Ground, Heart, Intent, Openness: Embodying Presence and Embracing Life – Workshop – October 19-20, 2019

Practices, Somatic Psychology, Transpersonal Psychology, Workshop, , , , , ,

A two-day workshop integrating bioenergetic bodymind work with awareness practices. Is it possible to actually live your life as an adventure, in such a way that whatever you are doing in the world is part of a process of waking up to your true nature and actualizing your unique talents in the world?  Is it … Continue reading Ground, Heart, Intent, Openness: Embodying Presence and Embracing Life – Workshop – October 19-20, 2019 →

Just Relax! (Why Telling Yourself to Relax Doesn’t Work)

Practices, Somatic Psychology, , , , ,

Many of us would agree that we need to relax more. But we also know that telling ourselves to “just relax” doesn’t work very well. Lying in bed at night, feeling agitated – we tell ourselves to “relax and go to sleep,” which of course leads to greater tension. Our neck, head, jaw, or back … Continue reading Just Relax! (Why Telling Yourself to Relax Doesn’t Work) →

Depression, Low Energy, and the Hazards of Living by Will Alone

Somatic Psychology, , , , ,

  When we’re depressed, we lack energy. One reason we get depressed is because we run out of the will to push ourselves, and we discover there’s no underlying energy, desire, or impulse to move us. In fact,too much will-driven living is part of what got us into trouble to begin with. Life itself is … Continue reading Depression, Low Energy, and the Hazards of Living by Will Alone →

Bioenergetic Exercises, Self-Expression – and Emotional Release

Somatic Psychology, , , , ,

  “Does all that sound and movement in bioenergetics really help me heal? Doesn’t that kind of dramatic self-expression just teach people it’s OK to blow up or break down?” Yes and no. To both questions. Here’s the deal. Bodily exercises are indeed an important aspect of bioenergetic therapy and development work. These exercises include … Continue reading Bioenergetic Exercises, Self-Expression – and Emotional Release →

A Focus on Life, Living, and the Free Flow of Energy and Impulse

Somatic Psychology, , , ,

  Bioenergetic body-mind psychotherapy has a very clear focus on supporting the free flow of life in a person. That is, bioenergetics focuses on enlivening, rather than simply “removing” troubling behaviors. From a bioenergetic perspective, many of the difficulties that people suffer are a result of early (often traumatic) experiences that interfere with our natural and healthy instinctual … Continue reading A Focus on Life, Living, and the Free Flow of Energy and Impulse →

The Body Knows – Even If “We” Don’t

Somatic Psychology, , , ,

  Body, feeling, thought, the unconscious, and what is essential in us are all connected. If you’ve ever had a massage, you may have had the experience of registering – in a flash – that you were having surprisingly strong feelings – perhaps of fear, anger, sadness, or joy.  Maybe a concrete memory came up … Continue reading The Body Knows – Even If “We” Don’t →

Feeling Ourselves from the Inside Out – Versus Viewing Ourselves from the Outside In

Somatic Psychology, , , , , , ,

  What is the difference between self-awareness and self-consciousness? In short, it is the difference between feeling ourselves from the inside out versus from viewing ourselves from the outside in. Awareness in general and self-awareness in particular are important practices in this alchemical body-mind work. Simultaneously, learning to be in our body (truly inhabiting our … Continue reading Feeling Ourselves from the Inside Out – Versus Viewing Ourselves from the Outside In →

The Role of the Body in Bioenergetic Psychotherapy

Somatic Psychology, , , , , ,

  Body-mind psychotherapy stands in contrast to purely verbal psychotherapies by including your bodily self in the therapy session. This can take many different forms. At the most fundamental level, body-mind and bioenergetic psychotherapy operate on the continuity of mind, body, feeling, relationship and environment. As an example, if we feel an (unconscious) conflict about … Continue reading The Role of the Body in Bioenergetic Psychotherapy →

Embodiment, Energy, and Spirituality

Somatic Psychology, Transpersonal Psychology, , , ,

  It’s common in our language to talk about body and/or mind, matter and/or spirit. A natural extension of this way of thinking is to imagine that to be more in tune with spirit, we need somehow to leave our bodies behind. Or that being fully in our bodies, that we are somehow less spiritual, or … Continue reading Embodiment, Energy, and Spirituality →