As a closeted, gay, Black man, Dr. O.T. Porter often found himself on the fringe of society, desperately seeking to complete a journey toward truth, self-love, and happiness. His journey into wholeness began with a move across the country, an unspoken personal goal, a decision to pursue higher education, and an unlikely friendship.Dear Anonymous Friend... is an autobiographical account of four extremely important years in the adult life of Dr. O.T. Porter, where he recounts the events that lead up to, and after, he made the decision to come completely out of the closet. The stories collected here focus on his inner and outer struggles, providing in depth details of the conflict between his thoughts, feelings, and desires, versus societal restraints, cultural norms, and interpersonal expectations. Dear Anonymous Friend... allows the reader a front row seat, illuminating the inner workings of the mind of a man struggling to assert and liberate himself in a world that tells him he should not exist. The book provides a wonderful balance of the gamut of human emotions, with page after page of unflinching honesty. The stories combine to create a picture of a man attempting to embrace opportunities to live openly, honestly, and freely, while recognizing the impact others have on him and the multiple manners in which he has made an impact. Dear Anonymous Friend... is a story about life, a story about truth, and a story about love.
About the Author: Dr. O.T. Porter is a seasoned educator, lecturer, author, researcher, and analyst. He holds a Doctorate in International Psychology with a concentration of Organizations and Systems, a Master's in Psychology with a concentration of Sport and Exercise, and his Bachelor's degree is also in Psychology. He continues to use his talents both internationally and domestically in multiple capacities. Dr. Porter is involved with the local and national community. He continues to formally teach psychology courses from dual-credit high school through doctorate level students both in-person and online. He also provides inspirational lectures, mentoring, and workshops at elementary and high schools throughout the country. He has led training courses for the American Counseling Association and Houston Community College. Dr. Porter also has a strong affinity for the members of the U.S. armed forces. His doctoral dissertation is an indigenous exploratory case study focused on military service members' critical attitudes and ideas surrounding military mental health services and possible methods to enhance services. Dr. Porter has contributed internationally to multiple organizations serving as a technical advisor providing in-depth organizational analyses, recommendations for program enhancement, and technical assistance in the development of guidelines, procedures, and policies in Peru and South Africa. He helped guide a university COO in Belize on the transition of staff, team-building, communication, and staff-productivity. He also had the opportunity to lead a training course on acculturative stress to select students at The University of Peru, Applied Sciences. Dr. Porter's current professional interests include: advocating for unity and equality for all people; mental and behavioral health research and consultation; program creation and evaluation, especially military; education; organizational training and development; continuing to author books; lecturing; team building and effectiveness; interpersonal communication training, especially cross cultural; team selection and integration, and teaching psychology courses.