Tom McLaughlin loves stories. In fact, he loves stories even more than chocolate chip cookies. And for a chocoholic, that’s huge. Tom teaches in the Religious Studies Department of...view moreTom McLaughlin loves stories. In fact, he loves stories even more than chocolate chip cookies. And for a chocoholic, that’s huge. Tom teaches in the Religious Studies Department of a Portland-area high school and has also taught World Religions at Portland Community College. He is also a writer, integrative coach, and storyteller. Most recently he published the eBook "100 Ways to Love Yourself...And Why It Matters to All of Us." He has worked with adults and high school youth since earning a BA in English from the University of Notre Dame in 1985. After serving as an Air Force officer, Tom worked a wide variety of not-so satisfying jobs before returning to graduate school. His MA from Marylhurst University focused on Spiritual Traditions and Ethics; his thesis unpacked the relationship between exploring and telling personal stories and being an authentic human being. Following graduate school, he taught high school Religion in Beaverton, Oregon. Tom has traveled extensively throughout the United States (45 states and counting) and Europe, and he’s also ventured to Japan, Canada, and Mexico. He's an avid hiker, a lover of movies, and a voracious reader, particularly of fiction.view less