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in St. Louis and most of my extended family is here.  I grew up in various Missouri cities, mostly in Lee's Summit, MO (a suburb of Kansas City).  I moved back to St. Louis in 1988 to attend Washington University Law School.  I've always loved St. Louis and I'm happy to be back here with my husband, our two girls and two cats. 

You've had a diversified career. When and why did you decide to pursue motivational speaking and publishing?

When I was a kid I used to say I wanted to be an actress, a psychotherapist or a trial lawyer.  I've done a little bit of all three --and I get to draw upon all of them as a transformational speaker.  I use my psychotherapy skills to connect with audiences and teach about self-awareness; trial lawyer experience to help me think quickly on my feet when I'm working "on the spot" with audience members; and training as a performer to remember and recite my poetry during a speech. I finally decided to put what I was teaching into the form of a book, because I can reach more people that way.  I also feel that the discipline of writing a book forced me to get very clear about my message, which makes me a better speaker and teacher.

Is there a particular person (mentor, family member, historical figure, etc.) who you've tried to emulate as a person?

I admire many public and historical figures including Ghandi, Deepak Chopra, Rumi, Oprah Winfrey, and the Irish poet John O'Donohue.  Day to day, I also feel the strong influence of my Dad, whose life purpose was to make others smile, and my Mom, who is the best listener I know. 

What is "Everything You Need Is Right Here" all about? Who is it aimed at?

The basic message of the book is that everything you need to answer your heart's deepest desires is available to you, here and now, in this moment.  I wrote it for anyone looking for a hopeful, transformational message that magic and miracles are available to all of us--not just to a few people thousands of years ago. If someone wants access to tools that awaken them to their true, eternal nature, they'll find them in Everything You Need Is Right Here. 

How did you get the inspiration for the book?

When I had a private psychotherapy practice, I noticed that what people were most hungry for were spiritual tools that allowed them to find peace in the moment.  When I could help them release resistance to what was happening, or to what they feared, everything shifted.  I started refining and honing the practices I was teaching clients (and using myself) until I clarified a five step process for "manifesting magic and miracles," which, to be honest, is really just about reconnecting to something Bigger than your ego, whether you call that God, a Higher Power, the Universe, the Great Space, your higher self, or some other name.  The ideas here are certainly not new, they are thousands of years old.  But I hope I've presented them in a way that makes them easier for people to actually implement into their lives every day.

Is there a particular aspect or concept within "Everything You Need Is Right Here" people seem to find most compelling?

I use lots of true stories from my own life and my client's lives, along with some original poetry, to demonstrate the principles in the book, and I think that makes the concepts more real for readers.  Many people are inspired by the stories about our daughter Bridget, who has undergone five open heart surgeries and overcome many physical and developmental challenges.  Even though the book just came out, I am already hearing from people who are going through a crisis of some sort—health, relationship, finances, career-- who feel that Bridget's story speaks to them and gives them hope. I also think it's important that I am honest in the book about my own doubts, fears and failings along the way.  We don't have to be perfect to manifest magic and miracles.  We only have to remember who we are.