What is Body Psychotherapy and how do I work?
Put simply, Body Psychotherapy is Psychotherapy in which your body as well as your mind is welcomed into the process. Our bodies speak to us all the time and they often have a lot to say. So we will learn to listen to what your mind and your body both have to say. How much joy do you have in your life? How much pain?
I am interested in how you experience and perceive yourself, the world and the people around you; what is pleasurable for you and what is painful, emotionally, psychologically, physically, spiritually. I'm also interested in how you make sense of this, how you think and feel about it, what you are happy with and what you would like to be different.
Our Bodies speak Truth
I work from an understanding that all our experiences are processed through the senses in our bodies and they are filtered through the memories of how we were related to by others as we were growing. Our memories of how we were held and understood as children are powerful. They create in us the ability to either have a loving relationship or a difficult, painful relationship with ourselves and others today.
Feeling misunderstood, hated or hurt can become problematic if they are not met with intelligent understanding. Unresolved pain of any kind can inhibit our ability to love. Both love and pain can be witnessed in the patterns of our thoughts and beliefs, and also in the tissue, musculature and structure of the body, the functioning of the gut and the nervous system, the openness of our heart, and our ability to relate with others.
My job is to bring my presence and understanding to what causes you pain and to celebrate with you what brings you aliveness and wellbeing. We will work with what prevents your wellbeing, whether this be complex trauma, ongoing anxiety, depression, long term illness or difficult physical symptoms. You are welcome with what you bring.
Whatever you are seeking right now, I invite you to explore all of this within a therapeutic relationship, using talking and/or various types of body work to connect with your deeper self. We can follow the inner wisdom within you to discover more of who you really are and who you want to be in this world.
I work with individuals, couples and groups and I also teach Amanae body work.
The main influences on my work are Humanistic, Psychoanalytic, Gestalt, Biodynamic and Relational principles. Also Bioenergetics and various types of body and energy work.
I am Registered and Accredited with UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy)