WHAT IS BODY BASED PSYCHOTHERAPY?
We now know that every part of our body records all of our experience – both positive and negative. This is why so many memories are non-verbal and evoked through a sound, smell or image. Sometimes these sensory experiences may be all we remember from an event. At other times we may not remember the details of an event, but our reaction is encoded into our nervous system and laid down in patterns of movement and posture, thus affecting our emotions, reactions and thoughts. This in turn affects our relationships and the way we see and interpret the world. The latest research indicates that we must include body awareness in effective psychological counselling.
CLIENT CENTERED
Perhaps you’re seeking counselling because life is not working out in the way you want. Do you need someone with whom to share your thoughts, feelings and experience? Someone who will understand your pain and hurt and can help you find solutions that fit your unique approach to life?
I can help. I practice client centered counselling and am trained in non-judgemental, supportive deep listening. Essential to this type of work is the building of honest empathetic relationships with clients. Paramount is the dignity and worth of each individual. This approach was first developed by the late Carl Rogers. Since then, it has been expanded upon and shown to foster healing and positive change. Counselling techniques from other therapeutic models such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, Gestalt, Feldenkrais, Internal Family Systems and many others are also adapted and used in my approach.
WHAT DOES BODY BASED AND SENSORIMOTOR PSYCHOTHERAPY MEAN?
We now know that every part of our body records all of our experience – both positive and negative. This is why so many memories are non-verbal and evoked through a sound, smell or image. Sometimes these sensory experiences may be all we remember from an event. At other times we may not remember the details of an event, but our reaction is encoded into our nervous system and laid down in patterns of movement and posture, thus affecting our emotions, reactions and thoughts. This in turn affects our relationships and the way we see and interpret the world. The latest research indicates that we must include body awareness in effective psychological counselling.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a non-touch body based therapy. In this type of therapy, clients are asked to mindfully explore their bodily experience. Movement, five sense perception, posture, and paying attention to internal sensations are all used to heal maladaptive defensive patterns and other natural physical cycles that may have been disrupted or disturbed by past events.
By incorporating the body, clients are able to access a deeper part of themselves that talk therapy alone cannot always reach. Through this type of counselling clients are able to release themselves from long held patterns of behavior that were impeding their ability to fully engage with life.
HELP FOR TRAUMA
Experiencing a real or perceived life threatening or emotionally intense event can leave people with long lasting affects often called trauma. These effects are held in the body. These affects may show up in a variety of ways from panic attacks, to sleep disorders, to depression to anxiety. It may leave someone unable to relax or relate to people or particular situations in the way they used to. The leading experts in trauma all advocate for a body based approach. I have studied in depth various approaches to healing trauma and helping people to restore themselves to health and enjoying life.