Interview with Joe

Qualifications:

Joe McKinnon is a Registered Professional Counselor; a member of the Canadian Professional Counseling Association and a member of the International Association of Counseling Hypnotherapists.

Joe’s life-long interest in the Healing Arts include Neuro Linguistic Programming, Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, Self Transformation Techniques, Relationship Dynamics, Psychology, Meditation and Shamanism, bringing a wide range of skills and experience to his work.

1) How would you describe the work that you do?

Describing the work one does is akin to a fish describing the water in which it lives. My work has been a process of evolution for over twenty years and has over the course of time become second nature not only professionally but as a way of life for me personally. It is as intuitive and guided as it is based on formulas and protocols. Much of the work I do with people comes back to the basics of relationship patterns because there is never a moment in our human experience when we are not engaged in relationship with something or someone including ones self.

The way I work with clients is generally deep in feeling. I walk them through the understanding of how and why a situation was created. Then I create the space for them to safely access and experience their related feelings. My belief is that the thing which is meant to guide you in your life is your intuition. Intuition is not a thought process; it is a felt-sense experience. This means that you have to be “in feeling” to access this powerful force and for these feelings to be accurate and reliable they need to be mature (not stunted or shut down). I help people individuate by helping people to heal their feelings and access their intuition. When an individual can understand the how of something and the why of something it becomes possible to evolve through the unmature feelings associated with the issue resulting in more choices, resources and awareness.

2) Describe your work space.

Our office is located in our home in Montrose five minutes from down town Trail. Out location is quiet, private and discrete. Our home is divided into work space and living space so that your experience will feel safe and professional with a warm and comfortable atmosphere.

3) Tell us about your greatest challenge as a therapist.

I usually work with clients anywhere from three months to two years depending on the individual’s goals and motivation. There is a timing component to any kind of personal process. Learning the patience to wait for a client to arrive at their correct timing for resolving an issue was very challenging when I first began this work.

4) …and your greatest accomplishment.

I am extremely grateful in an overall sense for the gifts of grounding, intuition and authenticity which enables me to help clients find peace and permanent change regarding most any issue. Several of the techniques I use to accomplish permanent resolution did not exist in a text book; I have had to create them on my own. The accuracy, effectiveness and efficiency of these techniques are easily my greatest accomplishment.

5) What are your spiritual or religious beliefs? How do they impact upon your work?

I believe in a power greater than us humans. I believe all life to be connected and to have purpose. I believe Planet Earth to be a living, life giving system. My experience of this connection to a greater power, my purpose and our earth is a knowing that I cannot express in words. My training allows me to work cleanly in a client’s belief structure without imposing any of my values upon them or implanting any dogma of a religious nature.

6) How have you evolved spiritually and mentally as a result of the work you do?

I am the deep end guy when it comes to the level of work I do. I know to be true that any person committed to helping others on their personal journey can only take another person to the depth and level of awareness that he himself has travelled. To work at the level I do, I have had to learn the disciplines of meditation, setting intentions and clearing energy. I have had to heal my own feeling of past trauma and also come to the understanding that life is a journey of constant learning and self evolvement. I have learned to appreciate each and every moment of an amazing life and the people and pets that share it with me. The gift of the work I do has deepened my sense of spiritual and mental wellbeing.

7) Who is your hero(ine)/mentor/guru and why?

Easily the person whom I admire most is David Suzuki for his authenticity, love of our planet and unyielding commitment to raise the environmental conscience of life on earth.

Another individual whom I respect immensely is T. Harv Eker. Many years ago my wife and I attended a workshop called Millionaire Mind Intensive facilitated by Mr. Eker. Harv Eker is a millionaire and financial guru not a psychologist, doctor or counselor. So why would I choose this man as my mentor? At the time of this workshop I had a nagging sense of purpose which was to do this kind of work that I do now; however blinded by my own ignorance of certain areas of my life, there seemed to be no hope of ever pulling it together enough to fulfill my purpose successfully. Immediately into the workshop I could see the value of what was being taught. As I watched Mr. Eker speak to over a thousand people I noticed that he was highly skilled in NLP language pattern and body language. He showed me how my programming, beliefs, attitudes and feelings were keeping me stuck, miserable and broke. He did for me what I now do for others; he showed me myself in a way that I couldn’t not see it. Because of this workshop and the several years of learning that followed, I can say that my purpose is being fulfilled successfully. Thanks Harv!

8) How do you unwind/rebalance?

To unwind I walk, wander, hike, x-country ski or otherwise trek through the wilderness with my wife and my dog. I read a lot, putter a bit and pick berries. I enjoy working with my hands and seeing the obvious fruits of my labor. I meditate each day as a part of my daily practice to stay centered, balanced and grounded.

9) What is your greatest hope?

My greatest hope is that our humanity will catch up to our technology. Soon.

10) …your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is that it won’t and that we will consume the planet and its resources without conscience or remorse.

11) How do you want people to remember you?

I’m a Leo. In the movie “The Lion King”, Simba, the young lion who is next in line to be king looks up into the night sky where Mufasa appears to him in a swirl of stars. When Simba asks what he is to do, the old lion replies ‘remember who you are’. That is how I want to be remembered. If I have fulfilled my purpose when you remember me, you will remember who you are.