Michael Watson

[Thyme4Mind]

So the other day I met up with some friends who I had known in college a few years ago, and hadn't seen since that period of time. They told me that the psychology department of the school has been increasingly geared towards psychedelic studies, and that one of their faculty members teaches courses in shamanism. These friends told me that this faculty member had gone so far as to encourage students to travel to Peru to take ayahuasca. This is of course hear-say.

I emailed the psychology department of the school and asked about their program in psychedelic studies, shamanism, etc...and after some push-back I was able to get contact information for Michael Watson, the alleged faculty member I was told about by my friends.

I searched for Michael Watson and it turns out he has his own private practice in which he offers services such as psychotherapy, reiki (I believe reiki is offered by his wife), and shamanic healing. I emailed Michael, asking him to explain what is entailed by "shamanic healing" and I explained what I had heard about his promotion of ayahuasca tourism. I asked if he was familiar with UMIYAC or the UN's policy regarding Indigenous intellectual/spiritual property. He explained to me that he does not use ayahuasca, but that he did learn from Amazonian teachers and he is occasionally consulted to help someone who's had a bad experience in the jungle. He stated that he has worked to defend the great forest for forty years, and that he is actually Indigenous.  He did not respond to my questions regarding UMIYAC and other Indigenous resistance or the UN. As a note, I do not think he has actively encouraged people to travel to Peru to take ayahuasca and that my friends were making a broad generalization.

This is as comfortable as I feel questioning him and his practices, as I am not Indigenous and don't feel that I have a right to question other peoples claims to Indigenous heritage.

Here is his website: http://journeyworksvt.com/

His about me page:

I am a shamanic healer, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and educator of Native American and European ancestry, a survivor of Polio, and a visual and performing artist.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to learn from shamans and other healers from diverse cultures of the Americas and Eurasia. I am deeply grateful for their teaching and support, and count myself fortunate that several of my teachers have become treasured friends and colleagues.

I have been in private practice as a psychotherapist in Vermont since 1980.

As a psychotherapist, I am trained in Jungian, transpersonal, and family therapy models of counseling. More recently I have been drawn to the Narrative therapies, which are focused, like many Indigenous healing systems, on the transformative power of stories. I am deeply indebted to the late Australian Narrative therapist, Michael White, for his generosity of spirit and knowledge, encouragement, and deep appreciation of Indigenous ways of being.

Since 1979, I have taught at Burlington College, where I served as Dean of Students for several years.

With my wife and colleague, Jennie Kristel, I offer short-term groups, workshops, and trainings, as well as seasonal ceremonies.

You may learn more about my work by visiting my blog.

EDUCATION: B.F.A. in Studio Art with a focus on printmaking
Wright State University

M.A. in Studio with a focus on sculpture
New Mexico Highlands University

M.A. in Transpersonal Counseling
Goddard College

External degree Ph.D. in Psychology and Environmental Studies
Columbia Pacific University

His page about shamanic healing:

Shamanic Healing is the art of working with Spirit on behalf of those who suffer.

My work draws from the wisdom traditions of my teachers from the Americas and Asia, integrating visionary healing, shamanic counseling, ceremony, and curanderismo.

Shamanic healings are available by appointment. Sessions may be scheduled for my office, or for distance healing via telephone or Skype.

My shamanic healing work focuses on:

    Physical and Emotional Trauma
    Chronic Illness
    Creativity
    Family Issues
    Grief
    Spiritual Crises
    Work with Spirits

Shamanic Healings may include:

    Shamanic Counseling: Conversation from a place of vision
    Extraction Healing: Removing the spiritual sources of dis-ease
    Energy/Body Work: Calling forth the body, mind, and spirit's capacity for healing
    Soul Retrieval: Repairing Self following illness, fright, or trauma
    Ancestor and Spirit Work: Relieving the suffering of spirits
    Ceremony: Utilizing ritual and ceremony for healing

I teach courses and workshops in the United States and Asia in:

    The fundamentals of shamanic healing
    Shamanic healing tools for health care professionals
    Integrating shamanism, narrative therapies, and the arts

His page on what to expect during shamanic healing:

We will begin our work together by discussing the challenges you face. Usually I will drum to look into your life situation, and to request the aid of the Ancestors and helping spirits. We will then speak together from a place of vision, and consider how best to address the obstacles that confront you. I may recommend shamanic energy work, ritual, or ceremony. Most often, a combination of these tools is needed to restore balance and a sense of health and wellbeing.Shamanic healing sessions usually last about 90 minutes. There may be times when a longer meeting, or a ceremony, in a natural setting would be helpful. We can discuss this as the need arises. Shamanic work is usually brief, consisting of one to three sessions. Infrequently, more intensive work is needed or desired.

Many people find it helpful to bring one or more trusted support persons to shamanic healings, as their participation can strengthen and hasten the healing process.

His blog can be found here: https://michaelwatsonvt.wordpress.com/

On his blog's about me page, in regards to Native heritage:

Traditionally, when asked about being a shaman one responded, " My teachers, and my teachers' teachers, were shamans." In 2002, my teachers told me I must become more visible, and teach. That was not a simple directive to fulfill. I have always been taught that one never calls oneself a shaman or medicine person; only the elders and teachers, and the people one aids, can speak to who is, or is not, a shaman.  Growing up I was taught one does not let others know one is Native. Yet, the world has changed much, and I do not live in traditional culture. My teachers believe it is now important for visionary healers to stand true and straight, to acknowledge our training, and to respectfully share the teachings and practices we know with others. I do my best to do so in my work and in this blog.

I am of blended heritage, my genealogy being confounding at best. Our family passed as European for at least two generations. My father's father was a Native American from the Black Hills (most probably Lakota). His mother was a Native American from Indiana, we believe Shawnee. Periodically someone on that side of the family "discovers" our grandmother's actual tribal affiliation, but those discoveries tend to dissipate into more unknowing. There are many genealogical stone walls, as fits a family in hiding. My mother's family identified as hailing from the British Isles, although there were rumors of recent Cherokee ancestry as well. (My father said our family is Native on both sides.) They were from Texas, and very aware of the racism Natives face in that state. Anyway, we don't have tribal affiliation.  Identity politics are strong in this country, and being Mixed Blood teaches one much about living in between easily defined categories. It also teaches much about the long term impacts of forced assimilation.

As seems right, my work draws from both First Nations and contemporary Western traditions, and reflects my connection to the forces and processes of Nature. Always my work supports others in developing intimate, transformative relationships with both Self, and the natural world.

[Autumn]

Praxis, I would question his educational qualifications.

EDUCATION: B.F.A. in Studio Art with a focus on printmaking
Wright State University

M.A. in Studio with a focus on sculpture
New Mexico Highlands University

M.A. in Transpersonal Counseling
Goddard College

External degree Ph.D. in Psychology and Environmental Studies
Columbia Pacific University

Mostly, his education is in art.  His M.A. and the Ph.D, however, are very questionable.

Whenever you see "Transpersonal" that should stop you in your tracks:

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=4198.msg35721#msg35721

Goddard does seem to be an accredited college, but I cannot find on their website any mention of a Masters Degree in Transpersonal Counseling.

http://www.goddard.edu/academics/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goddard_College

Columbia Pacific University was closed in 2000:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Pacific_University

Columbia Pacific University (CPU) was an unaccredited nontraditional distance learning school in California.

He did not list any dates on his degrees, but apparently the CPU degree is valid (in California only, I believe) if awarded before June 1997:

"CPU (Columbia Pacific University) degrees awarded before June 25, 1997 are legally valid. Your degree, and any credential or license you received by virtue of the degree, should not be (negatively) affected. CPU had legal approval to operate (in the State of California) until June 25, 1997, and the degrees it issued (conferred) before June 25, 1997 are legal (valid).

http://columbiapacificuniversity.org/

[Thyme4Mind]

I just called Goddard and left a message asking if they have ever offered an M.A. in Transpersonal Counseling. I will call again tomorrow when they're open if I don't hear back from them in the morning.

Vermont is a very, very small place--it would pretty audacious for Michael to claim a degree at Goddard if it never actually existed, since it's not difficult at all to verify such information in such a tiny community.

CPU is clearly questionable, but I don't believe that Burlington College would find that it discredits Michael's work. BC itself is very "non-traditional" and even has its own transpersonal program. I attended for a year and a half and left because I thought the school was too new-agey and the education I was getting did not seem useful or relevant to anything--and this was during a period of my life in which I was actually attracted to new-age culture...so that says something. So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think it matters if this guy has questionable qualifications, since the department he is employed by is questionable. (I wont speak for the entire school, as they are reputed for their film and art programs)

I'll report back tomorrow with whatever I hear from Goddard.

[Epiphany]

He practices core shamanism, that is a problem.
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=236.0

He claims his genealogy is confounding, mysterious, born of hidden people who had to hide - we've heard that story before here.  I bet he wants to benefit from the supposed mystery so that he can continue to claim special NDN specialness.

Reducing Native identities and cultures to "identity politics" is clueless on his part.

Claiming to be "mixed blood" "living in between", a supposed victim of forced assimilation - these are common pretendian themes too.

He says his work draws from First Nations, I think his work draws from pretendian nation.

[Autumn]

CPU is clearly questionable, but I don't believe that Burlington College would find that it discredits Michael's work. BC itself is very "non-traditional" and even has its own transpersonal program. I attended for a year and a half and left because I thought the school was too new-agey and the education I was getting did not seem useful or relevant to anything--and this was during a period of my life in which I was actually attracted to new-age culture...so that says something. So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think it matters if this guy has questionable qualifications, since the department he is employed by is questionable. (I wont speak for the entire school, as they are reputed for their film and art programs)

(My Bolding)

Yes, I can understand why he would be teaching at BC.  This is the list of classes for the Integral Psychology Program:

Entry Level: 9 credits
IPS100 Introduction to Psychology
IPS101 Survey of Transpersonal Psychology
IPS120 Care of the Care Provider

Intermediate Level: 15 credits
Required (9 credits)
IPS200 Human Development
IPS201 Psychopathology
IPS202 Theories of Personality

Body Elective (3 credits)
IPS233 Foundations of Chinese Medicine
IPS234 Reiki and Energy Healing
IPS235 Foundations of Ayurvedic Medicine
IPS238 Chemical Dependence and Abuse
IPS239 Herbalism and Plant Wisdom

Spirit Elective (3 credits)
IPS251 Foundations of the Inner Life
IPS252 Spirituality of Service
IPS257 Biographical Counseling
IPS258 Medicine Wheel: Place of Balance
IPS259 Contemporary American Spirituality and Religion

Upper Level: 18 credits
Mind Electives (3 credits)
IPS300 Intro to Counseling
IPS302 Buddhist Psychology
IPS317 History of Psychedelics
IPS318 Unitive Consciousness: The Nature of Self
IPS319 The Temple: The Science and Spirituality of the Mind-Body Connection

Body Electives (3 credits)
IPS332 Ecopsychology
IPS333 Zen Brain
IPS336 Psychology of Yoga
IPS347 Shaminism Body and Community
IPS349 Thanatology

Spirit Electives (3 credits)
IPS350 Shamanisms
IPS351 Visions of the Night Dreams
IPS355 Anthroposophy and Psychology
IPS357 Spiritual Psychology
IPS358 Topics in Christian Mysticism
IPS359 Shamanism: Healing Stories

https://burlington.edu/academics/areas-of-study/integral-psychology/

Yes, definitely new agey.

I wish to clarify something.  There is such a thing as transpersonal psychology which is considered a "sub-field or school of psychology" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpersonal_psychology) but I do not think there are any accredited degree programs for it, so that is why if someone says they have a degree in Transpersonal Psychology, they are most likely not telling the truth.

[AClockworkWhite]

These prospect of these people becoming falsely validated by schools crediting these fields as "study" and then let loose upon unsuspecting and uninformed humans really frightens me. Mine eyes are well and truly opened to this vast underworld of predatory fraud being legitimized by institutions like these.

[Thyme4Mind]

I just got off the phone with the registrars office at Goddard. They have never offered an M.A. in transpersonal counseling, but I was told it is possible that someone could focus on transpersonal counseling (eg getting a minor, etc...) and they do offer programs in clinical mental health counseling--but they never had a masters program for transpersonal counseling.

The woman on the phone did not seem overly concerned, and when I asked her "So if someone had listed an MA in transpersonal counseling as part of their educational qualifications is this reasonable or would it be a cause for concern?" she just reiterated that it's possible he could have studied transpersonal stuff.

Definitely not looking good or Michael.

Yeah, his claims of NDN ancestry look pretty flimsy to me--but I don't feel appropriate being the one to call him out on it.

I am still networked in with many people in that area as well as a lot of former/current BC students (most of whom I don't know personally), but if this guy can be called out I can make sure his students are aware of what's going on. Knowing the culture there personally, I get shivers down my spine imagining all the white kids sitting around talking about their ayahuasca experiences, spreading misinformation, all encouraged by teachers like this and dangerous new-age academia....it's disgusting.

[Epiphany]

My responses to each of his quotes in bold.

I am of blended heritage, my genealogy being confounding at best.

From what I can see so far in research on his family, the only blend is of various white European ancestors.
His claim of "confounding" is just him putting a Jungian, storytelling spin on things.

Our family passed as European for at least two generations.

This is his story, we don't have evidence of this. Another example of romantic pretendian Jungian storytelling.

My father's father was a Native American from the Black Hills (most probably Lakota).

No evidence of this. His father's father was listed white in four federal censuses and also on military records.

His mother was a Native American from Indiana, we believe Shawnee.

His mother was from Indiana, listed as white in censuses.

Periodically someone on that side of the family "discovers" our grandmother's actual tribal affiliation, but those discoveries tend to dissipate into more unknowing.

More romantic storytelling. Accurate genealogy research starts from the living members and works methodically back in time.

There are many genealogical stone walls, as fits a family in hiding.

He does not seem to be even close to being able to declare an actual stone wall, he's not done the research. His story of family in hiding is only a story.

My mother's family identified as hailing from the British Isles, although there were rumors of recent Cherokee ancestry as well.

Rumors that can be disproved but he is clinging to them. Cherokee people are very well documented.

(My father said our family is Native on both sides.)

A story.

They were from Texas, and very aware of the racism Natives face in that state.

They were indeed from Texas. Were they aware of racism? Even if they were, this does not mean they are NDN.

Anyway, we don't have tribal affiliation. 

So why are you selling yourself as having special NDN knowledge and abilities?

***

His father Floyd Watson http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=14996594&ref=acom
Mother Ora Jones http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=100995259

He may have distant heritage. Even if he had more recent, what he is teaching is b.s.
B.S. that will appeal to other culturally white folks who long for the romance of pretendian heritage.

[Defend the Sacred]

Goddard is a hippie school that lets people do self-designed majors. They are very... flexible concerning what they consider usable sources when someone is writing a paper. They have regularly lost, then regained, then lost their accreditation repeatedly over the years. It's hard to keep up with their status. Many of the young people who have started classes there wind up transferring to a more stable school, otherwise there's no guarantee those years of independent study will result in any kind of degree. Due to all of this, whether anyone outside of the hippie/alternative school mileux values a degree of any sort from Goddard is also an issue.

[Thyme4Mind]

What is the protocol for confronting/questioning someone? I think there's enough information here to raise some questions to Michael, and depending on how he answers I think the school should be contacted as well.

I just got an email from the dean that reads, "Thank you for raising your concerns regarding "shamanism" in the Burlington College curriculum.  I can assure you the comments you have heard were nothing more than rumors.  There are no improprieties in the Psychology department.  Students are receiving appropriate instruction." (bold emphasis mine)

[Epiphany]

That is an interesting response by the dean.

Michael Watson on cultural appropriation:

One of the hot topics is usually the problems inherent in sharing traditional knowledge, and the challenge of appropriation. Some cultures encourage their young shamans to visit and learn from shamans and healers from other cultures and traditions. Others see their teachings as providing a full range of tools, and express concern that cross-cultural study will water down or contaminate the teachings. Neoshamanism tends to borrow from all cultures and often decontextualizes traditional teachings. It is good and enriching to talk about the pros and cons of all these approaches.

Often there are Native students in class. At first they tend to be reticent about sharing their identity, as well as their hunger for skills and information that may not be readily available to them. I try to invite them into the discussion early by sharing the complexity of my heritage and apprenticeships. Other students take the class because they have experienced some form of initiation from the spirit world and are trying to find their way in their new life; still others are simply curious.

Given all this, the course has changed over the years, becoming both much more experiential, and more rigorously academic. After all, the students are mostly in their last few semesters of school, and the college rightly demands they demonstrate a high degree of academic accomplishment. It is my hope that by the end of the term students have a broad grasp of the range of shamanic cultures and practices, as well as the contributions 0f, and challenges inherent in, the academic study of shamanism. I also hope that students will have learned shamanic skills that will help them in their lives, while grasping that a course or some weekend workshops does not a shaman, curandera, or medicine person make.

https://michaelwatsonvt.wordpress.com/2015/01/19/teaching-shamanisms/

I can see in earlier writings too that Michael believes he is on top of this, he believes he is not appropriating.

2012:

In my generation, teachers arose who sought to bring the teachings to those of us who had lost our traditions. These teachers were met with scorn from some quarters of Native North America. In the seventies and eighties, the term "Plastic Medicine Person" was freely applied to those teachers.  Among such teachers,  I am grateful to Dhyani Thorner (Yahoo), who generously taught shamanism to me, and several others in the late seventies. Other such teachers, including Michael Harner have had an enormous impact, either indirectly or directly, on my life. I owe them much.

https://michaelwatsonvt.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/shamanism-and-appropriation/

There is no official procedure for questioning and confronting. Anyone who wants can try conversing with him. Personally, I don't try to talk with pretendians that are this developed with their excuses. Unless talking with them can give us new information. Researching and discussing him here gives his audience a chance to hear the realities of what he is doing. And Burlington College should know better, but they don't, or they do and they don't care.

[Thyme4Mind]

Hmm...I think it's interesting to note that he freely admits that he learned from someone who was dubbed as a plastic shaman--tonight I'll spend some time looking into Dhyani Thorner.

Yeah, I think it's probably a waste of time to engage with these people individually in light of this...but perhaps it would be useful to link the Dean of Burlington College as well as Michael to this thread? Or perhaps I could have it circulated to BC students? (I still have my old college email, and I am networked with a lot of the students on Facebook so this would be easy for me) Ill wait to see what others think before inviting these people to view this thread, but I think it could be worthwhile.

[Autumn]

Hmm...I think it's interesting to note that he freely admits that he learned from someone who was dubbed as a plastic shaman--tonight I'll spend some time looking into Dhyani Thorner.

Yeah, I think it's probably a waste of time to engage with these people individually in light of this...but perhaps it would be useful to link the Dean of Burlington College as well as Michael to this thread? Or perhaps I could have it circulated to BC students? (I still have my old college email, and I am networked with a lot of the students on Facebook so this would be easy for me) Ill wait to see what others think before inviting these people to view this thread, but I think it could be worthwhile.

Yes, it is always the frauds teaching the frauds.

IMHO, I don't think it would be worthwhile to circulate this information to current students, because they are already involved.  Preferably, you want to prevent students from getting involved.  Having a public forum like this is very helpful to those wanting to research something before they delve into it further.

Also, remember that people like this seem to think that "any publicity is good publicity" so you don't want to help them out in any way.

[Thyme4Mind]

Hmm...I think it's interesting to note that he freely admits that he learned from someone who was dubbed as a plastic shaman--tonight I'll spend some time looking into Dhyani Thorner.

Yeah, I think it's probably a waste of time to engage with these people individually in light of this...but perhaps it would be useful to link the Dean of Burlington College as well as Michael to this thread? Or perhaps I could have it circulated to BC students? (I still have my old college email, and I am networked with a lot of the students on Facebook so this would be easy for me) Ill wait to see what others think before inviting these people to view this thread, but I think it could be worthwhile.

Yes, it is always the frauds teaching the frauds.

IMHO, I don't think it would be worthwhile to circulate this information to current students, because they are already involved.  Preferably, you want to prevent students from getting involved.  Having a public forum like this is very helpful to those wanting to research something before they delve into it further.

Also, remember that people like this seem to think that "any publicity is good publicity" so you don't want to help them out in any way.

Good points, thanks!

Michael's twitter page: https://twitter.com/mwatsonlcmhc

[loudcrow]

We already have a thread for Diane Fisher AKA Dhyani Ywahoo AKA Dhyani Dorje AKA Dhyani Thorner.