Category: Psychotherapy

• Shamans, Clowns, and Tricksters

  Psychotherapy and shamanism rely, in part, on compassionate truth-telling to facilitate healing. Sometimes we healers become clowns, touched by the playfulness and directness of the Tricksters: Coyote, Raven, or Spider. The truth can hurt, yet it can also heal. A lot depends on packaging.

  Michael Watson PhD

  May 3, 2011

  Healing, Psychotherapy, Shamanism

  coyote, Geronimo, racism, Shamanism, tricksters

• Spring, Gratitude, and The Medicine Wheel

  Alicia Daniel, my friend and colleague, and a field naturalist at UVM, was the guest presenter in my class this week. Her theme was “Spring and the Medicine Wheel”. Although it had been snowing and raining for over 24 hours, Alicia gamely took the class to a nearby natural area to look for signs of…

  Michael Watson PhD

  April 10, 2011

  native american, Nature, Psychotherapy, Shamanism

  Medicine Wheel, Shamanism, spring

• Thinking About Money

  I’ve been thinking about money, a difficult subject. In many First Nations communities, shamans and other healers do not receive payment for their services. In those communities, healers usually hold day jobs, and heal in their off hours. Rather than paying for the healer’s services, families and individuals bear the costs of ceremonies and other…

  Michael Watson PhD

  March 29, 2011

  First Nations, Psychotherapy, Shamanism

  healing, market economy, money

• Just Therapy Revisited

  Just Therapies acknowledge the hardships created by unfair, or unjust, cultural practices. They also encourage clients to create a life that is meaningful, even in the face of brutal social realities. Arising from Indigenous experience, and generalized to marginalized persons everywhere, Just Therapy seeks to be both visionary and good medicine.

  Michael Watson PhD

  March 5, 2011

  First Nations, Psychotherapy, Shamanism

  depresion, Just Therapy, social justice, visionary experience, visions