What is Mindfulness−Based Transpersonal Counseling?
The symptoms that have us seek out professional help are often rooted in trauma—experiences in our lives that told us we were unlovable, not “good enough”, or “bad”; that said it wasn’t okay to be ourselves or express our feelings; that left us alone in our pain without the help and support we so desperately needed. Such experiences change how feel about ourselves and how we show up in the world. We adopt strategies to receive others’ approval or avoid rejection. We distract from the present moment because it is often too painful. The wounds are still there, buried beneath layers of defense. Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling helps clients become more aware of these dysfunctional patterns and belief systems, develop more healthy and conscious ways of working with life’s challenges, and heal the traumas that keep them stuck. Through the practice of mindfulness and self-compassion, through turning towards our experience instead of away from it, we rediscover the truth about ourselves and come to experience a greater sense of freedom and wholeness in our lives.
Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling also aims to facilitate a spiritual experience—to help deepen our awareness of Divine Presence within ourselves, our relationships, and our world. When we open to the sacredness of life, and see it within every moment, our perception and very existence is transformed.
What is Inner Child Work?
Inner Child Work is a process of coming into conscious relationship with our Inner Child, or soul. The goal of Inner Child Work is to create a secure attachment with our Inner Child, by growing our awareness of their activation in our bodies (in the form of anxiety, distress, grief, anger, and other emotions), increasing our capacity to be present to their experience, encouraging their expression and communication through dialoguing, and learning how to meet their needs for safety, love, connection and play.
Inner Child Work is a journey of reparenting ourselves with gentleness and compassion. Most of us were not taught how to feel our feelings, process our trauma and grief, nurture our creativity, explore our imagination, and open to Divine guidance and inspiration. But it is never too late to heal our wounds and live with greater authenticity. When we honor the sacredness of relationship with our Inner Child, the symptoms of our suffering naturally diminish. We are less prone to emotional reactivity, addictions, anxiety and depression, and codependency. We are better able to set healthy boundaries for ourselves and with others, have honest and loving relationships, and express our truth without fear of rejection or abandonment.
FAQs
What is your availability?
I generally schedule sessions with clients Tuesday through Friday, from 11am to 6pm.
What can I expect during therapy sessions?
I like to begin sessions with a mindfulness check-in, where I guide you in bringing a gentle and curious attentiveness to your present-moment experience. Not only does this help cultivate your own practice of mindfulness, which is invaluable for increasing self-awareness and your capacity for emotional self-regulation, but it also can provide direction and focus for the rest of our session. Other times, we might explore a current challenge in your life that is causing distress, or delve into creative approaches for processing trauma and underlying dynamics, using guided visualization, gestalt therapy, or the expressive arts.
How long will I be in therapy?
Length of therapy depends on a variety of factors, and can be anywhere from 10 to 30 or more sessions.
How often will we meet?
I like to meet with clients weekly for a period of time, as this helps with building relationship and trust and allows for clients to feel more comfortable opening up and being vulnerable. There is also a lot of comfort and reassurance that can come from having a weekly routine. When you feel more confident and stable in your day-to-day life, and better able to navigate life’s challenges and stressors, we may consider shifting to meeting every other week.