I interviewed Don St John, Ph.D. Very early on in his educational career, Dr. St John realized that the “box” of traditional clinical psychology and psychiatry was too small to hold all the tools and concepts needed for his healing. He’s forever grateful he searched outside that box. Over time, he encountered not just tools and techniques, but different schools of thought, both novel and derived from wide-ranging sources. Decades of exploration led him to construct a view of healing, purpose, and human potential that includes four essential and interrelated components: the Somatic (Body), the Psycho-Emotional, the Relational, and the Spiritual.
1. The Somatic. Our bodies are feeling, sensing, and moving structures. Our culture emphasizes appearance, endurance, strength, and of course freedom from symptoms. They are important! Yet, our very sense of ourselves, who we take ourselves to be, and our sense of well-being, depend on the connectivity, the consciousness of our bodies. Our bodies are also architectural marvels, and as such, require optimal alignment for optimal functioning.
2. The Psycho-Emotional. We form core beliefs about our worth and potential early and throughout our upbrings that for better or worse, define how we see ourselves and interact with the world. Becoming ready to embody our best selves requires revisiting our fundamental assumptions; stepping into our best selves requires identifying and redesigning our core beliefs. It is also important that we cultivate positivity in our hearts and minds.
3. The Relational. Human beings are fundamentally social, and forming close bonds is not just important—it’s essential. Our ability to share emotional intimacy is hampered by the traumas and wounds we inevitably receive along our journey. Dr. St John believes that relational starvation is at the root of most cases of addiction, depression, relational distress, and more.
4. The Spiritual. The drive to wonder at and experience the universe’s greater order is part of the human fabric. From time immemorial we have asked questions such as: Is there life after death? How are we related to each other and to the entire web of life? Is there a force, an intelligence superior to my personal agency and if so, how do we relate to that force? In his own journey, psychedelic spiritual medicine has enhanced his openness to spiritual exploration and discovery.
As a psychotherapist, teacher, author, and Mestre (teacher in a Christian-Ayahuasca church), Dr. St John has been immersed in the psychological, somatic, relational, and spiritual worlds for more than fifty years. As a child, he endured years of intense physical and verbal abuse in his Italian-American Catholic home. He entered adulthood in a physically hyper-tense body, emotionally frozen, relationally retarded, and spiritually void. This healing adventure of fifty-plus years has resulted in a fulfilling marriage (38 years) to his life partner, the enjoyment of being in his body, trust in his own abilities and instincts, the trust given him by others to guide their journeys, a love for life, and wonderment at a higher power.
Embodiment Matters: A Conversation With Diane and Don St John July 17, 2018
https://embodimentmatters.com/a-conversation-with-diane-and-don-st-john/
Embodying Resilience: A Conversation With Dr. Don St. John June 29, 2018
https://embodimentmatters.com/embodying-resilience-a-conversation-with-dr-don-st-john/
“Healing the Wounds of Childhood” with Dr. Don St. John, delving into the human experience
https://soberpodcasts.com/episode/shair-podcast/healing-wounds-childhood-dr-don-st-john-delving-huma
n-experience/
Authentic Living with Andrea Mathews: Encore Healing the Wounds of
Childhood https://open.spotify.com/show/0oLTyWkN4tBj6IOzYwMXSE
SHAIR 82: “Healing the Wounds of Childhood” with Dr. Don St. John, delving into the human
experience https://theshairpodcast.com/tsp-082-healing-the-wounds-of-childhood-with-dr-don-st-john/
