Professional assistance needed in Bay Area

forteanajones · 06-04-2003, 05:44 PM

Hi everyone. I am turning Thirty this Summer and am experiencing a crisis. I'm essentially functional but it is pretty clear to me that if I don't find professional help soon I may be in trouble. I have read Daniel's book and loved it. I've considered before the idea of this kind of self-treatment and am thinking about it again now, however I am concerned about the possibility of worsening my condition further by not obtaining proper guidance and setting first.

Over the years I've dabbled with therapy but I was never able to develop trust for anyone and I don't really respect the mainstream approaches that seem to be all you can get through a provider. Finally one day I came across a reference to the idea of Shamanistic Psychology and even found one in Southern California (here and here). Even though the name ("PsychoShamanism") is a little disturbing I immediately contacted her. Unfortunately this person was not able to help me locate anyone local to where I live and became a dead end.

My obvious first question to this board would be, does anyone here know of any type of shamanistic work being done in the San Francisco Bay Area? Failing that, does anyone here know of anything along these lines, or have any recommendations for where I should begin to look? If I don't find a lead soon I may just decide to flip open BlueShield's book and pick someone at random who might have a recommendation, but the mere idea of going down that path again frustrates and depresses me.

My second question, to Daniel in particular, relates to a person mentioned in BOTH. Any chance you could pass my email address along to Robert from Ch. 31? He sounds like he could be a perfect fit for me, however I don't travel to Massachusettes or Hawa'i often (although I am coincidentally going to Kaua'i this Summer).

[ June 05, 2003, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: forteanajones ]

Woodpecker · 06-05-2003, 10:36 AM

Not an answer to your questions, Fort, just a "stay cool" and "good luck"....

forteanajones · 06-05-2003, 12:51 PM

Appreciate it!

(OK...breathe in....breathe out...breathe in...)

RobH · 06-05-2003, 03:10 PM

Fort,
You might try contacting the California Institute for Interal Studies. There are many people there who share you interests and concerns. The counseling section of their website is:

http://www.ciis.edu/counseling/

Wishing you the best,
Rob

bcf · 06-06-2003, 10:21 PM

Try Dr. Charlie Verge at Spritualtherapy.com....or you can get his phone number from info for newton ma. He is in Mass. and is very much like the "robert" character in the book (maybe he even is???). He does shamanistic/spritual/psychotherapy and is comfortable working long distance. post back if you want his phone number. in northern calif there is also the Michael Harner organization but i've no great enthusiasm for it...all best.

Woodpecker · 06-08-2003, 04:33 AM

I had a great "soul retrieval" ceremony last year with a Harner practitioner. She really knew what she was doing. I can't vouch for everyone in her organization, of course.

J EdgeRider · 06-08-2003, 05:30 AM

To Forteana: I'm fairly new to this forum and haven't posted before, but this caught my attention right away. Am just over the hill in Santa Cruz County and may have a lead or two for you. A friend knows a practitioner who MAY be doing that sort of therapy, and I'll check into her and let you know. Also, have you heard of Brant Secunda's Dance of the Deer Foundation over here? He leads Huicol shamanistic-oriented adventures...one coming up to a Mt. Shasta cave) early next month, I believe. Have been a bit skeptical when I've seen his ads and such, but recently my friend said she's heard various people mention him and his work and none of them were negative, at least.

We can discuss this further off-list if that would be more appropriate.

Meantime, hang in there and IF you want, feel free to say more about what you're going through.
--J.E.

daniel · 06-08-2003, 11:51 AM

Stan Grof and his wife founded the "Spiritual Emergency Network," which is based in San Francisco, just for this type of crisis. I imagine a google search or 411 would give you the number of their hotline, where someone will talk to you right away.

Grof is the psychoanalyst who did LSD research and later invented holotropic breathwork.

Good luck, my friend!

dp

forteanajones · 06-10-2003, 05:46 PM

Wow, seems I came to the right place. What great responses from everyone. Harner sounds interesting but I'll need to read up on it. Brant Secunda might be a good match given my family connections to Native Americana, and the rates aren't too bad. I might just sign up for a September adventure to Mt. Shasta.

I think CPSH*at CIIS (formerly "Spiritual Emergency Network") may be the right longer-term solution. Especially if they are open-minded about insurance.

Excellent stuff. Many thanks, everyone!

forteanajones · 06-11-2003, 10:19 AM

Helaine Harris (see above) just wrote back with some more leads. Anyone here ever heard of Isa Gucciardi, Gayla Reiter or P. Anthony Humber? Isa Gucciardi has a web site at www.sacredstream.org.

daniel · 06-27-2003, 05:17 AM

forteana,

have you pursued any of those leads? If so, what happened?

06-05-2003, 10:36 AM	#2
Woodpecker Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 321	Not an answer to your questions, Fort, just a "stay cool" and "good luck".... __________________ Could not life continue on earth without wind? Or must everything tremble, always, always?<br />--Henri Michaux

06-08-2003, 04:33 AM	#6
Woodpecker Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 321	I had a great "soul retrieval" ceremony last year with a Harner practitioner. She really knew what she was doing. I can't vouch for everyone in her organization, of course. __________________ Could not life continue on earth without wind? Or must everything tremble, always, always?<br />--Henri Michaux

06-08-2003, 11:51 AM	#8
daniel Author of 'Breaking Open the Head' Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,861	Stan Grof and his wife founded the "Spiritual Emergency Network," which is based in San Francisco, just for this type of crisis. I imagine a google search or 411 would give you the number of their hotline, where someone will talk to you right away. Grof is the psychoanalyst who did LSD research and later invented holotropic breathwork. Good luck, my friend! dp __________________ "Look for diamonds on the sidewalk." -- Kerouac

06-27-2003, 05:17 AM	#11
daniel Author of 'Breaking Open the Head' Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,861	forteana, have you pursued any of those leads? If so, what happened? __________________ "Look for diamonds on the sidewalk." -- Kerouac

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06-04-2003, 05:44 PM	#1
forteanajones Administrator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 630	Hi everyone. I am turning Thirty this Summer and am experiencing a crisis. I'm essentially functional but it is pretty clear to me that if I don't find professional help soon I may be in trouble. I have read Daniel's book and loved it. I've considered before the idea of this kind of self-treatment and am thinking about it again now, however I am concerned about the possibility of worsening my condition further by not obtaining proper guidance and setting first. Over the years I've dabbled with therapy but I was never able to develop trust for anyone and I don't really respect the mainstream approaches that seem to be all you can get through a provider. Finally one day I came across a reference to the idea of Shamanistic Psychology and even found one in Southern California (here and here). Even though the name ("PsychoShamanism") is a little disturbing I immediately contacted her. Unfortunately this person was not able to help me locate anyone local to where I live and became a dead end. My obvious first question to this board would be, does anyone here know of any type of shamanistic work being done in the San Francisco Bay Area? Failing that, does anyone here know of anything along these lines, or have any recommendations for where I should begin to look? If I don't find a lead soon I may just decide to flip open BlueShield's book and pick someone at random who might have a recommendation, but the mere idea of going down that path again frustrates and depresses me. My second question, to Daniel in particular, relates to a person mentioned in BOTH. Any chance you could pass my email address along to Robert from Ch. 31? He sounds like he could be a perfect fit for me, however I don't travel to Massachusettes or Hawa'i often (although I am coincidentally going to Kaua'i this Summer). [ June 05, 2003, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: forteanajones ]

06-05-2003, 12:51 PM	#3
forteanajones Administrator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 630	Appreciate it! (OK...breathe in....breathe out...breathe in...)

06-05-2003, 03:10 PM	#4
RobH Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 17	Fort, You might try contacting the California Institute for Interal Studies. There are many people there who share you interests and concerns. The counseling section of their website is: http://www.ciis.edu/counseling/ Wishing you the best, Rob

06-06-2003, 10:21 PM	#5
bcf Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: berkeley, CA Posts: 3	Try Dr. Charlie Verge at Spritualtherapy.com....or you can get his phone number from info for newton ma. He is in Mass. and is very much like the "robert" character in the book (maybe he even is???). He does shamanistic/spritual/psychotherapy and is comfortable working long distance. post back if you want his phone number. in northern calif there is also the Michael Harner organization but i've no great enthusiasm for it...all best.

06-08-2003, 05:30 AM	#7
J EdgeRider Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 6	To Forteana: I'm fairly new to this forum and haven't posted before, but this caught my attention right away. Am just over the hill in Santa Cruz County and may have a lead or two for you. A friend knows a practitioner who MAY be doing that sort of therapy, and I'll check into her and let you know. Also, have you heard of Brant Secunda's Dance of the Deer Foundation over here? He leads Huicol shamanistic-oriented adventures...one coming up to a Mt. Shasta cave) early next month, I believe. Have been a bit skeptical when I've seen his ads and such, but recently my friend said she's heard various people mention him and his work and none of them were negative, at least. We can discuss this further off-list if that would be more appropriate. Meantime, hang in there and IF you want, feel free to say more about what you're going through. --J.E.

06-10-2003, 05:46 PM	#9
forteanajones Administrator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 630	Wow, seems I came to the right place. What great responses from everyone. Harner sounds interesting but I'll need to read up on it. Brant Secunda might be a good match given my family connections to Native Americana, and the rates aren't too bad. I might just sign up for a September adventure to Mt. Shasta. I think CPSH*at CIIS (formerly "Spiritual Emergency Network") may be the right longer-term solution. Especially if they are open-minded about insurance. Excellent stuff. Many thanks, everyone!

06-11-2003, 10:19 AM	#10
forteanajones Administrator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 630	Helaine Harris (see above) just wrote back with some more leads. Anyone here ever heard of Isa Gucciardi, Gayla Reiter or P. Anthony Humber? Isa Gucciardi has a web site at www.sacredstream.org.