River Jackson-Paton, Ph.D.
Artist, Writer, Educator, Ethnoautobiographerclick on the image for various versions of river…
March 2017 pictures by Mugshot
introducing river...
as a person… as a practitioner… as a coach… as an ethnoautobiographer…

River Jackson-Paton (who uses the pronoun ‘they’) divides their time between Dallas (Comancheria), and Eagle Nest, NM (Taos Pueblo). They have actively pursued Indigenous studies, ecopsychology, and cultural/personal identity issues for nearly three decades. Since a brain injury in 2009, they have sought to narrate the thresholds between cultural politics, embodied senses of place, and fluid gender identities. River’s 2012 dissertation centered on the healing transformation of White identity as a gateway for Indigenous rights, cross-cultural reconciliation and environmental restoration. In 2014, they co-authored with Jürgen Kremer, Ethnoautobiography, an undergraduate text- and workbook for unlearning whiteness and decolonizing identities. They are presently engaged in intensive training to be a sexuality & intimacy coach with Somatica® practitioners Celeste & Danielle. Current projects include co-creating a blog-to-be-textbook on human sexuality—called Postive Sex—with Susan Rahman, Ph.D; curating a trans/disciplinary art show connecting the varied representations of self with experiences of embodiment; and creating performative expressions of ethnoautobiography specifically addressing gender, sexuality, sense of place and ancestral relationships. Additionally, River thrives on creating poetry, engendering visual art and somatic practices. They enjoy their kids’ company, their several animals, dancing to music, live performance of all types, connecting with people of all kinds, and being out of doors with their dear spouse. River has worked as an educator from kindergarten to graduate levels, and was production manager with California Revels. They were Managing Editor of ReVision for several years.