Episode 67 - Conversations with Don Hanlon Johnson

Today's conversation is with Don Hanlon Johnson

Don is no stranger to the embodied and somatic work, he’s been involved in this field since long before many of us have been born. Now in his 90’s he has been involved with so many of the pioneers and lineage holders of this field. A blurp written by Don about himself reads, “As I move into my twilight years, I am aware that the seeds that brought forth my current work were planted over half a century ago when I had my first post in teaching philosophy at what is now Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles while participating with Carl Rogers in his research project on the efficacy of student-centered learning in the school system of the Immaculate Heart sisters from kindergarten through their university. That intersection of Rogerian humanistic psychology with the experiential tradition of Socratic and Husserlian philosophy, my long history of meditation, and my first visits to the newly born Esalen Institute, gradually shaped a comprehensive approach to the education of therapists and healers, bringing together the cutting-edge theoretical, with relevant experiential dimensions, and the intellectual aspects of developing an embodied consciousness. After studying and practicing the work of Ida Rolf, I founded the first masters degree program in Somatic Psychology and succeeded in having it authorized by license-granting state boards. I was a professor in that program for some 30 years. I am now teaching in newly launched Somatics emphasis in the doctoral program of Integral and Transpersonal Psychologies. My website has more detailed information."

 

This was really a dream come true for me. Don was one of the people I had in mind to talk with when I created this podcast. Further proof that with hard work and diligence, dreams can come true. And they can be even more rewarding than imagined.

 

Todays talk ran the gamut of Rolfing history, phenomenology and other topics of which Don is an experienced and knowledgeable sage of. Instead of my usual forewords, let’s just hop into this exciting and informative talk.

 

To learn more about Don please visit https://donhanlonjohnson.com/

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You can find more about Andrew at http://andrewrosenstock.com and http://rolfinginboston.com

And more about Nikki at http://nikkiolsen.com

Many thanks to Explorers Society for use of their song " All In" from their majestic album 'Spheres' Please check them out here https://open.spotify.com/album/1plT1lAPWEQ1oTRbWOiXm3?si=eAL08OJdT5-sJ6FwwZD50g