“The capacity for growth depends one's ability to internalize and take personal responsibility. If we forever see our life as a problem caused by others, a problem to be "solved," then no change will occur.”
- James Hollis
Individual Counseling
Getting to know and love who we are is a life long project, and moving through all of the defenses, baggage, and opening into that place of vulnerability and compassion is our greatest hope.
I feel there are 5 categories in which we engage in every day: Mind, Body, Soul, Community, Environment.
As a somatic therapist, a lot of the initial work I do with clients is slowing the mind down long enough to engage the body to see what is happening and how it may be expressing itself. Once slowed down and engaged, we can begin to engage with the other parts of our every day world.
I start with a simple 3-step premise: “what am I feeling, where am I feeling it, and what do I want to do with this information?”
Once mind and body are engaged, we can start making conscious decisions (as opposed to unconscious ones). This is where wisdom begins and ends. There are lot of choices available, and we typically succumb to the easiest pattern of behavior without much thought (unconscious behavior).
I often synonymously suggest this stage is the search for aliveness and posit questions like:
What are my needs in this moment?
What would normally happen in my cycle now?
How do I love myself in this moment?
How do I represent the best version of self?
In an embraced, linked, and congruent primary emotion, most wish to share it with someone.
Through this we find your primary emotions and how they are engaged, once a primary emotion is defined and self has been identified in the moment, we can discuss how that emotion impacts your life choices.
The above is a basic outline of how I like to work, and each aspect has many different tangents that lead ultimately back to you. I look forward to talking more with you about it
Below are some links for some of the concepts linked to psychotherapy counseling & relationship counseling that may have piqued your interest.
