A Somatic Psychotherapy Training Program
Incorporating Core Energetics with contemporary therapies and, with permission, indigenous practices, students of SSBP's integrative certification program gain a strong foundation from which to organize their approach to clients. The result is as spiritual as it is psychological, opening the client's perception to the greater world around them as well as to their own unique offering which I call "Referencing From the Self".
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Two weeks ago we had a great turn-out of people volunteering to help make a video showcasing the school, and tomorrow the banner for our booth at the United States Association of Body-Psychotherapy Conference in two weeks goes to the printer. Life is in full swing at SSBP this summer, hope to see you at one of our events soon!
dancing during the break at ssbp
The Find Your Joy Workshop is my introductory workshop that gives people a solid beginning experience of the work we do here. We will be meeting the first weekend in August to do it again, I hope you can join us!
Traditional psychotherapy works toward congruence in a person’s thinking, emotions, actions, and life choices. Body-oriented therapy understands that the body is also profoundly affected by our life experiences. Identifying and releasing attitudes and old images held in our physical structure adds an important component to therapy. This promotes lasting change, allowing for free flow of life energy from within us so we can more fully realize our life, our joy.
The workshop combines lectures with movement and experiential opportunities. I also bring my understanding of many other approaches to employ creativity and spirituality to enhance the journey.
There is also room available in the Herbal Remedies for Mental Health Difficulties Workshop July 8-9. See the Special Events Page to register.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kXq-XtdflI&feature=youtu.be
I made this little video for a contest in sharing garden tips and entered it in the "how to select plants" category. Please go take a look and like it to vote for me! (I don't so much want to win as to get the word out about saving "at risk" medicinal plants).
Twenty plants that are commonly used for medicinal purposes are now considered "at risk" because of over-harvesting in the woods of North America. Another twenty two plants are on the "to watch" list because their popularity is sending more and people and natural health corporations after them in their wild abode. Many of these plants are easy to grow and simple to utilize for health care purposes. Thanks!!!
We've got the dates up for the 2016-17 training year. The new cohort starting next fall gets the special treatment since the class will, instead of meeting Mondays through Fridays, meet from Thursday through Monday. This is an experiment and an attempt to better meet the needs of colleagues who work in agencies and have been having difficulty getting away for our training. Even though this is many months away we already have students making appointments for their application interview, so if you are interested let us know. Space is limited!
DATES for 2016-17:
YEAR ONE: November 3-7, 2016 February 23-27, 2017 May 25-29, 2017
YEAR TWO: October 17-21, 2016 February 6-10, 2017 April 24-28, 2017
YEAR THREE: September 12-16, 2016 January 23-27, 2017 April 10-14, 2017
Last night I was having a conversation with a friend who, having experience with both, was discussing the similarities between Core Energetics and the another therapeutic approach. I was uneasy with the comparison. Then this morning in yoga the teacher mused, "Does the leaf let go of the tree or does the branch release the leaf?" This question helped me to articulate what I believe to be the difference between Core Energetics and other paradigms.
It is clear to me that the leaf falls when the Life Force, the Vital Substance, is withdrawn from the leaf. In Core Energetics it is this substance that we work with, learning to track how the Vital Force which emanates from the Core of our being, manifests into matter; into our body shape, our emotions, thinking patterns, behaviors, belief systems, attitudes and more. It is a concrete thing that is actually happening right before our eyes, something we can track physically. It is not just an idea, theory, or concept.
There are so many valid and useful approaches in the world, but I like Core because it is tangible, and it is always the "Now". In Core we can learn to bring space and light into our body to allow our Vital Substance to manifest our true self into the world. For it is clear from the leaf metaphor that when the Vital Force is held back or withdrawn there is no longer connection!
One of my favorite lectures in the curriculum during the first week of class at Seattle School of Body-Psychotherapy is the one that combines information from the Heart Math institute, practices from Plant Medicine Healers in the Amazon, and Core Energetics.
Last week while the students were practicing Heart Perception I went to sit under my Hawthorn tree. When I opened my eyes I saw I that I was surrounded by dozens upon dozens of Hearts, the print design of the leaves of these baby Milk Thistle plants that came up with the fall rains. What a nice synchronicity!
