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How I work

“Every crisis contains within it the seeds for transformation and growth.” - Jodie Gale

PSYCHOSYNTHESIS: A PSYCHOLOGY WITH SOUL

Psychosynthesis is known worldwide as a psychology with a soul.

It is an integrative and holistic approach which includes an exploration of the biological, emotional, psychological, social, sexual, cultural, ecological and spiritual elements and influences on health and well-being. Spirituality in a psychosynthesis context is often used to describe the deeper essence of who we are, the innate part of us that continuously calls us towards growth and wholeness. When we are present to this deeper essence, it provides us with a sense of belonging, connectedness, value, meaning and purpose in life (Gale 2010).

Roberto Assagioli, the founder of psychosynthesis, was a colleague of both Freud and Jung. He was a psychiatrist, a neurologist and a pioneer of psychoanalysis in Italy. Ahead of the times, he gradually moved towards a more inclusive and mindful approach to human development. Assagioli was interested in the soul, the esoteric, yoga, spirituality and religious teachings such as Buddhism, Christianity and Jewish mysticism; these deeply influenced his map of the human psyche.

Assagioli’s work has been widely influential in the fields of humanistic and transpersonal-based psychologies. Psychosynthesis practitioners have been using Buddhist mindfulness theory and techniques for at least half a century, many of which are being used in popular mindfulness and acceptance based psychologies today. Psychosynthesis integrates the best of western psychology, eastern and western spiritual disciplines. Psychosynthesis theory and practice is in a constant process of evolution and growth as rigorously trained practitioners worldwide integrate new philosophies, ideas and evidence based practice – such as neuroscience – into their theory and practice. Many psychological approaches focus on only part of who we are, for example, our thinking. Assagioli’s model is still at the cutting edge of psychology today due to its inclusive nature and because it takes into consideration the whole of the psyche and the whole person (Gale 2010).

Psychosynthesis provides an approach to life, personal development, counselling, coaching and psychotherapy which incorporates working with early childhood and past trauma, current issues in the here and now and the vast potential for growth, healing and change.

In a recent research program whereby I participated as one of the therapists, neuro-psychosynthesis practitioner Dr Stratford shows that the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client is essential to healing. Relationship lies at the heart of psychosynthesis therapy.

Psychosynthesis practitioners hold a positive, optimistic and hopeful context. You will learn psychosynthesis tools to apply to many areas of life including your relationships, parenting, teaching, politics, medicine, administration and the arts.

Psychosynthesis counselling, coaching and psychotherapy has the following benefits and will help you to:

Find resolution of the pervasive underlying causes of your problems
Heal from early childhood trauma and abuse
Find freedom from self-destructive thoughts and behaviours
Build a toolbox of coping and life skills
Facilitate healthy life long changes
Build a strong foundation for healthy relationships
Increase self-esteem, self-worth and self confidence
Become more intuitive and creative
Reconnect with your true self
Discover value, meaning and purpose in life
Get in touch with your whole being: body, feelings, mind, sexuality and spirituality

ECOTHERAPY, NATURE-BASED THERAPY & PLANT-BASED NUTRITION

From June 2021 until June 2022, I embarked on a year-long nature therapy training whereby I spent 1-2 hours a day in nature and training in eco and nature therapy. Nature therapy can take place outdoors (such as walk and talk or participating in nature-based activities such as Shinrinyoku (forest-bathing), working with nature themes (such as with trees, water or the wind), fairy-tales or collage in nature or indoors (finding creative ways to bring the outdoors indoors). Other themes relevant to nature therapy are climate anxiety, plant-based eating and other ways to care for the planet. The world is your oyster when it comes to eco and nature-therapy.

INNER CHILD, SUBPERSONALITIES & INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS (IFS)

Healing the inner child and the different parts inside of us, are core personality models of Psychosynthesis. I have been working with women to help them to heal their child within and other parts such as the people pleaser, the perfectionist and the inner critic for over 20 years. I am Internal Family Systems (IFS) informed, after spending a year training in Internal Family Systems which is based in Psychosynthesis: Subpersonalities, Transactional Analysis: Parent-Adult-Child & Jungian Subselves & Archetypes.

Join my mailing list to be notified of my inner child workshops for women, coming in 2024.

EMBODIMENT & SOMATIC PRACTICE

I am trained in embodied recovery and somatic practice which includes trauma recovery, self-regulation skills, and resilience. These focus areas ultimately weave together into a unified somatic approach to awareness and relationship.

MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness, also translated as awareness, has gained popularity in psychology over the past 10 or so years. There is a growing base of clinical evidence to support Mindfulness, particularly with people who suffer from anxiety, depression, eating and food problems.

Mindfulness means ‘paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally’ (Jon Kabat Zinn).

Practicing mindfulness has the following benefits and will help you to:

Reduce stress
Enhance emotional intelligence
Increase self-acceptance and self-awareness
Develop compassion and kindness towards yourself and others
Manage painful thoughts and feelings
Live a balanced and conscious life
Experience more peacefulness and calm
Reconnect with your true self, others and your environment
Gain a greater sense of clarity, focus and concentration

EATING DISORDER COACHING, DYNAMIC EATING PSYCHOLOGY & MIND BODY NUTRITION

I am a Certified Carolyn Costin Eating Disorder Coach an Eating Psychology Coach. Founded by Marc David, Dynamic Eating Psychology, combines the psychology of eating with the science of mind body nutrition; it is the latest and most up-to-date approach there is for healing from “weight concerns, emotional eating, binge eating, overeating, body image challenges, endless dieting and a variety of nutrition related health concerns such as digestion, fatigue, mood, immunity and more (Marc David)”.

Eating psychology and mind body nutrition have the following benefits:

Learning a hopeful, positive, uplifting approach to food and body
Exploring what your challenges with food and body are here to teach you
Discovering hidden wisdom, secret messages and important connections between food, body and all other areas of your life
Learning how to slow-down and listen to your unique body wisdom
Healing and transforming your relationship with food and body
Changing your perceptions about nutrition and nourishment, exercise and movement
Finding out what it is that you are physically, emotionally, mentally, sexually and spiritually hungry for
Experiencing a truly holistic approach; body, mind, heart and SOUL!

HEALTH AT EVERY SIZE – HAES®

I am a Health at Every Size Australia endorsed specialist. Health At Every Size HAES® is an evidence based, non-diet approach which focuses on health, rather than size.

Dieting almost always leads to bingeing and is a contributing factor in all forms of disordered eating and food, body and weight concerns.

The following principles were devised by The Association for Size Diversity and Health to provide a more balanced and health focused approach:

Weight Inclusivity: Accept and respect the inherent diversity of body shapes and sizes and reject the idealizing or pathologizing of specific weights.
Health Enhancement: Support health policies that improve and equalize access to information and services, and personal practices that improve human well-being, including attention to individual physical, economic, social, spiritual, emotional, and other needs.
Respectful Care: Acknowledge our biases, and work to end weight discrimination, weight stigma, and weight bias. Provide information and services from an understanding that socio-economic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and other identities impact weight stigma, and support environments that address these inequities.
Eating for Well-being: Promote flexible, individualized eating based on hunger, satiety, nutritional needs, and pleasure, rather than any externally regulated eating plan focused on weight control.
Life-Enhancing Movement: Support physical activities that allow people of all sizes, abilities, and interests to engage in enjoyable movement, to the degree that they choose.

HAES® has the following benefits and can help you to:

Learn how to listen and trust your own body wisdom
Transform your relationship with your food and body
Eat intuitively and mindfully
Find a balanced approach to exercise and movement
Gain knowledge about size and weight discrimination
Advocate for size diversity

The Health at Every Size paradigm supports people to build a deeply respectful relationship with food, body & soul. It encourages people to listen, trust and care for themselves, often for the first time in a long-time.

TECHNIQUES AND THEORIES TO SUPPORT YOUR TRANSFORMATION AND CHANGE

I draw from a broad range of theories, techniques and experiential exercises to support your transformation and change. These always depend on your level of comfort.

Theories

Techniques

Self Reflection & Self Care at Home

Part of therapy is about activating a nurturing inner mother/father and your inner therapist outside of the sessions. I sometimes offer homework which might be a book recommendation, self-reflection through journaling or another activity related to your soul’s journey.