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The Wisdom Of Not Knowing

How Can Not Knowing Improve The Quality Of My Life?

This workshop is available on demand to organisations, schools,and groups of 8 or more people.

The Wisdom Of Not Knowing

an experiential, playful, and interactive workshop

with Donald Marmara

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”  (Plato)

Enhance your life skills by learning to let go of all theories, knowledge and expectations so you can put yourself in other people’s shoes and perceive what’s happening through the eyes and ears of others. read more

Creating Results

When I tell people that Core Development is results- focused, they often remark, “ that ’s solution focused, right?�? No. Whilst solution- focused behaviour is driven by a problem – or by the need to solve or eliminate a problem, results-focused act ions are driven by the desire to create a certain result.

Somatic Transference and Counter-transference in Psychotherapy

In the book “Bonding” by Stanley Keleman – the author defines transference and counter-transference as “how a client and a therapist develop a relationship with each other to individuate, seek satisfaction, or maintain their social, instinctual and personal lives.”

He points out that whereas the more traditional approaches focus solely on feelings, emotions, fantasies and images, somatic psychotherapy views bodylanguage as the real mirror for feelings and needs. read more

Time to smell the roses

Time to smell the roses

Stress leading to burnout has become a major problem in our society, costing us millions of dollars a year and having a major impact on our health.

So how can we deal with stress more effectively to improve our health and avoid burnout?

Many of you, like myself, will be receiving more mail than you can reasonably deal with.  So why should I add to your stress levels by inflicting another newsletter on you? read more

The Ph.D. Octupus

This article was written over 100 years ago – consider its relevance today, with our increasing emphasis on paper qualifications………?

The Ph.D. Octopus
William James
Some years ago, we had at our Harvard Graduate School a very brilliant student of Philosophy, who, after leaving us and supporting himself by literary labor for three years, received an appointment to teach English Literature at a sister-institution of learning. read more

Increase Productivity & Create a Strong & Sustainable Culture

How to increase your employee's productivity and create a strong sustainable business culture - Most business leaders have a very good understanding of their business and of the industry they’re in – arguably they would not be in leadership roles if they didn’t. Not many, however, are as well versed in people-management and relationship skills, which is not surprising as you can’t expect to be good at everything!

The Tortoise and the Hare

How the digestive system informs Biodynamic Psychotherapy

by Donald Marmara, somatic psychotherapist

Gerda Boyesen, the Norwegian clinical psychologist and physiotherapist who set up the school of Biodynamic Psychology and Psychotherapy in London, tells this story.

When she was seeing clients at her clinic in Oslo, she noted that she was having significantly better results with some clients than with others. read more

How Do You Listen? An important question in counselling and psychotherapy

In the mid-1980’s I served an apprenticeship with a Native American medicine man, Sun Bear.

When I introduced Sun Bear to an audience, I said:

There are different ways to listen. One way is to listen with your head, to try to understand, explain, interpret, evaluate and take notes.

Another way is to listen with your heart, allowing his words to evoke feelings, sensations and thoughts. read more

Success Failure and Motivation

PART TWO

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

In Part One, the difference between fear of failure, where the driving force progressively diminishes and therefore requires constant effort to maintain, and desire for success, where the driving force increases as you approach your goal and therefore requires no external force to maintain, was discussed. read more

Parents – How To Be More Effective In Helping Your Children

You can reduce the stress you have as a parent when your children are having difficulties . This will also make you  more effective in helping them.

Parents who come to see me with concerns about their children sometimes feel guilty, confused or inadequate. These feelings can sometimes be reinforced by conflicting expert opinions and advice. read more