FAQ

Just give me a call or email me.

Mark Walstrom
(616) 222-9857
markswalstrom@mark-walstrom.com

I have multi-session rates available, but generally, individual sessions (50 minutes) are $195, and couples sessions (75 minutes) are $225.

The fee for the immersion experience The Way will be discussed at the time of the application interview. 

Whatever is needed to get you where you want to be in your life.

If you’re still working with me months into the future, it’s because you continue to gain high value from our work together. If a state of enlightenment is achieved, which is priceless, the roles will reverse, and I will pay you.

I work with individuals and couples who are serious about…

… putting their struggles and suffering behind them,

… doing the deeper work of evolving into new ways of being,

… committing to living at the highest possible level of conscious awareness, and…

… being catalysts of cultural change.

This work is especially beneficial for societal influencers: artists, writers, musicians, leaders, entrepreneurs, activists, teachers, spiritualists, therapists, healing practitioners, community organizers, and philanthropists.

All who resonate with this invitation are welcome!

Show up, engage wholeheartedly, and drop your expectations.

Your level of engagement during and between sessions will determine the pace of your movement.

You are responsible for your change and transformative experiences.

… because you mention that the map you offer helps us experience greater freedom.

The short answer is “yes.”

Freedom is not a one-time experience. Various awakening experiences lead to greater levels of freedom from internal limitations. This is different from personal growth. With personal growth, you can grow intellectually but not have an experience of awakening (heightened or expanded awareness).

Freedom is neither developmental nor acquisition of information or knowledge. It is not fixed; rather, it’s a fluid state of being that evolves through experiences.

… is it a modality, approach, philosophy?

Really, none of the above accurately describes what I do.

My role is to guide people out of limited and unconscious patterns of living and into a more fluid, authentic, and natural expression of their truest nature. It’s an organic process of living into higher levels of conscious awareness. This is soul work at its deepest level.

My studies and training in Christian and Sufi mysticism, Taoism, Shamanism, and Transpersonal Psychology have influenced my unique manner of assisting others. I’ve also studied and trained at the Esalen Institute and Omega Institute in the area of consciousness.

The purpose of the initial free consultation is to give an overview of the process and my role as guide, and also assess the current overall physical, emotional, mental and spiritual state of the person of interest to determine if it’s the right fit and right timing to begin this undertaking . Contact me to set up a time to talk.

Mark Walstrom
(616) 222-9857
markswalstrom@mark-walstrom.com

I understand that professional credentials imply credibility. However, a more revealing question might be…”What makes you a credible personal guide for people?”

I have graduate degrees in Counseling Psychology, Holistic Health Studies, and Spiritual Formation, as well as some expertise in the areas of addictions and trauma. Still, none of those degrees or credentials actually prepared me to help others come out of their suffering. In reality, they were hindrances. With that realization, I dropped out of a doctorate program and began seeking out mentors who knew how to help others move through suffering.

Over the past 25 years, there have been a few master guides and teachers from various wisdom traditions that I’ve studied and apprenticed with who have deeply influenced my life personally and professionally. They have shaped my understanding of the art of awakening and being a deft guide for others.

These master guides and teachers have helped me cultivate my natural and acquired ability to be a catalyst for other’s transformative experiences. They’ve encouraged me to expand my work to reach larger numbers of individuals, couples, leaders, and societal influencers at this critical point of the human story. And I have accepted the calling.

… because I’ve tried everything: self-help, personal growth, traditional and holistic therapy, psychedelic drugs, religion, and spiritual practices. I’ve gained some benefits from most of them, but I still feel stuck.

Your story is a common experience of many people that I work with: desperate to find the way to real change but feel lost when it comes to getting there. I’m going to defer my full response to your question until we have an initial conversation, BUT…

The short answer is that this path does not view the one who is stuck or suffering as needing to solve a problem, follow other people’s instructions on how to live, or adhere to dogmas or doctrines or improve oneself. That’s all a part of the ego nature.

When experienced in a traditional ceremony led by a qualified shaman/guide, psychedelic drugs can evoke transcendent experiences and shifts in perception. But the user still needs to do inner work to integrate those experiences into daily living and recognize that the experience is a window or view of what is possible.

Instead, I offer a map that helps people unlearn their way back to their truest nature/most authentic expression.

This involves coming back to the body, breath, and felt sense – the pure and direct experience of life in its most natural state. Expect it to engage you at the deepest levels of your being.

Put plainly: This personal adventure will positively change your life in ways that you cannot yet comprehend. I’m eager to speak further to your concerns and questions. Contact me.

Mark Walstrom
(616) 222-9857
markswalstrom@mark-walstrom.com

It depends on the person and their level of ego-conditioning.

The transformative path leads to actual freedom, which can’t be said for many, if not most, approaches to human suffering. We’re both attracted to and frightened by this freedom, so it may come easy or difficult depending on one’s state of readiness to embrace reality and life in its fullness. Change, especially at the core level, can bring resistance.

My role is to be a catalyst for shifting your life away from your ego’s conditioning and limiting influence and toward a pure and direct experience of each moment. This process will give you real freedom of being, making it possible for you to become an artisan of cultural and social transformation in the world.

Travelers of The Way gain the most by bringing a genuine sense of humor and a mindset of not taking oneself or life too seriously. Also, it doesn’t require a lifestyle of a monk or hermit. People of all walks of life can experience this level of movement at their own pace.

You would need to identify the words you consider to be swear or curse words. Personally, I don’t label or categorize words. Words are a beautiful thing… why limit their use? Any word, when used with impeccable timing, can bring about a natural shift in awareness.

Many people I’ve worked with through the years have expressed various sincere and genuine statements of deep appreciation for the life-changing experiences they’ve had as a result of our work together.

However, everybody’s experience of this path is unique to their conditioning and life’s circumstances. You’ll just have to have your own experience with me and not take anybody else’s statements or testimonies as a reason to reach out or not. That’s why I offer a free initial consultation – to have a no-pressure conversation to determine your current level of readiness for this undertaking.

With that said, below are a few testimonials:

• “Mark’s Immersion program is a deep dive into the true nature of consciousness, and a companioned journey on the path to awakening. Mark and the program supported me through a challenging transition in my life, helping me understand more deeply who I was, and bring the courage I needed to let go of my plans and find the life that was waiting for me.”
  Ryan Vaughn – Executive Coach & Founder, Inside-Out Leadership

• “Mark has an uncanny way of being present with me that helps me listen to the larger parts of myself that are ready to emerge. I don’t know how he does it but after being in his presence over a period of time something at my core woke up within me and I am different. Now I walk through the world holding nothing back, loving life and making a real difference in the world.”
  Rick Beerhorst – American Painter & Printmaker

• “I’ve never met anyone quite like Mark. He is a passionate guide, and a brilliant human. Simply being in his presence awakens something within you; I find myself feeling more excited about life and in awe of this mysterious human experience after our interactions. Mark is the real deal and this experience he has created is truly unleashing souls and changing lives.”
  Caitlin Grant – Somatic Coach + Educator

• “I’ll tell you people, Mark has a real way of dialing in on fear, taking it out, looking at it. Work with him and, with a lot of hard work, you’ll be transformed, learning to master fear in order to live with purpose.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Simeon Roos – Philosopher and all around wise guy