Body-based treatment is actually a collection of approaches which take into account how the brain and nervous system, as expressed in body sensation, influence the development of symptoms and other problems of living. My formal training in body-based treatment includes Somatic Experiencing® (2003) and EMDR (1994), to which I’ve added a variety of similarly-minded approaches and techniques along the way. Integrating these approaches with more traditional talking therapy, I help clients learn how to use information from their bodies in the service of healing. As a by-product, people who engage in these practices tend to develop greater resilience in their encounters with life’s challenges.
Despite the name, the body-based approaches I use do not include hands-on techniques. Rather, work toward achieving personal goals relies on two key ingredients: 1) the establishment of a respectful, trusting relationship in which it feels safe to take risks and learn new skills; and 2) the development of enhanced self-awareness skills, which include awareness of body-based signals and how to use them. The work is highly collaborative. Together, we’ll focus on discovering and developing individual strengths and resources which can contribute to your healing process and the resolution of problems. My approach is positive and growth-oriented.
Examples of client problems with which I’ve worked effectively incorporating body-based treatments:
- Trauma
- Eating disorders and disordered eating
- Depression
- Anxiety/panic
- Relationship issues
- Life transitions (such as graduation, divorce, career change, mid-life, “empty nest,” retirement, and more)
- Loss and bereavement