THE TRUE PURPOSE OF PSYCHOTHERAPY

WORTH REMEMBERING DURING THESE TURBULENT TIMES “We live in a community of people not so that we can suppress or dominate each other or make each other miserable, but so that we can better and more reliably satisfy all life’s healthy needs”. Wilhelm Reich, M.D.

This is the TRUE PURPOSE OF PSYCHOTHERAPY:

To Respect, Value, Deepen and Enrich our experiences, our relationships and our lives.

So why do we need Psychotherapy ?

Just as a high proportion of the causes of problems in the atmosphere lie beneath the surface, in the soil and under the sea, many and possibly most of the causes of our emotional and mental challenges, and the resources needed to heal them, lie beneath the surface of our consciousness. read more

IS IT OK TO USE TOUCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY?

I would like to suggest that there is no right way.

There are different ways, and each way has advantages and disadvantages.
Sometimes I use touch, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I work with clients who know each other, sometimes I don’t.

When I asked one of my supervisors, David Boadella, what contract he had with his clients, he answered “which client and when?”
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THERE IS BEAUTY ALL AROUND US…..

I DON’T THINK THE WORLD IS CHANGING IN THE WAY I’D LIKE IT TO.

In these times of upheaval, confusion and anxiety, however, I think it may be useful to consider this:

“There is beauty all around us, only for so many people it is buried and perhaps obscured by fear, hurt, frustration, anger, hopelessness, confusion……. read more

Somatic Psychotherapy Dealing with Anxiety, Depression and Trauma

So you’re feeling anxious or depressed. Or you don’t feel quite right but you find it hard to describe how you feel.

You know your life can be better but you don’t know how to get there. You may have already tried various approaches, perhaps even been to counsellors and psychotherapists but not been able to get the results you’re looking for. read more

Restoring Our Capacity To Give and Receive Love

ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND SOMATIC PSYCHOTHERAPY

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. read more

Pushing Back the Stigma of Mental Illness

Here is an interesting question. Does a person’s anxiety, depression or other distressing feeling indicate that they are mentally ill, or absolutely normal?

Different schools of thought will give you different answers. In core development terms, however, anxiety, depression and other signs of emotional distress often indicate that your sense of self is healthy enough to produce these symptoms of a deeper, often hidden emotional conflict. read more

What is the most important skill of a Somatic Psychotherapist?

“EVERY TIME WE TEACH A CHILD SOMETHING, WE PREVENT HIM FROM INVENTING IT HIMSELF!” Jean Piaget

You may think that the most important skill of a somatic psychotherapist is their ability to understand your process, to make sense of what you’re going through. That’s helpful but it’s not enough. read more

Do You Have To Be Mentally Ill To Benefit From Counselling And Psychotherapy?

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. read more

The Most Important Aspect Of Psychotherapy

by Donald Marmara, Somatic Psychotherapist, Artarmon, Sydney

“Be wary of those who say they have the answers.
Seek instead the company of those who are trying to understand the questions.”

THE TASK OF A THERAPIST IS TO START WITH NOT KNOWING
What works for one person does not necessarily work for another.
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Somatic Psychotherapy and Counselling for Parents, Educators and People Who Support Others

PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT OTHERS NEED SUPPORT TOO!

Parents, Educators, Social Workers, Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics and Practitioners in the Healing Professions.

Are YOU getting the support you need?
Are YOUR needs being met?

I don’t need to explain how damaging stress can be, how it can undermine your immune system and cause you irritability, pain, and discomfort in the short term, and serious illness in the long term. read more