Leadership Council

The Leadership Council is a group of experienced practitioners who have volunteered to help guide the growth and development of the community. 

Members of the Leadership Council

The Leadership Council is a group of experienced practitioners who have volunteered to help guide the growth and development of the community. Please feel free to contact any of them with suggestions and questions.

Gerry C Starnes, M.Ed.

Gerry C Starnes, M.Ed.

Gerry is an author, teacher, presenter, and personal development guide since the 1990s, and is the founder and lead instructor of the Shamanic Passages Institute. His current shamanic and clinical mentor, Karen Hutchins, is a first generation student of Sandra Ingerman. Gerry is the author of Spirit Paths: The Quest for Authenticity. His YouTube channel, Shamanic Passages, hosts more than 50 public videos focusing on shamanic practice and has more than 10,500 subscribers.

Bill the Storyteller

Bill the Storyteller

Once upon a time, the spirit of the old stories came for Bill like the magical white hart of an old Celtic tale. It led him further and further into the deep dark forest, where he remains to this day. From there, he leads journeys through stories old and new and is fascinated by modern urban shamanism, connecting to the sacred places of the city, technology, and modern ceremony.

Theresa Pittman “Sóbhrag”

Theresa Pittman “Sóbhrag”

Theresa is a shamanic practitioner, ceremonialist, and amateur herbalist (kitchen witch). She organizes the Monday Online Zoom circles, facilitating our Community outreach beyond the Austin area. Her primary teacher and mentor is Gerry Starnes. In her personal practice, Theresa explores her roots in Celtic/Northern European spirituality. She has also developed a deep connection with plants and stones as spiritual guides.

John Burgess

John Burgess

John is a Reiki Master with Axiatonal Meridian Energy Balancing, Archangel Raphael Spiritual Energy Clearing, Focusing, Akashic Records Intuitive Guidance, Indigenous Ceremony. Author of A Gift of Love, Transformational Messages About Life From Archangel MIchael. John has been serving as the Director of The Community Healing Circle in Austin Texas for the last 13 years.

Tara Banton

Tara Banton

Tara Banton is a shamanic practitioner, educator, and guide devoted to conscious embodiment and restoration of right relationship – with self, others, and the living world. Her work integrates shamanic practice, Energy Medicine healing, and subtle-energy awareness with decades of experience in teaching, coaching, and facilitation.
Through her work, Tara supports the balancing of energetic, emotional, and relational systems, recognizing that healing emerges when the whole system is brought back into coherence. She is especially attuned to how healing unfolds between people, within community, and in relationship with the land.
With a background in education, writing, and spiritual mentorship, Tara brings clarity, discernment, and grounded presence to spiritual practice. She is passionate about supporting individuals and communities in remembering their innate sovereignty and engaging spiritual work with maturity, compassion, and care.
Nyssa Hoerner

Nyssa Hoerner

Nyssa Hoerner finds herself to be an enigma, which she is pretty sure she doesn’t understand. She is a shamanic practitioner, a little witchy, possibly part cartoon, definitely part muppet, part canine, and rather fond of cookies. She finds magic and wisdom in ordinary things and genuinely wants to help out as much as she can. With a background in listening and playing outside she brings a dedication to building community and a strong belief in the power of healing and learning through the practice of shamanic journeying. She has been practicing shamanic journeying since 2017.