About Pat H. Conner

Pat Holland Conner wrote her first autobiography for a third-grade class assignment. This early story, found years later in a cookbook after her mother’s death, reminded her of those past years of inner urgings to express her creativity using pen and paper. Today this crinkled, browned, brittle and well-preserved script confirms her longtime goals and the feelings accompanying them.  “Doorways to Significance: Finding Peace, Power & Passion” is Pat’s story of growing up as an African-American female with white skin and the rejections, prejudices and biases she faced. The theme of this memoir is: “It’s never too late to change the brokenness.”  Pat’s second book, “Becoming Significant: Awakening the Power Within,” a self-improvement, non-fiction guide, offers growth tools for enhancing self-esteem, personal value and inner worth. Theme of this book is: “It’s up to you to manifest the life you deserve.”  During her undergraduate studies, Pat was admonished by her sociology professor to remain in school and complete her higher education objectives, especially with impending work opportunities opening up for minorities and females following the passage of Civil Rights laws. Instead she took a job as the first African-American hired at a major utility company and in subsequent years held similar first-time token positions as a file clerk, high school teacher, educational consultant and program manager.  Pat completed graduate studies at University of Nevada, Reno, and is a licensed family therapist and substance abuse counselor. She has worked successfully as an agency and private practice therapist, trainer and educator in USA, Asia and the Middle East.  She also established Peaceful Path Consulting designed to provide counseling to small businesses and individual owners as well as to promote local education, self-growth and awareness events within northern Nevada.  In the early days as an inspirational speaker and workshop leader, Pat offered successful divorce and grief recovery workshops titled, “Beginning Again: Rebuilding Your Life.” She now gives presentations as a guest speaker and creates workshops for different venues, including local schools, hospitals, business and service organizations, community colleges, spiritual centers and mental health agencies.