Relationships are fundamental to our existence and every relationship we encounter is informed by the relationship we have with our self.
Memories of past experiences inform beliefs, feelings and behaviors that are all symbolic ways we perceive our selves. Our relationship with these self-symbols is navigated through our imaginations and our self care system. When our imagination is restricted, our sense of self can also feel restricted. This narrowed sense of self can create defenses and fears that also hinder communication and self-expression in relationships with significant others, as well as within your community or environment as well as the way you treat yourself.
Automatic feelings; like anger, fear, confusion or a disconnection from feeling can trigger defensive or codependent behaviors that can feel out of sync with our true desire for relatedness. These behaviors may have once served to protect you, but now they hinder you from trusting yourself or others.
Many people I work with say, ” I don’t want to be that person” about some unwanted or exiled part of themselves. These parts may carry disappointment and core wounds in need of healing. Rather than denying or pushing away these unwanted thoughts and feelings, our therapy together will patiently and mindfully engage these perceptions with curiosity and objectivity, which makes it safe to reunite with the parts that got left behind or didn’t feel safe. This can be a powerful act of self acceptance that will reunite you with your innate inner wisdom.
Utilizing mindfulness skills with body centered - Somatic talk therapy approach is an effective way to explore and identify with curiosity how your nervous system responds to perceived relational threats. Developing a relationship with the innate integrity of the body is helpful not only for interrupting automatic thoughts and behaviors; it can also increase your sense of safety, spontaneity, and trust in yourself and others.
I encourage working with dreams, image, movement, and symbolic processes if or when appropriate to invite an expressive and expansive dialogue with your intuition and facilitating an experience in the moment that can lead to new possibilities for expression, communication and trust.
Whether you are seeking individual therapy or couples counseling with your partner, family member or colleague, we will work together to develop new tools for exploring, engaging, and authentically expressing yourself in relationships with your self and others.