Summary
Born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Florence, Alabama, John Lee is a graduate of the University of North Alabama (B.S., Sociology & English); the University of Alabama (M.A., American Studies & Religious Studies); and the University of Texas (Ph. D. Candidate in American Studies). John served as an instructor at the University of Texas, Austin Community College and University of Alabama before becoming a writer, best-selling author, life coach, and public speaker.
He has been featured on Oprah Winfrey (three times), 20/20, Barbara Walter’s The View, CNN, PBS, and NPR, and has been interviewed by Newsweek, Glamour, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and dozens of other national and international magazines and radio talk shows. His highly creative developments in anger management workshops, PEER Counseling seminars, mini-sessions and the “Detour Method” (lecture and workshop series on facing regression), are taught worldwide. His Mentone, Alabama Men’s Conference drew participants from around the world for sixteen years.
Over the past thirty years, John Lee has consulted and trained prestigious institutions in the clinical environment. He has worked with The Betty Ford Clinic, Guy’s Hospital (London, England), The New York Open Center, South Pacific Treatment Center (Sydney), and Mountain Area Health and Education Center (North Carolina), and many others.
Lee is the bestselling author of Facing The Fire: Experiencing and Expressing Anger Appropriately and The Flying Boy: Healing the Wounded Man. He has written several other books including Growing Yourself Back Up: Understanding Emotional Regression (Three River Press, 2001), Breaking the Mother-Son Dynamic: Resetting the Patterns of a Man’s Life and Loves (Health Communications, Inc., 2015), and his latest book, The Flying Boy Letters: Getting Back to Y’all 30 Years Later (Teitelbaum Publishing Co., Inc., 2019).
Education
1982-1988
University of Texas, Austin, TX
PhD Candidate in American Studies
Areas of Concentration: Psychology, American Literature, Mythology
1978-1980
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
M.A. in American Studies
Areas of Concentration: American Literature and Religious Studies
1975-1978
University of North Alabama, Florence, AL
B.S. in Sociology and English
Teaching Experience
2001-present
John Lee Books and Seminars, Austin, TX
Founder and President: Teach seminars and workshops on anger management, creativity, writing, recovery, relationships, communications, and other issues to therapists and the general public.
2017-2018
Austin Community College, Austin, TX
Instructor: Taught American Literature and English Literature.
1992
Facing the Fire Institute, Asheville, NC and Long Island, NY
Founder and Director: The institute provides 8 four-day intensives a year based on John Lee’s successful book, Facing The Fire (Bantam, 1992).
1988
The Austin’s Men’s Center in Austin, TX
Founder and Director: Counseling center devoted to men’s issues.
1986
P.E.E.R. (Primary, Emotional, Energy, Recovery) Training Program
Co-founder: Training program for counselors. Lee has trained over 5,000 counselors, social workers, and psychotherapists.
1985-1991
Private Practice in Austin, TX
Psychotherapist/Counselor: Specialized in men’s issues, relationships, adult children of alcoholics, and codependency.
1981-1987
University of Texas, Austin, TX
Instructor: Taught Humanities, American Literature, Popular Culture, and Freshman Comp in the English Department.
1981-1987
Austin Community College, Austin, TX
Instructor: Taught Religious Studies, Humanities, and American Literature.
1978-1981
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Instructor: Taught American Literature, Film and American Studies. Started as a Teaching Assistant, then was hired upon graduation as a full time instructor for courses listed above.
Grants
Alabama Arts and Humanities Foundation Grant for $25,000. Grant was given to produce a multimedia presentation on Alabama waterways and American culture. 1981.
Books Published
Self-Help, Psychology, Recovery, Creativity & Relationships
- The Flying Boy Letters: Getting Back to Y’all 30 Years Later. Teitelbaum Publishing Co., Inc. 2019.
- Breaking the Mother-Son Dynamic: Resetting the Pattern of a Man’s Life and Loves. Health Communications, Inc. 2015.
- The Half-Lived Life: Overcoming Passivity and Rediscovering Your Authentic Self. Lyon’s Press, 2011.
- Emotional Intelligence for Couples: Simple Ways to Increase the Communication in Your Relationship. Turner Publishing, 2011.
- The Anger Solution: The Proven Method for Achieving Calm and Developing Healthy, Long-Lasting Relationships. DaCapo Lifelong Books, 2009.
- The Missing Peace: Solving the Anger Problem for Alcoholics/Addicts and Those Who Love Them. Health Communications, Inc., 2006.
- The Secret Place of Thunder: The Poetry & Prose of Knowing. Woodstock: Monarch Publishing Associates, 2004.
- Courting a Woman’s Soul: Going Deeper into Loving and Being Loved. Monarch Publishing Associates, 2003.
- Growing Yourself Back Up: Understanding Emotional Regression. Three Rivers Press, 2001.
- Writing From The Body: For Writers, Artists, and Dreamers Who Long to Free Their Voice. St. Martin’s Press, 1994.
- A Quiet Strength: Meditations on the Masculine Soul. New York: Bantam, 1994. Facing The Fire: Experiencing and Expressing Anger Appropriately. Bantam, 1992.
- At My Father’s Wedding. New York: Bantam, 1991. Hardcover Book of the Month Club and Quality Paperback Books. Has been translated into German, French and released in a U.K. version.
- Recovery: Plain and Simple. Health Communications, Inc., 1990.
- The Flying Boy Book II: The Journey Continues. Health Communications, Inc., 1989. Translated into Spanish.
- The Flying Boy: Healing The Wounded Man. Health Communications, Inc., 1987. Listed as a best seller by Publishers Weekly. The Flying Boy has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Greek and Spanish. Sold movie rights.
Poetry
- The Dragon’s Letters. Ally Press, 1995.
- Too Much Talk or Too Little. Honey Creek Publishing, 1994.
Audio
- The Missing Peace. Health Communications, Inc., 2006
- Remembering Who You Wanted To Be. Health Communications, Inc., 2006
- Why Men Can’t Feel and the Price Women Pay. Sounds True. Grieving: A Key to Healing. Boulder: Sounds True.
- Healing the Father Son Wounds. Sounds True.
- The Flying Boy: Healing the Wounded Man. Health Communications, Inc.
- The Flying Boy Book II. Health Communications, Inc.
- Expressing Anger Appropriately. Sounds True.
- Saying Good-bye to Mom and Dad. Sounds True.
- Rhythm of Closeness. Lightworks Audio and Video.
- Coming Down From The Mountain. (Shown via satellite on over two dozen PBS stations). 1989.
- Men and Their Fathers. Producer. Georgia Public Television. 1990
Videos
- Creating an Artful Life. Originally produced by PBS in Spokane, WA in 1993.
Later released by Lightworks Audio and Video in 1997. And several more.
TV Appearances
- Barbara Walter’s The View
- ABC’s 20/20
- NPR
- MSNBC
- CNN
- Oprah Winfrey Show
- Over 250 local radio and television interviews
Interviews (Print)
- New York Times
- Glamour Magazine
- Self Magazine
- Yoga Journal
- New Age Magazine
- Newsweek
- Vancouver Sun
- Austin American Statesmen
- Total over 100 additional local newspapers.
Keynotes
- U.S. Journal Conference on Anger Management
- Vistage (formerly TEC-The Executive Committee)
- Summit for Clinical Excellence
- Tennessee Association of Psychotherapists
- California Social Worker’s Conference
- Missouri State Conference for Alcohol and Drug Counselors
- Alabama Governor’s Commission on Drugs and Alcohol
- Texas Commission on Drugs and Alcohol
- Minnesota Conference on Drugs and Alcohol at Moorehead State University
- International Gender Reconciliation Conference (Washington, D.C.)
- The Fourth Annual Northern California Professional Conference
- Community Building Workshop for Men and Women (Knoxville, TN)
- Emotions, The Body and The Mind Conference: A Training in Emotional Release Techniques for Counselors at Salt Lake Community College
- Common Boundary Twelfth Annual Conference: Mending The Communal Fabric Through Conscious Relationship (Washington, D.C.)
- Men and Counseling: The Department of Veteran Affairs and The School of Professional Psychology, Wright State University (Dayton, OH)
John Lee has lectured in London, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Auckland, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver and has traveled extensively in Jamaica and Mexico for study and research.
Lee has vast experience in conducting writing workshops around the country.
Contributing Editor
1994 to 2001
Creations Magazine. Long Island, NY.
1993-1997
New Texas Monthly Magazine. Austin, TX.
John Lee has given keynotes at over three hundred professional conferences and provided training for therapists in a number of professional settings. He has done numerous readings at colleges and universities and has even read his poetry at the Library of Congress.
Community Outreach
- Volunteer: Crisis Hotline, Florence, AL
- Volunteer: Juveniles at Risk Program, Florence, AL
- Volunteer Teacher: Taught literature to the elderly, Austin, TX
- Volunteer: Habitat for Humanity, Canton, GA
- Speaker: Weekend seminars at Milan Federal Penitentiary, Detroit, MI
Quotes
“…John takes very sophisticated material that is very important to understand and makes it wonderfully simple!”
John Bradshaw–therapist, author and America’s leading personal growth expert
“This [Growing Yourself Back Up] is the best book on regression that has ever been written. I couldn’t put it down. Many of my friends are therapists and they are making it mandatory reading for all their clients.”
Dr. Patricia Love–therapist; author of best seller Hot Monogamy
“John Lee is a great teacher: he teaches the way a tall tree stands.”
Robert Bly (poet, author of many books including Iron John)