Our beloved leader John Bottone is a New York State licensed mental health counselor with a private practice on Long Island and New York City. He is a senior trainer at the Gestalt Center of Long Island, and is trained in Internal Family Systems therapy. He attended his first Shalom Retreat in 1988 and has been leading Shalom Retreats for over 15 years. He is fascinated by the nature and evolution of consciousness and committed to the awakening process in his own life.