Harner Shamanic Counseling™

Harner Shamanic Counseling (HSC)™ is a counseling approach based on the principles of classical shamanism. The aim is to introduce the technique of the shamanic journey to a client. Thus, the client becomes empowered and enabled to find answers to important questions on their own, through first-hand contact with their power animal and teacher. In essence, the clients become practitioners of divinatory shamanism for themselves, with the help and guidance of the counselor, who primarily acts as a counselor of method in ordinary reality.

In dealing with this special spiritual methodology, we are able to reconnect to timeless wisdom. Participants learn to systematically tap into these sources for themselves and others. Clients in this process realize through their own experience that the real shamanic counselors are in non-ordinary reality. These are wise teachers whom they encounter in their shamanic journeys and who provide answers to the client’s questions. The counselors in ordinary reality, by contrast, provide instruction, orientation and methodological advice based on Core Shamanism and shamanic journeying.

HSC uses electronically provided sonic driving to alter the client’s state of consciousness so the client can go “outside of time” and utilize ancient shamanic problem-solving methods in an undisturbed setting.

The client is trained in the method of simultaneous narration and audio recording of the shamanic journey to enhance the quality of the experience and to create an ongoing record of the journeys. This way, the entire course of the journey is documented: clients can listen to their recordings at any time and thus recapitulate journeys, even journeys undertaken years ago.

Through their experiences in the shamanic journey, clients have the opportunity to discover their own abilities to obtain extraordinary, practical and wise answers to important personal questions, overcome inhibitory fears, and acquire self-confidence and incredible heartfelt wisdom. Clients typically experience a sense of personal empowerment and a new-found joy in existence.

All four days of this course are devoted to experiential practice in question framing, journeying and shamanic interpretation in an intimate setting. The prototypical procedure of a counselling process will be experienced in practice. Each participant will work in both roles, as client and as counselor. The work is intense and exciting. As one participant observed, “The deepest journey I ever had occurred in this course.”

Since HSC is a spiritual rather than a psychological system, it is not necessary for an HSC counselor to be a professional psychotherapist or other counselor. What does seem to be essential is that the counselor be well-versed in the concepts and practices of shamanism and be a stable individual with sensitivity, intelligence, character and compassion.

Certified Training

After completing the workshop, it is possible to apply for the training programme to become a Certified Shamanic Counselor (CSC)®. For further information see Training Programme Certified Shamanic Counselor (CSC)®.