At age 82, he is one of the last surviving teachers of The Human Potential Movement that focused on the value and dignity of the individual, and on the necessity for self-awareness, a connection with, and the strengthening of the inner Self, a spiritual awakening, and the acquisition of inner goodness. This movement was the most innovative and promising educational period in the history of our nation.

Dr. Gockley taught Counselor Education courses as a part-time Assistant Professor at S.U.N.Y Brockport. He spent 31 years working as a Guidance Specialist and District Director of Character Education in public education. He taught ValueSkills® – such as kindness, friendliness, patience and consideration; the appropriate use of feelings; and healthy character traits to children directly in the classrooms. Dr. Gockley created and published several programs for elementary students, such as Classroom Super Teams and World Class Citizens. The primary program included three teacher guides, three student workbooks and 110 original watercolor paintings that featured a forest animal community that modeled ValueSkills®.

Dr. Gockley and his wife Tanya wrote a parenting book, Loving is Natural, Parenting is Not: creating a value-centered family, 1997, that sold internationally, serving as advocates for parents and teachers to become effective role models for children. The parenting book promotes basic communication skills, a discipline program based on Calmness with Dignity, and more than 100 pages of unique family activities for teaching 14 ValueSkills® to children.

Gil and Tanya wrote Inner Journey: Finding Happiness Within, 2010, addressing themes such as Feelings, The Discovery of Self, Celebrating the Spirit Within, and Living with Others.

For 25 years, Dr. Gockley and his wife Tanya volunteered at a Community Counseling Center as counselors for adults whose lives had become unmanageable. The program focused on emotional wellness, meditation, and a twelve-step recovery and healing inner process. It was during this extraordinary and meaningful experience as a spiritual facilitator that motivated him to complete his life mission and write Awaken your Inner Self: five life-changing miracles.

Dr. Gil Gockley is a loving, dedicated husband, married to his best friend Tanya for 60 years. They have three sons, three daughters-in-law, five grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.