John L Cannon🌈🍄

I am trying to pass on, pro bono, the teachings, empowerments, initiations, trainings &c from both mainstream (albeit cutting-edge) modalities in psychotherapy and the equal number of years I have spent @ the feet of Indigenous teachers in both North & South America. Being physically disabled and retired now, leaves me more time to learn the ill-defined role of Eldership and how 2 pass on the indigenous wisdom teachings that I have been lucky enough 2 receive. I am also Two-Spirit (see 'Two-Spirit Theory' in Wikipedia). When I was being instructed in the structure of Lakota Healing Ceremonies, I was told I had Heyoka traits (important caveat: I make no claim of being one of the truly powerful class of true Heyokas), I do have the tendencies of a Contrary Clown, in that I tend 2 b overly & involuntarily blunt & irreverent, knowing that humor has the power to throw the switch between worlds, turning situations, rounding the corner of parallel universes (while maintaining an incredibly low degree of hubris). I have tried to take to heart what an indigenous teacher once told me, "We heal thru laughter & tears." Skillful use of humor, sometimes @ the most reverential times, is an under-utilized resource. Networked, conducted healing ceremonies, learned and initiated into special 'lineages of power,' for lack of a better term. This process has been somewhat slowed down by a body that seems 2 b falling apart as i type - aah, sweet Impermanence. But, as an Elder, I'm in no hurry...

Inpatient & outpatient tx programs, in both individual & group formats, for addictions and trauma treatment, working with adults and juveniles and performing forensic mental health evaluations for various municipal and county courts. Also lectured on psychiatric & psychological topics for Masters & Johnson. A personal & professional life of study and practice of grounded and cutting-edge modalities (in that time) in mental health, ways of combining 'Western' views' (e.g. the 'medical model,' which looks 4 diversity and pathologizes it), and the Indigenous, Earth-centered world of ancient, elemental energy and spiritual (not religious) knowledge which acknowledges & honors diversity as a resource.

Took trainings in the Hakomi Method of Mindfulness-Based, Assisted Self Study, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Matrix Leadership Institute's Fascilitator Training; Ritual Trance Dance Facilitation Training, concurrently studying with many Medicine People from the Lakota & Dakota (Sioux); also apprenticed w Teachers in Peru, Don Juan Nunez del Prado & Don Theo Paredes. Other trainings either too esoteric or not enough room to describe.

Developed their Dual Diagnosis Program & was their lead psychotherapist & worked as a therapist on the Masters and Johnson Unit treating Trauma and Dissociative Disorders, as well as doing groups on the Adolescent Unit.

Developed the first "Dual Diagnosis" unit in this region of the United States and served as a therapist on that unit as well as others within the hospital.

My graduate work was primarily associated with my thesis, “Vision in Transition: Peyotism Among the Kiowa-Apache”

It was the late 60's - polysubstance abuse was the norm. I tended bar @ the Rock Chalk Cafe & took as many different mind-altering, consciousness expanding (& numbing) plants & drugs as they presented themselves. i was a lazy political activist but enjoyed the intellectual repartee. Although I was not introduced into true entheogenic , structured Ceremony until graduate school, I did learn to pay attention to Set & Setting. I'm now too old to remember any scholastic content, but I do recall learning about predominantly Chinese & Indian spiritual systems (aside from my extracurricular, experiential learning).