The artist Chuck Close once said: “You can give the same recipe to 10 cooks. Some make it come alive, and some make a flat soufflé. A system doesn’t guarantee anything.”
The same applies to relationships. Hundreds of books tell you what to do and not do to make your relationships work. Numerous workshops claim to give you the “secrets” to success.
This is what my work in emotional learning – including somatic psychotherapy and counselling – is about. Restoring our capacity to give and receive love.
As a society, and indeed as a human race, we have moved so far away from our true nature, from what we know in our hearts – ie that our true nature is loving, cooperative and compassionate – that we we have come to believe that human nature is destructive, and that we have to teach children – and adults – how to be constructive and loving.
How do you respond to the statement above?
Do you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing right away? Or do you stop to think about it?
What is your feeling response? Are you surprised, irritated, amused, pleased?
What is your bodily response? Do you sigh? Do you nod or shake your head?
What happens to your facial expression? What is your tone of voice when you talk about it?
Wars – Terrorist Attacks – Anxiety and Depression – Mass Shootings – Domestic Violence – Relationship Breakdowns
In the latter part of this article, I describe two very simple exercises, well known to many psychotherapists, that could transform the way we relate and communicate. And in my article on “Dealing With Your Emotions”, I explain why I believe these methods are not more widely used .
We all need support in getting our needs met. When a child’s behaviour does not meet our expectations, is it helpful to use Behaviour Management Techniques?
Behaviours have a cause and a purpose. When a child behaves in ways that we consider bad or unacceptable, we may resort to behaviour management techniques to change the child’s behaviour.
Motivating ourselves and others by Fear seems to dominate all areas of our lives. Have we forgotten what we really want?
This article reflects on the question: Where is all this taking us?
Every action is motivated by the desire to move TOWARDS or AWAY FROM something or someone.There is an important difference in the way these two forces work.
It’s good to remind ourselves not to see and relate to people – children and adults – through the filter of a label, however correct we may think the label is.
Some time ago I had the opportunity of working with a woman in her late 20s. She was diagnosed as chronically depressed, and stuck in a junior position in her company because they said she was a slow learner with poor communication skills and no good at working in a team.
The aim of this article is to help you discover from your own experience how being aware of body language can help you understand yourself and others better. This will also help you deal more effectively with your emotions, and improve your communication skills.
This can enhance your effectiveness in relationships in general, and is particularly important for both psychotherapist and client in processes such as Counselling and Psychotherapy. It may also help you understand how some of your current conflicts may have their origin in childhood.
What do YOU mean by anxiety?
We all know what anxiety feels like, and because it is so common, we tend to assume that everyone knows what we mean when we say we’re feeling anxious. As everyone is different, however, what anxiety feels like to me may be very different from what it feels like to you.
This makes it difficult – perhaps even dangerous – to give your help or advice without having a detailed knowledge and understanding of precisely what you are feeling and going through.
Counselling and Psychotherapy are powerful tools for personal and social change.
They enable us to resolve emotional issues that are preventing us from being happy with ourselves and our lives, and from having fulfilling relationships.
They can also be helpful in cases where physical problems are caused or aggravated by emotional stress. Somatic or Body Psychotherapy can be especially helpful in this respect.
