We recently connected with Michael Simmons and have shared our conversation below.
Michael, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I’ve always been drawn to the marginalized, the outsider, the person, group or perspective hidden in the shadows cast by the collective light. Parker Palmer calls this a birth-right gift – It’s not something you do, but an energy that is indigenous to who you are and flows into the world regardless of context.
My studies have always centered the human experience (B.A. in Sociology, MA in Intercultural Studies). I was a pastor of about 5 years and in that time observed that the outsider, the “stranger” was always a person or group, but also could be found in the interior of an individual’s psyche (Latin for soul). I personally experienced this 10 years ago when I had my first brush with shadow work. Fear, Anger, Sadness were all emotions I knew of, but I had no real relationship with them. However, on a shadow work retreat I began a friendship with them, and subsequently my deepest sense of purpose.
Below are my guiding purpose statements in the work I do.
1. The hidden (shadowed) life feels like a foe, but is actually a friend
2. The “medicine” is in the wound, and the wound is in the body
3. In order to grow, we must transgress the narrow beliefs and assumptions of the personal and collective egoic norms and assumptions.
4. Wholeness is the goal, not perfection.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Theological education: My work exists within the intersection of the psychological/sociological AND the spiritual. Carl Jung once said that all psychological symptoms have a spiritual core. I feel very equipped to walk with people through this foggy and opaque inner world.
Knowledge of Social Sciences: My education across, sociology, anthropology, psychology and leadership have so well equipped me for this work. I am very aware of reducing any person or symptom they’re experiencing to a single reason. There is almost always an intersectionality to any issue someone is facing.
Before launching Inner Work Community I was a leader and board member of a non-profit that hosted in-person shadow work retreats. This gave me massive opportunities for embodied learning that I translated to the fully online/virtual shadow work business now.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
I work with clients from all walks of life, from Tacoma, Washington to Miami, Florida and internationally from Romania to Australia. I have clients who are pastors, priests, therapists, contract construction workers, stay-at-home parents, and grad students. My clients are men, women, trans folx and range in age from 40-75 years of age. However, they all share is desire to heal, and find connection with parts of themselves they’ve come to realize are essential to living a whole and happy life.
Often, clients come to me with some sort of relational problem, whether that is internal or external. Regardless, shadow work provides the trailheads into their hidden inner landscape of memories, internalized judgements, fears, longings, motivations, etc. If a client is ready to face their hidden life, then we’ll do good work together!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.innerworkcommunity.org/
- Instagram: @inner.work.community
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-simmons-dld-94a248113/
- Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael4739
- Column: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/transgressivespirituality/
Image Credits
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