Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry Buiew
Hi Jerry, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I wear many hats. Some know me as a clinical social worker (LCSW) working specifically with the LGBTQ community (Pride Counseling) but I also have another life in which I show up as a “shaman” (Inspirit Community and Mindfully Gay). For 30 years, I have had a unique experience of working closely in intimate settings and relationships with indigenous healers from around the world. These close relationships and perspectives have informed me on issues of health, healing and wellness and has had a profound impact on how I see my client’s and my own personal world. My practice was established in the 90’s as the first openly LGBTQ identified mental health business in the Salt Lake Valley. At the time many considered my venture as professional suicide and yet it met a long neglected need because of homophobia. During this time I was being mentored by traditional healers from around the world including Mongolia, Peru (Andes and Amazon), Burkina Faso (Africa) and Native Elders from North America as well as other perspectives. The results is an expanded view of health and wellness that incorporates a well rounded perspective of Body, Mind and Spirit.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been many struggles, but there has been many rewards. Building Pride Counseling in the 90s was challenging because the political climate at that time was incredibly restrictive and oppressive. Religion had a significant strangle hold on the ability for LGBTQ folks to find personal wellness and happiness. When presenting to audiences seeking to educate about LGBTQ issues it was not uncommon to be met with hecklers, and those who would want to sabotage the message of LGBTQ wellness. Those narratives have shifted over the years and today’s challenge is competent care for LGBTQ individuals. My journey as a shaman has also had its challenges as this is not a quick path, in fact, after 30 years, I still see myself as an apprentice to my elders and teachers, but the lessons that have come over the years have been profound. We live in a culture that disassociates itself from its own ancestral roots and connections to nature replacing this with capitalism and social media. The relevance of Shamanism in many cultures is crucial and yet modernity has challenged our access to these tools. The joy is when someone does show up and find healing in the journey and finds the reconnection relevant and powerful in their lives.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Pride Counseling was established as a mental health resource for the LGBTQ+ community where one could find competent, qualified and culturally aware therapist to meet their mental health needs. Pride Counseling has been been around since 1996 providing a variety of resources and programs to lift the LGBTQ community to its full potential.
Inspirit Community was developed as a community resource to help people access indigenous technologies and teachings that would help facilitate more well rounded approaches to health and wellness. We take people to various parts of the world to meet shamans and healers, we facilitate ritual and ceremony, and provide coaching that is inclusive of spirit, body and mind. Many of our services are donation based.
Mindfully Gay revolves around the love and connection between gay men, as they come together in intimate and nurturing ways to explore, converse, appreciate, envision, and rejoice in their identities within the larger community. With our own distinctive talents, we delve into our past narratives to uncover fresh understanding, insight, and beauty. Through the blending of spirit, yoga practices, energy work, rituals, and traditions; we harness the transformative power that arises when queer men unite to heal themselves, their community, and the world.
What matters most to you?
The answer to this question evolves as I evolve.
Ultimately what matters to me is finding peace of mind and comfort in the life that I’ve created. I believe strongly in the power of community to come together for the good of all. What matters most is showing up and holding space as a witness and co-creator to the power of evolution in individuals and community as we grow and expand. I value my husband of 30 years, my daughter and her sweet little family including my three grandchildren. I appreciate the process of watching people grow, adapt and change through the cycles of life. I honor my ancestral connections and the Elders and Teachers who had the courage to teach and the vision to expand the circle.
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