Joel David Lesses

 

Joel David Lesses' background is in psychology and counseling for people marginalized by trauma, addiction, and psychological distress and its affects on people, including incarceration, homelessness and institutionalization. He has worked as a healthcare administrator, trainer, facilitator, and consultant. He has served as an educator and professional in the field of healthcare and human services and Literature, and has lived experience with mental health distress; also interested in poetry and recorded explorations regarding spirituality on the podcast entitled "Unraveling Religion."

 

Other passions include the intersection of poetry, spirituality, science and phenomenology shared and disparate in the human experience, and transformative power of self inquiry and introspection through contemplative and meditative practices. Joel was nominated by Artvoice in 2013 and 2014 Buffalo's Best Poet and won the honor in 2014, he has been published in various magazines and publications, founded Ground and Sky Poetry Series, facilitated numerous poetry workshops.