Body-Centered Psychotherapy
There are many different forms of Somatic (body) Therapies. My practice is deeply rooted in the pioneering work of Wilhelm Reich, M.D. During the first half of this century, Reich immersed himself in the relationship between the body processes and emotional functioning. Lowen, Rolf, Kurtz, and Feldenkrais, to name a few, are practitioners that drew from Reich’s discoveries. Reich’s concept of working with the body to enable emotional growth and psychological change has proved seminal in today’s holistic mind/body movement.
I use an educational model as opposed to a medical model. I believe that students of this work are adults involved in personal growth work as opposed to patients seeking a cure. This places responsibility on both the teacher and the student to maintain a strong therapeutic alliance.
In Neo-Reichian work, a person works toward the integration of how one blocks or experiences tension in one’s body and how that relates to the blocking or the experience of conflict in one’s life. Through Neo-Reichian emotional release work, we learn to surrender to the emotions held in our bodies. This surrender enables us to regain access to our own experience of self. This process is viewed as the pulsation or flow of life force throughout the body. Through containment work, we learn to sustain our experience of self while relating to others, building the foundation for healthy somatic and cognitive boundaries.
Based upon our individual histories, each of us has developed ways of dealing with our emotions. Some of us block or deny feelings and energy; some of us aren’t able to contain or appropriately express our emotions and our energy. This work strives to restore the inherent balance of emotions and expressions within each of us.
If, for instance, a person is blocking pain, he/she is also blocking pleasure. The blocking of anger leads to the blocking of soft, loving feelings. If fear is being blocked, we are also blocking our capacity to trust. This blocking process is often below conscious awareness. The Neo-Reichian approach teaches body awareness and the connection of sensation and feelings.
I bring a rich background of somatic developmental psychology to my practice. I enjoy working directly with the body….bringing into awareness the innate connection of soma and soul. I utilize eidetic imagery and shamanic healing to deepen a person’s relationship with their own healing resources.
I provide a safe, nurturing environment to explore issues of addiction, developmental arrests, denial systems, adult/child integration, shock and trauma, physical issues, self-acceptance, and spirituality.