American Shaman: An Odyssey of Global Healing Traditions [Paperback]

Jeffrey A. Kottler (Author), Jon Carlson (Author), Bradford Keeney (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 29, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0415948223 | ISBN-13: 978-0415948227 | Edition: First Printing

Written for therapists, scholars, clergy, students, and those with an interest in non-traditional healing practices, this book tells the story of Bradford Keeney, the first non-African to be inducted as a shaman in the Kung Bushman and Zulu cultures.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fascinating account of Keeney's journey into shamanism and healing practices, as well as an absorbing and expansive view enriching any reader. Every step is rooted in the familiar and then grows into intriguing possibilities, probabilities, and acceptances. We're given a seamless and beautiful blending of cross-cultural healing practices and Western psychotherapeutic techniques. This flawless merging, charming in its story, gives us all courage to step outside our own thinking and develop in ways we'd not considered before."
-Betty Alice Erickson, M.S., L.P.C., (in) private practice, Dallas, Texas
"In telling the story of Keeney, the American Shaman, Kottler and Carlson have again struck gold by unearthing indigenous healing practices that have great potential for the work we do in our own culture. I was thoroughly entertained, even spellbound, by the stories in this book."
-William Glasser, MD, Author of Psychiatry Can Be Hazardous to your Health
"Truly a contemporary odyssey- Kottler, Carlson and Keeney discuss the evolution of modern psychology in the backdrop of traditional culture and medicine, taking the reader on a once-in-a-lifetime journey from disillusionment to enlightenment
."
-John Gray, Ph.D., Author of Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
"Brad Keeney emerges as a fascinating and charismatic healer, one who brings to modern life the powerful wisdom of a traditional shaman. American Shaman must be read by anyone wanting to understand the full spectrum of paths to heal the heart, mind, body and spirit."
-Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., Author of Emotional Intelligence
"Brad Keeney's Work is a living example of what we need in our field at thisstage of evolution: a synthesis of traditional and modern, east and west, body and soul. Jon Carlson and Jeffrey Kottler do a masterful job of bringing out the essence of the work through their insight and flair for story-telling. A book for both professional development and stay-up-late adventure reading."
-Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Counseling Psychology, University of Colorado; Co-Author of Conscious Loving and Lasting Love

About the Author

Jeffrey A. Kottler, Ph.D., is Chair of the Counseling Department at California State University, Fullerton. He has authored a dozen texts for counselors and therapists that are used in universities around the world and a dozen books each for practicing therapists and educators. Dr. Kottler has been an educator for twenty-five years and has worked as a teacher, counselor, and therapist in preschool, middle school, mental health center, crisis center, university, community college, and private practice settings. He has served as a Fullbright Scholar and Senior Lecturer in Peru (1980) and Iceland (2000), as well as worked as a Visiting Professor in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Nepal.

Jon Carlson, Psy.D., Ed.D., is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Governors State University, University Park, Illinois and a Psychologist with the Wellness Clinic in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. In addition to serving as the long-time Editor of The Family Journal, he is the author of 25 books in the areas of family therapy, marital enrichment, consultation, and Adlerian psychology. Jon has also developed and produced over 100 commercial videotapes that feature the most prominent leaders in the field (including the professionals featured in this book) demonstrating their theories in actions. These videos are used to train the next generation of practitioners.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; First Printing edition (February 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415948223
• ISBN-13: 978-0415948227
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting and Insightful!, June 11, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: American Shaman: An Odyssey of Global Healing Traditions (Paperback)

Although I'd never before read anything about Shamanism or healing of any kind, this book inspired me to do so. Bradford Keeney sounds like a really incredible person and Jon Carlson and Jeff Kottler end up feeling like old friends by the end of the book. I was absolutely engrossed in this book and it wasn't at all dry or overly academic. It fits with real life as well as for phsychologists and other healers.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Important, February 28, 2007

By 

Rebecca King (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Shaman: An Odyssey of Global Healing Traditions (Paperback)

This books talks about life in a way that much of the mechanized, individualistic Western World has abandoned. Keeney is not talking about New Age fads or chemically induced experiences. It is not a how to book nor is it an attempt to give insightful knowledge to the reader as many psychologically oriented books try to do. Rather, it acknowledges the great complexity and circularity and mystery innate in living and encourages embracing these in a way that expands human experience rather than reducing them into seemingly understandable explanations. Keeney demonstrates how healing comes through adding mystery to mystery, through play, improvisation and by dancing together.
I highly recommend this book to anyone; especially to professionals in psychiatry and psychology.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Pretentious and undiscerning, June 20, 2008

By 

Eric Gross "www.liberationfromthelie.com" (Philadelphia Suburbs) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: American Shaman: An Odyssey of Global Healing Traditions (Paperback)

I know that a lot of well informed people respect this book and have learned non-western approaches to disease and emotional dis-ease. As someone who has spent quite a few years working with Navajo healers, this book felt false and pretentious. For me, it had the critical flaw of being organized around the concept of the "very special" person with the simplistic notion that conventional western approaches are lacking in wisdom, while traditional/tribal approaches to "life out of balance" are consistently more powerful, if elusive. First off, the white iconoclast should not be the center of a book of this type. At best, he can only be the "messenger". But the bigger problem for me was in how these materials were conveyed to the reader lacking any element of scientific hesitation to make extreme claims for radically different approaches to human health problems. It could be true that we have much to learn from non-western/tribal sources of health care, but they are not a universal panacea. Not all "healers" are wise and not all tribal healing practices are effective. To place modern science on a pedestal far above traditional people is an error, as well as its opposite.
This is a very difficult area to find reliable information, but there are better sources than American Shaman.Liberation from the Lie: Cutting the Roots of Fear Once and for All