Therapeutic Approaches that Inform my Practice
Contemplative Psychotherapy
"According to Buddhist tradition, people possess buddha-nature- that is, they are basically and intrinsically good. From this point of view, health is intrinsic... [Therefore] the approach to working with others that I would like to advocate is one in which spontaneity and humanness are extended to others..."
Our foundation is that we trust our own [and our client's] basic goodness. Basic goodness is the potential every human being has to express unconditional acceptance, kindness, and gentleness towards themselves and others." - Chogyam Trungpa
Jungian Psychotherapy
By observing a great many people and studying their dreams over time...Carl Jung...found that, on the whole, dreams seem to follow an arrangement or pattern. Jung called this pattern 'the process of individuation.' -Marie Louise von Franz
According to Jung, our conscious mind is just a tiny fragment of who we really are. At the center of our unconscious psyche is an organizing principle that seeks the realization of our full potential. Jung observed this principle in action in patients' dreams, and called it "the Self." Jungian therapy helps the client connect with this powerful inner guide- which is every human being's best ally in finding genuine healing and spiritual growth.
Somatic Psychotherapy
"My belief is in the blood and flesh as being wiser than the intellect. The body-unconscious is where life bubbles up in us. It is how we know that we are alive... to the depths of our souls..." - D.H. Lawrence
In somatic psychotherapy, the client is encouraged to bring attention to their felt sense'- their awareness of physical sensations in the body. Through nurturing this awareness, the client gains access to a first-hand kind of knowing which is impossible to find through thought.
By providing a relationship of unconditional acceptance, empathy, and genuineness, the therapist provides the conditions in which the client's own natural propensity towards healing and growth is supported.
