By Chris Tickner, MA, MFT, Somatic Psychotherapy Topic Expert Contributor

Click here to contact Chris and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

There comes a point and time in every growing therapist’s development when they have to let go of all the tools and tricks. They have to trust that what they have learned is now second nature, and rest into the moment, into the relationship with their client. The following story details that moment in my life.

When Tony was just two days old, the Department of Child and Family Services removed him from the care of his mother as she tested positive for cocaine and other substances. He was immediately placed into foster care and into the home of a foster mother with at least four other children. He was removed from that home due to allegations of neglect when he was eleven months, and over the next two years spent time in at least three other foster homes. By the time Tony was three, the impact of multiple placements, neglect, and exposure to drugs when in his mother’s womb was obvious. He would rock himself, bang his head on the wall or headboard of his bed. He was difficult to soothe, oppositional, would have several severe tantrums every day. His caregivers at the time struggled to find ways to control him. Read the rest of this entry

By Chris Tickner, MA, MFT, Somatic Psychotherapy Topic Expert Contributor

Click here to contact Chris and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

Core Energetics (CE) was created by John C. Pierrakos in the 1970s. Pierrakos was a student of Wilhelm Reich and worked closely with Alexander Lowen. After jointly creating Bioenergetics, Pierrakos split with Lowen to create his own unique way of working with his patients. Influenced by the work of Carl Jung and his wife, Eva Pierrakos, CE evolved to include not only the roots or Reichian theory, but also an eclectic mix of energy and consciousness theory.

There are three primary tenets to Core Energetics. The first is that humans are inherently a psychosomatic being, that the body and the mind of the individual are inseparable. Second is that the ability to heal, what is necessary to heal, comes from within. Unlike traditional allopathic medicine, where a patient relies on the healing of the physician or medication, in Core Energetics, the belief is that what is required to heal is already present in the person. Third is that “all of existence forms a unity that moves toward creative evolution, both of the whole and of the countless components” (Pierrakos, 1990, p. 12). Read the rest of this entry

Today GoodTherapy.org members enjoyed the 3rd event in our 2010Teleconference Series: Trauma Treatment State of the Art: Understanding Phasic Nervous System Process presented by Steven Hoskinson. A big thank you to Steve for a fascinating and comprehensive presentation on trauma.

Please feel free, if you have questions or comments about Steve’s presentation, to post a comment.

Steven Hoskinson, MA, MAT, consults and trains internationally under the auspices of Hoskinson Consulting in Encinitas, CA. For over a decade, Steven has taught Somatic Experiencing as Senior International Instructor for the Foundation for Human Enrichment. His research interests are in Creativity, Myth and Spirituality. Steven’s perspectives include: Evolutionary, Developmental, Cognitive-Behavioral, Depth & Dynamic Psychology and System Approaches all within a mindfulness framework. Other major influences include personal mentoring with Peter Levine, a longstanding mindfulness practice, and over a decade as a practicing Aikidoist. He has consulted on trauma relief projects in the Middle East, India and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For those of you interested in more information about Steven, you can visit his website: http://www.HoskinsonConsulting.org.

Thanks to all of you who attended today’s event,
Noah :)

Noah Rubinstein, LMFT
Executive Director

http://www.GoodTherapy.org

© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Coral Gables Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

By Chris Tickner, MA, MFT, Somatic Psychotherapy Topic Expert Contributor

Click here to contact Chris and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

It is an exciting time in the world of Somatic Psychology! Over the past 15 years or so, our field has grown to find itself positioned on the cutting edge of many leading developments in psychology and mental health. Mindfulness, trauma, attachment theory, and other growing parts of the field have all come to a basic conclusion: a focus on and utilization of the body in psychotherapy is necessary for healing.

Researchers including Daniel Siegel, Allan Schore, Allan Davidson, John Briere, and others indicate that a focus on the body is paramount to recovery for a wide range of diagnoses.

A primary reason for this development has been an explosion in the field of neurobiology. With the advancement of scanning and imagery technology, researchers are now seeing and understanding, on a neurological level, how the brain is impacted by various mental illnesses. With this understanding has come a clearer and more precise ability to understand how certain illnesses develop and how they might be treated. Read the rest of this entry

By Chris Tickner, MA, MFT, Somatic Psychotherapy Topic Expert Contributor

Click here to contact Chris and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” – Lao Tzu

Laurie Schwartz’s article on this site, “The Body in Psychotherapy: Creating and Sustaining Integration of Body, Self and Soul,” is an excellent overview of the theory and practice of Somatic Psychology. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading it. What I find that many first time somatic therapy clients what to know is, what actually happens during a real session? How is Somatic Psychotherapy different from other forms of therapy? There is often a concern that because we include the body in our work, that somehow this will make things uncomfortable, or a little too out there.

Therefore, I have included here a brief transcript from a recent session. I feel serves to provide a road map of sorts for a very typical somatic psychotherapy session. Keep in mind that for every somatic therapist out there, there is a unique way to do this work. No two sessions will be the same. But there are some key elements that I highlight in this session that are typical. Read the rest of this entry