Jerry Allen, LMFT, SEP, MPH, Anishinaabe Mashkikiiwinini (Medicine Man)
BACKGROUND: I hold a masters in public health education from UC Berkeley and a masters in counseling psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies. I’ve been a California Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist since 1991, and became certified in Somatic Experiencing in 2013. I began my medicine man training in my first vision quest in 1973, and I have been initiated in the Dagara tradition of Burkina Faso, Africa, and the Anishinaabe/Shawnee lineage of my ancestors. I was initiated as a medicine man in 2016 under the training and supervision of Theresa Dintino. I have also studied Aikido for 30 years and received 3 black belts. I live and practice in Oregon as a counselor/coach, health educator, farmer, storyteller puppeteer and musician and enjoy playing music, tending our fruit orchards, and spending time with my two wonderful children. More information about my farming, fermenting, and sustainability work can be found on my farm’s website, ThistledownOrchards.com.
HOW I WORK: I offer coaching, support groups and workshops to clients, schools, workplaces and communities in Oregon and California. I mostly focus on practical education about how we can achieve harmony and wellness, ease stress, find our “mojo” and practice safety and good boundaries. As a coach, I help clients to become more deeply aware of their own bodies, develop healthy boundaries, find inner resources to overcome moments of crisis, and experience greater peacefulness, safety and relief from stress. I demonstrate techniques to settle and regulate our nervous systems so that we gain the skills to calm ourselves and our children. I also help people “find their mojo” – a combination of mind, body & spirit work to develop an ongoing sense of hopefulness, drive and energy. I work extensively with families and children to strengthen boundaries and self-protective skills to achieve greater safety. I also offer workshops and trainings to school staff on trauma-informed practices and all of the above subjects. On our Thistledown Ramblers website you can find more information about our puppet folktales work with children. We use folk tales to entertain and teach at the same time. By using stories which have underlying themes of safety, and how to overcome adversity, we bring captivating stories to children and they get the message naturally. Trauma-informed self-care lessons with fun and no lectures!
All psychotherapy work is only done in California. In Oregon I practice as a coach, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Health Educator.