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“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.
No matter how well the therapist understands your process, it is only when you are able to understand it yourself that you are able to make meaningful change.
The most important skill of a somatic psychotherapist, therefore, is to co-create a space that enables you to arrive at your own emotional, intellectual and somatic understanding through your own experiencing.
What is the most important part of a Psychotherapist’s professional training?
That is why the most important part of a psychotherapist’s training is not to learn techniques, labels and diagnostic tools “to add to their toolbox”.
These have their place. What practitioners most need to learn, however, is how to support you in making your own discoveries. To be aware of and suspend their interpretations and judgements so that you are able to proceed in your own unique way.
And that is why the single most important aspect of a psychotherapist’s professional training is their own personal therapy.
What else is it important for you to know ?
It’s important to know that Somatic Psychotherapy is about Being not Doing.
In his book Fear of Life, the founder of Bioenergetics Dr Alexander Lowen States:
“IF WE ARE AFRAID OF BEING, OF LIFE, WE CAN MASK THIS FEAR BY INCREASING OUR DOING.
The busier we become, the less time we will have available for feeling, being and living. And we can delude ourselves into believing that doing is being and living.
We can measure our life by what we accomplish rather than by the richness and fullness of our experience”.
Do you measure your life by your accomplishments or by the richness and fullness of your experience? What is most important for you?
What is so unique about Core Development’s approach?
Core Development was developed by Donald Marmara from his
- Life experience
- Personal therapy
- 4-year 2000 hours experiential in-person training in Biodynamic Psychology and Psychotherapy at the Gerda Boyesen Centre in London (1976-1980)
- Further training, therapy and supervision over a 4-year period with David Boadella in the Fundamentals of Biosynthesis (1980-1984)
- Participation in experiential workshops and individual sessions with Helen Davis, Dr John Pierrakos, Erika Kelley, and the London Gestalt Centre
- Training in the Fundamentals of Structural Consulting over a 2-year period with its founder Robert Fritz (1986-1988)
- 45 years international professional experience
Core Development is currently based in Sydney. It is a process of emotional learning, embodying principles of somatic psychotherapy, counselling and structural thinking.
For more information about Core Development’s values, approach and methodology, Call Donald Marmara on +61 412 178 234
Donald Marmara created Core Development , a learning process which acknowledges the unity and inter-relationships of mind, body, emotions and spirit.
It draws on the principles and understanding of somatic psychotherapy, structural dynamics, and Donald’s own personal therapy, professional training and life experience.
Core development adopts a flexible approach, recognising that what works for one person may not work for another.
Donald currently resides and practices in Sydney, and is available for individual sessions, couples sessions, counselling teenagers and parents, and facilitating training programs and workshops. He is also available for Zoom and phone sessions worldwide.
He can be contacted on 0412 178 234.