About John
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Credentials
Educational: I was awarded a Master of Arts degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy (now Contemplative Counseling Psychology) from Naropa University in 2004, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Nevada in 1998. Licenses and Certifications: I hold a Licensed Mental Health Counselor credential from the State of Washington. I have a pending National Certified Counselor accreditation pending from the National Board of Certified Counselors. Psychotherapy: I have been a counselor in the State of Washington since 2014, and have worked in agencies with a variety of issues since 2006. Previously, I was a Certified Addictions Counselor in the State of Colorado, and worked in that field for 5 years. As a counselor I have officially trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Psycho-biological Approach to Couple Therapy. Facilitation: I completed a year-long facilitator training with Matrixworks Living Systems in 2005. I completed 2 years of volunteer and professional work with the National Civic League in Colorado in 2007. I completed a year-long training and additional internship, and am certified as a senior facilitator with Gender Equity and Reconciliation International as of 2015. Buddhism and Meditation: I was trained as a mindfulness instructor at Naropa University and have had the privilege of working with retreat practitioners, high school students, and adult beginners since 2008. I currently practice in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. |
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Journey to Counseling and Facilitation
Because I believe in mutual recovery – the idea that practitioner and client are walking a path of uncovering brilliant sanity together – I want to share with you briefly what brought me into counseling and facilitation as a career.
My journey began, as many do, with suffering. As a young adolescent male I experienced the extreme pain of emotional isolation and deadening that I believe marks young mens’ passage into adulthood in our shared culture. This caused me to go numb inside, to project anger outward, and to descend into depression inwardly.
It wasn’t until I rediscovered the emotions in my body, learned relational skills to connect with others, spent time in the mothering embrace of nature, and time in the fatherly embrace of contemplation and prayer that I found peace, happiness, and the ability to surf life’s challenges with something resembling balance, acceptance and even joy. I’m still practicing.
I have found that having allies in life who are committed to conscious relationship, valuing nature, and some form of contemplative or spiritual practice is key cultivating brilliant sanity, health and happiness. And so I offer myself to you as an ally in your journey, whether as an individual, couple or organization.
Because I believe in mutual recovery – the idea that practitioner and client are walking a path of uncovering brilliant sanity together – I want to share with you briefly what brought me into counseling and facilitation as a career.
My journey began, as many do, with suffering. As a young adolescent male I experienced the extreme pain of emotional isolation and deadening that I believe marks young mens’ passage into adulthood in our shared culture. This caused me to go numb inside, to project anger outward, and to descend into depression inwardly.
It wasn’t until I rediscovered the emotions in my body, learned relational skills to connect with others, spent time in the mothering embrace of nature, and time in the fatherly embrace of contemplation and prayer that I found peace, happiness, and the ability to surf life’s challenges with something resembling balance, acceptance and even joy. I’m still practicing.
I have found that having allies in life who are committed to conscious relationship, valuing nature, and some form of contemplative or spiritual practice is key cultivating brilliant sanity, health and happiness. And so I offer myself to you as an ally in your journey, whether as an individual, couple or organization.