Rising Stars: Meet Jeremy Dion of Lafayette

 

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Dion.

Hi Jeremy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up near Seattle, and realized at an early age that two of my major passions were music and people. I was always singing, dancing, and looking to share that joy with others. It should be no surprise then that four decades later, I am making my living as a professional counselor and performing songwriter.

I started playing piano at age 7, and while I never could learn to read sheet music, I was a good listener, and learned to play by ear. As a freshman at UC Berkeley I picked up the guitar for the first time, and have yet to put it back down. I learned a few chords, and started writing my own music as I worked my way towards a degree in psychology.

Upon graduation, I returned to Seattle, where I started performing in coffee shops and pubs. After a few years of that, I decided it was time to head to graduate school, and I discovered the field of music therapy. It seemed the obvious path, as it combined my two major interests – people and music. I made my way to Boulder, Colorado and got my master’s degree in both counseling psychology and music therapy from Naropa University. The program’s emphasis on mindfulness and doing one’s own personal work before attempting to help others appealed to me greatly, and attending Naropa was one of my best decisions.

Since graduating in 2003, I have stared private practices in Breckenridge, Frisco, Louisville and now Lafayette, providing counseling services to kids and teens. I also provide school counseling to Horizons K-8 in Boulder, where my own daughter attended grades 4-8.

In addition, I have continued to pursue my musical dreams, and I am on the verge of releasing my 4th independent album, due out in September 2021. I also carved out time to write a book called, “The Art of Mindful Singing” which was published through Leaping Hare Press in 2017.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road per se, but it sure has been an interesting one, and continues to be. I married a wonderful woman in 2002, became a father in 2006, and eventually gained the clarity and summoned the courage to come out of the closet in 2011. That led to an amicable divorce, and a very interesting period of self-discovery as I struggled to get clear on my heart’s desire. With the support of my friends, family, daughter, and many others, I eventually found a perfect partner named John, and we are happily getting married later this fall.

This personal unfolding is certainly reflected in my music, especially in songs such as “Golden Some Day” and “More Lately.” I am feeling more myself than ever these days, and I continue to discover new facets of what it means to live life as an out gay man.

Musically, I have had several periods of self-doubt, and more than once have considered giving up songwriting completely. But I have found that those thoughts only creep in when I have become disconnected from who I really am, and instead mistakenly focus on comparing myself to the success of others. I have developed some processes and mechanisms for resetting my compass when I’ve lost my way, so I spend less and less time distracted these days, and much more focused on the specific dreams I am creating.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
While I can and do still play the piano, my primary instrument is the acoustic guitar. I grew up listening to (and loving) the likes of John Denver, James Taylor, and Paul Simon, admiring their combination of masterful guitar work and exquisite poetry. I later infused some rock n’ roll and bluegrass into my long list of influences, and have developed a unique style of music that I call Mile High Americana. As a performer, I am most known for my passionate live performances, and poetic lyrics. It is on stage with my guitar that I often feel the deepest connection with my purpose on the planet.

One aspect that separates my from the world of singer-songwriters is my insight as a therapist. I have worked with clients for more than 18 years now, and have a keen sense of those aspects of the human experience we all share, but rarely talk about. This is fertile ground for a songwriter.

As a therapist, I have specialized in helping kids with anxiety and depression, as well as trauma resolution. Some of that involves experiential play therapy, sometimes talk therapy, and sometimes music therapy. But in the end, I find that one of my major drives in life, both as a songwriter and a therapist, is to help people feel their feelings. And that, for me, is a sacred role for which I am deeply grateful.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
As a child I was curious, talkative, high-energy, and driven. One of my early baby-sitters told my mother, “this child is either going to end up incarcerated, or in the White House.”

I have an older brother, and we were both very much into sports. We played soccer, golf, basketball, baseball, and more, for my high-energy nature was always looking for something to do. We followed the Seattle sports teams closely, and attending Seahawks, Mariners, Sonics and Sounders games are among my most cherished memories.

I was also quite sensitive, and had a difficult time understanding why some of the adults in my life kept telling me everything was fine, when clearly it was not. While I couldn’t articulate it then, the incongruity between what I was being told and what I was intuiting created deep sense of unease within me. It seems clear that my drive to help people drop into and communicate authentically about their feelings stems from these early experiences.

Contact Info:

• Email: jeremy@jeremydion.com
• Website: https://www.jeremydion.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremydion
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremydionmusic
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jeremydionmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jeremydionmusic
• SoundCloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/jeremydionmusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6j3IzH103I2HgACsTeE6pC?si=3plbjKMMSEqvEdoPWFmRhA&dl_branch=1

Image Credits
Kirsten Cohen (for those studio b/w photos)