Meet Jeremy Dion | Psychotherapist and Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeremy Dion and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeremy, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
When I first heard this question, my mind started automatically listing various people, pets, places, and other things that seem to “make” me happy, each of them alive in their own right, and imbued with various memories, experiences, and emotions. And while it’s certainly true that I derive immense amounts of joy from laughing with my daughter, hiking with my husband, or playing guitar and singing, I have also had enough birthdays by now to realize some deeper truths about happy living.

Happiness is all about mindset, and an unwavering decision to be happy. We all resist this idea on some level, and think that those who have simply “decided” to be happy must just be living some sort of charmed existence devoid of any real problems. We are trained from before we can remember that there is something wrong us, that we are somehow less-than. And thanks to clever and ceaseless marketing campaigns, we are surrounded with and endless array of fixes for our pain. Buy this product! Visit this country! Try this dating site! You’ll feel better I promise! Because you’re so sad now, right?Because you’re remembering that you’re not driving that dream car, or visiting that far flung country, with all those shiny smiling people!

Younger me bought into the game, believing I would finally be happy when I (fill in the blank): When I got married, had money in the bank, owned a home, started my own business, etc. I played that game for a few decades, and it’s not that I was miserable. But I did notice that each time I reached the mark I had thought would equal success and happiness, I still felt dissatisfied, and always wanted more, before I could be truly happy. Or so I told myself.

And therein lies the key – noticing what I’m telling myself. Some people think that in order to be happy, you have to actively do things that make you happy. And I’m a big believer in doing things you love. But I have come to find that all I have to do to be happy is to STOP doing that thing that makes me unhappy. Namely, focusing on what I don’t yet have.

Believe it or not, happiness is our natural state. It’s like a cork bobbing along the surface of the water. Nothing to it, just doing what it does, feeling light and natural and all is well. But we can of course hold it under the water, and most of us are living our lives this way. We get a bee in our bonnet the moment we wake up about the state of the world (or the state of our bank accounts), and that energy of what’s “wrong” defines our day. We think about what’s wrong. We get upset about what’s wrong. We talk about what’s wrong. We think more about what’s wrong.

The mind is ridiculously powerful, and thoughts build momentum. When I let myself dwell on the how light my wallet feels, how empty my social calendar is, or how long it’s taken for those extra holiday pounds to come back off, I feel terrible. When I let myself think about things that feel good, momentum builds on that side of the equation, and I’m off and running. It takes practice. We all love a good drama, especially the ones we create ourselves. But we can become quite good at telling different stories, feeling different feelings, and believing different truths.

Imagine walking outside on a dark night with a flashlight in hand. All of those things you could see in the daytime are still out there, but now you only can only focus wherever you shine your light. The choice is yours. You could look down at the path before you, our the trees overhead, or you could scan your light side to side to make sure you aren’t eaten by a bear.

Awareness is like this. All of the stuff of the world is out there, ready for your attention. But whatever you focus on is bound to grow, so be judicious with your where you shine your light.

To close, here are a few of the practical steps I take on a daily basis that helps me create the life I love:
– Meditate. Even for 5-10 minutes. This one is key, and provides the crucial re-set that allows my cork to pop back up to the surface again, where I remember that all is truly well.
– Exercise. You’ve heard it a million times already, so I won’t bore you. But move your body!
– Drink loads of water.
– Make lists (even in your head/heart) about all the things you love about your life.
– Purposely spend time thinking about things you love, and that make you feel good
– Rest, breathe, put down the phone and have that cup of tea. Contrary to what we are taught, happiness isn’t achieved by doing, or trying harder.
– Get outside. This pairs well with exercise, but doesn’t have to. Even spending time on your front porch can make a difference.
– Get over your past. Many of us cling to beliefs that we can’t be happy because of how we were treated, or the trauma we endured. But in the end, happiness is an inside job. Nobody can do it for you.
– Talk about what’s going well in your life. Feeling good about something? Milk it. Think about it, talk about it, let it light you up each and every time.
– Listen to music, or inspired podcasts. Read books that feel good.
– Lastly, stay with it. Momentum is a real thing. Some of these suggestions may seem small, but if you really decide you want to be happy more than you want your drama, these things work wonders.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have charted two career paths in my life, simultaneously: one as a psychotherapist, and the other as a singer-songwriter. As a therapist, one thing that sets me apart in my twenty years in private practice is that I specialize in working with kids and teenagers, often on issues related to depression and anxiety. I absolutely love it. The work is challenging, and I feel eternally grateful that I make a living by connecting so deeply with other humans. Which brings me to the songwriter aspects of my life. That too affords me this exquisite mode of connecting with others that defies words, but we all know it. There are few things more powerful than experiencing a transcendent live musical performance, during which all are transformed – performer and audience alike.

Being a musician is one thing, and I am certainly that. Moving my body, feeling the rhythm, playing the guitar, singing the words, that combination is electrifying. When you then add the vulnerability and sheer exuberance that comes with sharing my art as a songwriter, it is the most frightening and exhilarating thing I do. It simply feels so damn good and on such deep levels to share my songs with others. I cannot imagine my life without the performing songwriter side. In fact, I envision a life where in the coming years I am able to lean more and more into that side.

I grew up singing and playing the piano, and picked up the guitar at 18 years old. I’m basically self-taught and play by ear, as I never could learn to read music despite my best efforts. I got a psych degree from Cal Berkeley before trying out the coffee shop singer/songwriter thing around my hometown of Seattle. But after a few years of that I was ready for grad school, which took me to Boulder to attend Naropa University. I received master’s degrees in counseling and music therapy, and have spent the last twenty years balancing private practice, school counseling, songwriting, performing, and parenting my now 16 year-old daughter. In that stretch I also wrote a book called “The Art of Mindful Singing,” and released four albums under my label Inner View Records.

My fourth album came out in October, called “Sharpe & Dion.” It’s different from the first three, especially in that these seven songs are stripped down to the studs. The entire album features only myself on guitar and vocals and my long time friend and collaborator Peter Sharpe on mandolin, tenor guitar, and vocals. We tracked the album live and did very little editing and overdubbing. The result is raw, authentic, and exactly what I wanted to make this time around.

Right now I love the life I have created, and feel good about the balance between work and life, music and therapy. I turned 48 recently and I feel like I’m hitting my stride, figuring a few things out that I didn’t know before. Simple things that are making a substantial difference. In the future, as my daughter finishes high school and heads off to college, I foresee more time on my hands to pursue music. I’d like to get out and tour more, make more albums, play more festivals, and see what kind of grand adventures life has in store. I’m in. For all of it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m partial to Boulder and Summit counties, having spent most of my time here. So, here are a few things I would definitely do:

– Lunch at the Dushanbe Tea House, walk along the Boulder Creek Path
– Drive up Canyon to Nederland. Eat the ice cream and ride the Carousel of Happiness.
– Hike up Mt. Sanitas
– Drive up to Estes Park and lunch at the Stanley Hotel
– Visit Garden of the Gods
– River raft through Glenwood Springs Canyon, soak in the hot springs.
– Fly fishing on the South Platte River
– Skiing at Breckenridge and Vail
– Visit Steamboat Springs and soak in Strawberry Hot Springs
– Attend a Rockies game
– Play Golf at Arrowhead Golf Course
– Paddleboard on Union Reservoir

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to author, speaker, and coach Jen Sincero. Her “You Are A Badass” is thought-provoking, hilarious, and super helpful.

Website: https://www.jeremydion.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremydion

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jeremydionmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremydionmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtWcchIStWgGHbuWM-3MG8w

Image Credits
For the initial black/white photo of me with guitar: Kirsten Cohen Photography