Our Bios
Counseling Services
Together, we are both experienced therapists who offer practical solutions for difficulties with over eating, anxiety, and depression. Our experience is that a peaceful mind knows how to solve its problems. Skills are the foundation of confidence—We teach skills. We are available by phone and in person in our South Bay office (Palo Alto, CA). We are available for a 15 minute free consultation to help you decide whether this program is right for you. Please contact us by email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Elad Levinson, LCSW
Elad Levinson is passionate about facilitating personal transformation, with a focus on building high performance teams and supporting individuals to change their relationship to food, weight, and personal health, through mindfulness practice and altruism.
Trained as a Strategic Business Consultant in Organization Development and a Psychotherapist, Elad is a 40 year veteran of social innovation, entrepreneurship and consultation to for-profit and not for profit firms. He has been a senior leader internally in Human Resources and Organization Development as well as a trusted advisor to executives and leaders as an external consultant.
his business, Noble Purpose Consulting, Elad delivers Corporate Social Responsibility coaching, consulting, and training to entrepreneurs in “green”, “sustainability “and social responsibility market sectors.
Prior to co-founding Pounds for Poverty, he founded and served as Senior Learning and Leadership Development professional at Agilent Technologies and Vice President of Human Resources for several small to medium firms, as well Program Director at Interaction Associates, a preeminent consultancy on facilitative leadership and collaboration.
He is the founder, author and creator of “What is the Hunger That Food Cannot Satisfy?” a program sponsored by Stanford University. Elad was founder and President of Productivity Specialists, a multimedia Stress Management presentation and seminar business, co-founder of “Lifelong” a comprehensive integral medicine approach.
Elad has always had a desire to help. One of his earliest professional experiences was co-founding a residence camp for kids that still flourishes today in Northern California. “I loved seeing the kids come off the bus scared, homesick and curious and in three weeks become more confident, capable and committed to social justice.”
In 1970, he confronted two serious health problems- being morbidly obese (295 pounds) and cigarette smoking. The method that worked was developing self awareness and cultivating generosity. Both qualities are fundamental to Pounds for Poverty. He has not smoked since then and I has maintained the 100 pounds weight loss. “Nothing makes me happier than knowing that because of my skills someone’s life is enriched. I am thrilled to bring my full complement of knowledge and skills to alleviating world hunger and helping people with over eating to become healthier.”
Maryann Marks, M.F.T.
For the past six years, Maryann Marks have been counseling couples, individuals, students and children with a emphasis on mindfulness- based psychology. Her clients found out that mindfulness works so well; simply by slowing down we find the answers to our problems.
For the past 25 years, I have been searching for a peaceful way to live. I have been influenced by the living and past teachers, Byron Katie, Amma, Echkart Tolle and the Buddha. All four of these amazing masters have the same message…. Look within, Learn acceptance, meditate, and be in the present moment.
With much practice she has learned what works and has come to a place of peace. “I still fall off the mark from time to time, but I can easily come back without a lot of drama or extended time in turmoil.” What brings Maryann to this place to teach Pounds for Poverty™ is her own battle with my body image, binge eating and incessant dieting compulsion for years, starting at the age of 12. In her search for inner happiness, she knew that she had to make peace with her body. Part of the practice is accepting what is. My body is large, gains weight readily and holds onto it easily. “For me, accepting myself was the hardest journey I could ever undertake.”
Maryann is a Marriage Family Therapist. She has counseled individuals and groups using mindfulness as a focus for recovery. “After reading many self-help books, I can say without a doubt that this practice of mindfulness is the only thing that has been sustainable for me. I learned how to stop dieting and end my binge eating. I have participated in many Buddhist silent retreats and continue to practice meditation on a daily basis.” “Combining mindfulness practice with altruism is a brilliant solution to over consuming. As you will learn on this journey we take together, being present to this moment can end your suffering. I urge you to find out through your own experience of this practice what will work for you.”