Integrative Body Psychotherapy
'Our life stories and experiences are held in our bodies.'
As a body psychotherapist I understand that whatever difficulties you are facing will be affecting the whole of you, physically as well as emotionally.
Issues may be complex and need longer and more in depth work than can be addressed in short term counselling.
This is especially the case if events, experiences and relationships from the past are impinging, confusing and impacting your quality of life and relationships in the present.
I work with a range of psychological issues and physical symptoms
I work with a range of issues and understand that all affect us in body heart mind spirit, for example:
- anxiety fear, panic, sadness, anger
- digestive disorders, sleep or eating difficulties
- living with change and transition
- mid and later life issues, ageing, menopause
- troubling childhood experiences
- trauma - past and present, disturbing dreams
- abuse - emotional, physical, sexual
- bereavement, grief and loss
- living with pain and illness
- meaninglessness , emptiness, depression
- sexual difficulties
- relationships, conflicts
- body image
- questions of identity
- self-critical thoughts, chronic sense of shame
All our feelings are felt and experienced in the body and we cannot separate body heart mind. You may be experiencing physical symptoms e.g.
- nausea, body pains, chronic headaches,
- insomnia, loss of appetite,
- body tension, tightness
- numbness, sense of detachment from your body
- chronic fatigue, lack of energy
- anxiety or panic attacks, hyperventilation
- migraines, rashes, skin complaints e.g. psoriasis
All of this will be affecting you as a whole person, physically as well as emotionally, affecting capacity for intimacy and relationship.
HOW WILL IT WORK IN A SESSION?
Normally we would work by sitting and talking in chairs, as you might expect. This is most likely how we would begin for the first few weeks as we come to know each other.
As we talk I may at times encourage body awareness (e.g. noticing tight stomach, or lump in throat), or sensations of breathing ( e.g. shallow or deep), awareness of body posture (e.g. foot tapping, or arms folded) , at times encouraging e.g. feet on the ground or even standing or walking around if it helps when things feel stuck.
After some time of working together, and if it feels comfortable for you to work with visualisation or body awareness, I may invite you to try lying down as this can invite a deeper opening to the unconscious. All this would be explained, discussed and decided between us and entirely your choice. Any work between us involving physical contact would be discussed and negotiated and require your consent. This might be an invitation from me to e.g. support your back, or hold your feet.
FIRST MEETING
It may not be clear when you set out what it is you are exactly looking for. My approach would be to listen and work with you collaboratively to explore and clarify what you hope for. After an initial telephone conversation the most important thing would be to meet and see if there is a connection between us and if we both feel this then we can proceed from there. You need to find someone who you feel safe and comfortable with and this is a very personal decision. I will also want to feel that there is sufficient connection between us for there to be potential in the work and to feel assured that I have the necessary skills and competence to offer, given your situation.
You are welcome to CONTACT ME.