GHC Presentation - Michael Eselun: Healing the Outsider, as the Outsider

As Gay Healers, we believe that our experiences give us unique insights that can be valuable and healing to the Greater Family.  As a chaplain in UCLA Hospital's cancer center, Michael Eselun counsels individuals and their families through their battle with cancer, with some going through end-of-life transitions.  Michael will share his surprising journey and will explore the spiritual parallels between his experience as a gay man, and his experience serving patients through life-threatening journeys, and at times, death.  (Bio below)

Please be on time out of respect for the presenter.  Any food you bring for the social portion of the meeting is always appreciated.  Our meetings are open to anyone who wants to attend, so please bring friends.  We do not allow presenters to market their services during presentations, but all members are welcome to bring promotional materials and display them.

Michael Eselun, a Unitarian Universalist, is the chaplain for the Simms/Mann-UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology.  He recently co-wrote an article published in Coping Magazine: “Cancer As A Spiritual Journey.”  He's been invited many times to speak to undergraduate students at UCLA about his work as a chaplain, on death and dying and the spiritual dimension of the cancer experience.  Michael has also facilitated workshops at the Wellness Community, and he's led workshops on integrating spirituality into an LGBT identity.  He recently was invited to address 300 nurses at the Cedars-Sinai Hospital Nursing Symposium.

Michael is also a co-founder and chair of a non-profit, volunteer anti-homophobia speakers bureau called GLIDE, Gays and Lesbians Initiating Dialogue for Equality (www.socal-glide.org).  Over the last 17 years, Michael and his fellow speakers have spoken to an audience of over 100,000 students, teachers, and other various groups and agencies in the LA area about homophobia.  He is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica and has been a popular guest speaker there and at over 20 UU congregations including First Parish in Cambridge, MA.