Holistic Therapy
A journey through breathwork, chakras, and family constellations to unlock subconscious insights. We explore dreamwork, meditation, and mindful movement for emotional regulation and well-being.
Breathwork
I have been studying breathwork in India, and with my teachers in Ireland since 2004. The classic yogic practices of breathwork, in yoga called pranayama, have been known in India for over 4,000 years.
To control your inhale and exhale are methods of inducing retention which allows a longer period for the assimilation of the prana, just as it allows more time for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the cell. As breath is also intimately connected with various functions and organs of the body as well as the mind, by controlling the breath we also influence all these dimensions. *
Scientific research describes prana as a complex multidimensional energy: a combination of electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, photonic, ocular, thermal and mental energy.*
In therapy, if/when time presents itself, I may propose specific breathing exercises. In my own experience, breath is a very powerful tool for managing emotions and energy.
*Prana and Pranayama, Swami Niranjananda Saraswati, Yoga publications Trust, Manager, Bihar India
Chakra System
I was introduced to the Chakra system in Thailand in 2008. Since then, I have had the pleasure to work on this concept with several teachers, and leading students on their chakra activation. In 2021 I was certified by the Internationally accredited program, The Chakra Activation Method by Andrea Fraiser.
Scientists call chakras energy centers. There have been numerous books written about the chakras, and if you are new to chakras and want to gain a deeper understanding and perspective of their history and use, I suggest you search for more complete books or ancient Sanskrit texts.
Most of us have energetic blocks and imbalances and energy-sabotaging habits that prevent us from accessing our full vitality, which can leave us feeling exhausted, anxious, scattered, depressed and more susceptible to illness and disease. When you take the time to identify the location of the chakra imbalance and target it using energy balancing techniques, you enable your body’s natural ability to heal. *
A chakra is a wheel or a vortex extending out several inches in front of you, and behind you, but it operates like a ball of energy interpreting the physical body. Chakras are aspects of consciousness, and they interact with the physical and energetic body through the endocrine system and the nervous system. Each of the seven chakras is associated with one of the nine endocrine glands and a particular group of nerves, making them an important element in healing. Thus, each chakra corresponds with particular parts of the body and particular functions within the body controlled by that specific nerve or gland. *
All of your senses, and possible states of awareness can be divided into seven categories (7 chakras / 7 energy centers), and each category is connected to a particular chakra.
I will teach you which chakra/energy center corresponds to your own energy center and how that reflects in your life. You will gain the empowerment, and the feel of your own energy and associated system’s (dis)functioning. You will gain flow in your energy body by working with the hidden patterns that are stored and blocked in your energy centers/chakras.
Constellations
In constellations we work on externalization within the family constitution (or particular subject). We observe the situation as the observer which enables easier access into the subconscious mind. By observing the constellation it is easier to access anger, sadness, fear, when necessary, to provide the experience of regulation, comfort and satisfaction of remaining primary emotional needs.
In therapy, with constellations, I hypothesize and help you examine your feelings and perceptions in a “field of knowing”. I help you break out of family patterns that cause suffering, we can work with your inner child, we can observe your positioning within a certain situation, we can more easily access the emotional state of your body-memory by being the observer of the proposed situation.
In my school, International Educational Training Institute in Body Psychotherapy , we, and now myself in therapy with clients, very often use a prop doll . Prop doll is a specific tool from my school that enables the client, through mechanisms of transfer and constellations, to complete unfinished emotional and interpersonal processes. I found a doll very powerful in my personal therapeutic processes, and I found it very useful in working with clients, therefore I acquired it for my practice.
Another useful approach that I like to use is the Stones in Therapy for constellations. It helps with:
- Genograms: your family members, and how you feel in relationship with them
- Process-focused Working
- Where Am I in Relation to Others
- Identifying unconscious theme for your personal goal
- Exploration of Identity
- Grounding and Mindfulness
Dreamwork
In Dreamwork Therapy clients make connections between their dreams and reality, to recognize symbolisms, and to reflect on previously unconscious thoughts or feelings.
Dreams are useful in therapy because they can help you to find a way around your defenses to reach deeper levels of self-awareness. By understanding the challenges and opportunities of your subject, I can provide tailored interventions to support your growth and development.
Dreamwork is used in your transition; when you are in the process and have some unfinished emotional (dis) function. Dreamwork is a beautiful tool if you are a person who dreams and has messages or frights throughout them. It is an easy access to your subconscious mind. In a very gentle, relaxed way I can help you to process some unfinished memory, desire, wisdom or goals, or to work on some unresolved trauma.
Meditation
In Thailand in 2008. I attended silent meditation and Mindfulness retreats. For a couple of years I was consistent with Vipassana meditation and silent retreats, the technique taught by S.N. Goenka. In 2013. Personally for me, meditation can be anything if our whole being is focused on that technique that we enjoy, with our senses, with the joy of our heart. But, because of the chatty mind, it is very challenging to obtain that focus. When the body feels like an alien, and breath is shallow the stillness is more difficult to attain.
When you lose touch with your inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world. Stillness is your essential nature. *
If you know how to breathe mindfully, every breath will bring you happiness. In therapy I will lead you how to practice awareness, you will receive instructions on how to sit, breath, and walk so that you can generate the energy of peace, happiness and joy. Once you experience this in therapy, it will be easier to integrate it in your daily life.
Meditation in therapy, if befitting, allows a body and mind to experience stillness and provides breathing space to the system. It is a beautiful, gentle way for the entrance to our subconscious mind, and inner stillness.
Visualization
Visualising in therapy helps to relax the system and within that we are able to access our subconscious mind to allow and increase possibility to ‘see’ and experience our potential for the topic in question. Visualisation helps to ‘practice’ our success story. And by feeling the possibility of an event or activity going well, you get your mind and body ready to take those steps in real life.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Albert Einstein, ‘About Science’
In therapy I use Visualisation, if you are open to it, to expand and integrate the new experience. It will help you to stay in the moment of the newly rewired systematic and somatic experience.
With imagination you can be whatever you want. With imagination you can transform any given circumstances. If you have ever heard of quantum leap, you know what I am leading towards. Your imagination is the gold to authentic and individual change. Imagination trains your brain, a muscle that has much higher potential then what you use. Imagination with a right lead and feel of your goals and stories can change your perception and therefore change your direction.
Yoga/Movement
From birth to adulthood, we have to deal with intrusions into our openness. Depending on the outer circumstances and our internal capacity to meet them, we develop protective mechanisms like slowing down or holding our breath, contracting muscles, numbing nerves or others which results in the reduction of our feelings and awareness. Ultimately, this limits our perception of reality, the unfolding of our consciousness and our lives. All this restricts the free flow of life energy and leads to stagnant places in the human body and energy system. Life is expressed by its pulsation. Pulsation is a movement. Change is defined by movement, so the more we allow conscious movement on all of our levels of existence, the more we not only feel good, express ourselves in creative ways, but also allow the expansion of our consciousness and soul movement. *
Yoga was my first journey to my body-mind connection, in 2004. It was the only thing at the time when I felt good feelings in my muscles and body energy. As a teacher I always enjoy reading the body’s energy and without interfering, adopting the movement to the student. I am a fully qualified yoga teacher with over a decade experience in leading classes and retreats.
In integral body therapy, with simple core body movements I will help you to release some tension and to connect you to your body, to allow yourself to lower the thinking mind to the feeling of the body. It will awaken your body’s energy.