Jonathon Thompson, Crystal Healing Practitioner & Founder
crystaldatabase Author

Jonathon Thompson

Crystal Healing Practitioner & Founder 12+ Years Crystal Practitioner Experience
Boulder, CO
Crystal Healing Mineralogy gemology Chakra work

I've been working with crystals for over 12 years. Long enough to know what works, what's overhyped, and where the line between geology and metaphysics actually sits.

My background is in mineralogy. I came to crystal healing through the science end first: the structures, the formations, the physics of why certain stones behave the way they do. That's still how I approach everything I write. My first crystal was a $7 amethyst I picked up in 2013. It's still on my desk.

The practice deepened in 2018, when I went through a divorce and started carrying rose quartz and hematite daily. Not as magic, but as tools for staying grounded when everything felt unstable. That experience is the foundation of my philosophy: crystals support the work. They don't replace it.

74 Articles
12+ Years Practice

What makes Jonathon an expert?

I have spent the better part of 12 years working with crystals daily, looking at them from a mineralogical perspective as well as a traditional perspective. In that time I have had the pleasure of helping over 200 people in my crystal healing practice.

Areas of coverage

Crystal identification

Geology-first breakdowns of what a stone actually is before what it's said to do.

Protection stones

Working with black tourmaline, hematite, obsidian and pyrite for boundary-setting.

Crystal grids

Layouts and pairings that give crystal work an intentional structure.

Chakra crystal guides

Matching stones to specific chakra work, tested with 200+ clients.

Geology & mineralogy

Formation, crystal systems and the physics behind common healing stones.

Credentials & experience

12+ years hands-on practice

Working with crystals daily since 2013, deepened into client work in 2018.

Advanced Crystal Healing Certification (2017)

Formal certification backing every recommendation on the site.

200+ private clients

Focused work on protection, boundary-setting and energetic grounding.

Field & museum research

Tucson Gem and Mineral Show every January, quartz digs in Arkansas, historical crystal use at the British Museum and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

How does Jonathon stay current?

I try my best to stay current on the latest mineralogical finds from throughout the world with some of my favorite publications like Mindat and other mineralogical journals. I also can't help myself when it comes to rock and gem shows, where I can get my hands on all the specimens I want.

Mindat.org mineral database

Primary reference for verified mineral data, formation and locality info.

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show

Annual field research; sources specimens and tracks what's entering the market.

Peer-reviewed mineralogy journals

Cross-checks geology claims before they land in a guide.

Field work

First-hand digs (Arkansas quartz mines) so writing isn't only from a desk.

Museum collections

British Museum and Egyptian Museum in Cairo for historical crystal use context.

Editorial standards

  • Geology-backed

    Every crystal claim starts with what the stone actually is, mineralogically.

  • Hands-on testing

    I've worked with the stones I write about, personally and with clients.

  • Honest about limits

    Crystals support the work. They don't replace it, and I don't pretend otherwise.

  • Independently verified

    Mineralogy claims are checked against Mindat and peer-reviewed sources.

  • Client-tested

    Recommendations are shaped by 12+ years and 200+ private sessions, not just theory.

  • Transparent sourcing

    Where a specimen came from, and how it was tested, is spelled out.

Q&A with Jonathon Thompson

How did you get into crystal work?

Mineralogy first, then practice. I came at it from the science side — crystal systems, formation, physics — and the practice deepened in 2018 during a difficult period when I started carrying rose quartz and hematite daily. That experience shaped how I write about crystals: as tools that support the work, not as a substitute for it.

What's your take on crystal healing being "real"?

Crystals aren't magic. They're a way to focus intention, mark a routine, and physically hold something during grounding practice. The geology is real. The tradition is real. The claims that a rock will cure your anxiety or manifest a job aren't. I try to keep the line between the two clear in everything I publish.

Which crystals do you actually work with daily?

Carnelian, pyrite, lapis, and honey calcite. They've been on my desk in Boulder for years. I don't move them and I don't rotate them out — they're the ones I've built a relationship with.

Advice for someone new to crystals?

Start with one stone that speaks to you and use it consistently for a month before adding anything else. Don't buy a starter set of twelve stones you have no relationship with. And don't overspend — my first crystal was a $7 amethyst in 2013 and it's still the one on my desk.

Latest articles by Jonathon