About
Background
Marc Oslund is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Founder of Guest House Therapy.
Marc is originally from Southern California and has lived in Utah County for almost 15 years. He began his career as a teacher and pivoted to social work after realizing the kids he taught needed more support than he as an educator was capable of offering.
In a past life, he was an All-American pitcher at BYU and spent much of his life reflecting on the psychology of sport and sport performance.
He loves cooking (pasta, bread, and pizza in particular), walking, riding his bike, watching sports (Laker and Dodger fan all his life), and traveling with his family of 3.
Licensing and Education
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (#12864856-3501), State of Utah
Master of Social Work, Indiana University
Master of Education, Utah Valley University
Bachelor of Arts — Interdisciplinary Humanities, Brigham Young University
Why “Guest House”?
During an interlude at a concert Marc and his wife attended in Paris, a band played a song that included the words of a previously unfamiliar poem.
The combination of 90,000 strangers collectively immersed in the beauty of the music, along with the profound verses of the poem, has left a lasting mark that he has reflected on for years.
This experience, in many ways, encapsulates his therapeutic approach.
The poem used in the song is called The Guest House and was written by the 13th Century poet Rumi:
This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide…
The Guest House reminds us of the remarkable journey of being human, and challenges us to celebrate both highs and lows on the path to wholeness.
And now it’s our hope that each client who shows up as a guest in our offices will be welcomed with the same sense of awe, care, and gratitude that is described in the poem as well as the same sense of love and connection experienced that night in Paris.