Specializing In
~ Michael S.
Somato-Emotional Exploration
Somato-Emotional Release is a term coined by John Upledger during his development of Cranio-Sacral Therapy. Soma refers to the body and emotional speaks to feelings that we have. The somato-emotional response, in the context of any somato-emotional exploration and specifically refers to an image, a feeling, a taste, sense, smell or other sensory experience that may present itself in response to physical touch.Our tissues are witnesses to everything that happens to us in the course of our lives. Usually associated with past physical or emotional trauma, a memory may store itself anywhere in our tissues and literally stay put until a later and safer time. As we respond during a body-care session through physical touch, therapeutic imagery and dialogue or through contemplative silence, it sometimes happens that the tissue memory spontaneously re-emerges, usually unexpectedly. When and if this happens the patient and the therapist have the opportunity to review and reframe the experience and reaction to it in the current context of therapeutic safety.
A skillful therapist will follow cues from the patient and make a clinical determination to manage the re-emergence of the feelings by being silent, engaging in dialogue, supporting the body part that has triggered the feeling or all of the above. This is done in order to facilitate whatever release the patient is consciously or non-consciously attempting to achieve. It is important to note that the therapist carefully and neutrally follows the patient’s lead and is continually focused on preventing any re-traumatization for the patient.
Often patients report a visceral as well as emotional sensation of relief and “lightness” in their bodies. It is important to note that somato-emotional release may occur within the context of a body care session but that it is not a replacement for psychotherapy or counseling. The therapist as well as the patient must be willing to recognize if a referral for appropriate psycho-emotional follow-up care is necessary.
~ J.P.
Healing from the Core
The Healing from the Core curriculum is a series of self-awareness and skill-building principles designed to promote a deeper personal connection within yourself as well as with and for others in your life.I integrate these principles throughout our sessions with the goal of empowering you and fostering your awareness of the simple yet powerful skills that enable you to: become aware of your own unique internal signals, recognize beliefs that may be limiting your joy and success, develop an awareness of signs of depletion in yourself and others, avoid burnout by developing strategies and resources for renewed energy and enthusiasm to create what you want in your life with more ease.
I am able to remain in the present moment with you during our sessions while maintaining healthy boundaries for both of us. Incorporating Healing from the Core principles and techniques into our sessions augments the benefits of care as well as promoting your “practice” and integration of them into your life between treatments.
The principles were originally developed to support health care providers. In her role as an instructor with the Upledger Institute the developer, Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, became aware that although her students demonstrated excellent clinical skills, they often floundered when it came to taking care of their own needs and often reported finding themselves feeling depleted at the end of their work day.
These seminars have been artfully designed to skillfully develop awareness of the dynamics of our personal energy habits. Participating in the grounding, energizing activities and exercises reinforce what Suzanne has come to term the experience of “Full Body Presence” (which is also the title of her book). The skills that I have integrated into my life are foundational and support my ability to hold a neutral, therapeutic presence for you that provides the safety net for your healing.
Healing from the Core information is available to people in all walks of life in audio, video, book form as well as by attending a seminar in person. The learning activities involve individual, small group and healing circle modalities that include lecture, movement, breath and sound techniques. The residential seminars each have a theme, build on each other and are often held in carefully selected settings within nature offering the additional advantage of slowing down time and enhancing the learning process. Many students return yearly for continued learning and sharing. To learn more in detail please click on www.healingfromthecore.com.
Suzanne also teaches Healing from the Core seminars as well as empowerment courses for women every summer at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur California. For more information click on www.Esalen.org then look for workshops.
~ P.
~ Curtis
Heart Centered Therapy
Heart Centered Therapy is a sequence of coursework based on the wisdom of the heart. It is a gentle and respectful process. Carefully selected dialoguing techniques include step-by-step guidelines that provide the transformative opportunity to re-evaluate our experiences and beliefs that helped to shape our life choices.I take the opportunity to incorporate the skills that I have learned and integrated into my own life and share them selectively during my work with you when it seems that it would be helpful. By this I mean if it should occur during a session that you touch on something that may be useful to explore at a somato-emotional level, I engage this process as a tool to assist you in your own exploration. It must be emphasized that this technique is not a revisiting of a traumatic event.
The series models skills that transform the emotional component of beliefs and mental constructs that hold us in pain, confusion and separation. The techniques leads to reintegration of former emotional responses within the new of context of love and acceptance for yourself and others.
With this process, we open to the possibility of experiencing new interpretations, reframing and reformulating emotional responses, beliefs and life decisions that were developed in reaction to earlier life events. The protection that these former beliefs offered to us then may not be useful to us now and instead may be holding us hostage from the joy that is our birthright.
Simple, specific questions bring truth and love to the forefront with the goal of transforming your personal reality. Simplicity, the voice of love and the wisdom of the heart are truly the keys to this technique. The advanced courses develop awareness and build skills to explore such topics as: our birth, lineage and ancestry, family bonds, soul fragmentation, recognition of dissociated parts of ourselves, discovering personal aspects of our body intelligence, the human spirit, soul and higher self as well as our connection to the universal oneness and “All that is.”
This technique was conceived and continues to be developed by Alaya Chikly. She personally teaches all beginning and advanced seminar series with her partner Bruno Chikly for both public and professional groups. Partners and families are encouraged to attend together. In addition to the personal attendance at a seminar, the CD series “Journeys of the Heart” is available. For more information click on this link: www.chiklyinstitute.org/hct/discover.htm