Therapeutic Modalities

I have training in the Hakomi method, which is a Somatic (body
orientated) healing therapy. It is based on principles of non-violence
and organicity, believing that the role of the therapist is to
facilitate the natural unfolding of the clients own growth and healing.
It focuses on techniques of Mindfulness, Organicity, Non-Violence, the
Mind-Body Connection, and Unity .

Process Work, developed by Arnold and Amy Mindell, is a holistic therapy.
This means that as well as dealing with the mind, as in more
traditional therapies, it also includes focusing on the body and the
spirit/soul.  It is based on a combination of Jungian therapy, Somatic
therapy and Shamanism. I have trained in Process Work, and although I
have no formal qualifications as a Process Worker, my approach is
informed and influenced by Process Work.

Traditionally, there have been two main schools of therapy. Very simply 

put, the two main schools have been either insight orientated (i.e. 

going back into the clients childhood history to find the cause of 

current problems), or cognitive-behavioral (changing current ways of 

thinking and/or behaving). What both these schools have in common, is 

that they focus primarily on the mind, and their principle techniques 

revolve around talking (what is simply referred to as ‘talk therapy’). 

Thus the focus has principally been on the mind. The ‘granddaddy’ of 

‘mind’ therapy was Sigmund Freud.  But there were also ‘granddaddy’s’ of

 spiritual (known in the field as Transpersonal) therapy (Carl Jung), 

and body-orientated (known in the field as Somatic) therapy (Wilhelm 

Reich).

Until fairly recently, despite the pioneering work of Jung and Reich, 

the Transpersonal, and especially the Somatic approaches, were poor 

cousins to the mind approach and were not regarded with the same degree 

of importance.  However, there is an increasing understanding in our 

culture of the relevance of a holistic (mind, body, emotions and spirit)

 approach, especially in the healing arts. Consequently Transpersonal, 

and especially Somatic approaches have been receiving much greater 

recognition, although the Somatic approach in particular is still very 

much cutting edge. My approach is holistic. I do not neglect or 

underestimate the importance of working with the mind, and of talk 

therapy. But I add a spiritual overview, learning emotional language and

 Somatic techniques and approaches to my work.

Somatic therapy involves bringing focus and awareness to our physical as

 well as mental being. This is all about learning to be less in our 

heads and more in our bodies. It is not easy to describe this process 

(precisely because I am using language, a tool of the mind, which is 

largely inadequate in describing an experience of the body). I also use 

movement techniques (such as Authentic Movement) to help clients get 

more in touch with their body experience. To learn more about Somatic 

Therapy, follow my links on the “Hakomi” and “Process Work” pages of 

this site, or look up information on the works of Wilhelm Reich, 

Alexander Lowen, Peter Levine, Pat Ogden, Arnie Mindel, Ron Kurtz, Mary 

Starks Whitehouse, Marian Rosen or Gabrielle Roth, to name a few.

Somatic techniques are very powerful healing tools.  They can reach 

those parts that most other therapy techniques cannot. When a holistic 

perspective is used, focusing on the mind, the body and the spirit, much

 deeper and longer lasting healing can result.

Transpersonal or spiritually orientated therapy is about finding meaning in our lives. I would call myself an existentialist with a spiritual viewpoint, meaning that I believe we do need to find meaning in our lives. And I find meaning in spirituality, and believing there is a divine and spiritual energy to the universe. I do not believe that this is the only way to find meaning in our lives, but it's a great way to do so. And I do deeply believe that we do need to find meaning in our lives, in whatever way feels right for us, to truly live rich and fulfilling lives. 

I will never force any belief system on you, but rather encourage you to explore and discover your essential truth that helps you find the meaning in your life that helps make life feel really worth living.