Working with the Body and the Breath

The purpose of developing body awareness, particularly in psychotherapy and healing, is to integrate the intelligence of the body with the mind. Focussing on physical sensations, including aches and pains, allows them to become information that can help you recognise where emotions, long-held pain, or trauma may be held. In this way, the body becomes a resource for balance, insight, and integration.

The thinking mind is brilliant, but it can easily become stuck in repetitive negative thoughts. The nervous system learns to avoid pain as a way of surviving stress and fear, as in the ‘fight or flight’ response. Emotionally, we may also learn to avoid vulnerability because the ego seeks to protect us from what feels too exposing or painful. As a result, repetitive thought patterns develop that avoid and block the processing of experience, leaving it held in the body while the thinking mind tries to rationalise emotional pain.

When you activate the parasympathetic nervous system through breathing, the body begins to relax, and you gradually feel safer. From this more settled place, it becomes possible to explore feelings more openly and begin to process them. I incorporate breath exercises, sometimes with creative imagination, to ground the process, encourage embodiment, and help clients attune to the body’s supportive resources.

Supervision

For psychotherapists and counsellors, supervision is an integral part of practice and professional development, providing a framework to reflect, gain insight and maintain professional standards. I supervise psychotherapists and art, dance and movement therapists. I also offer tutorials for therapists who want to work with drama and movement and creative and transpersonal approaches in their practice.

Questions Often Asked

What is the difference between Psychotherapy and Counselling?

Psychotherapy is more process lead, and allows time to explore deeper issues, and counselling is usually more focussed, and goal orientated and usually lasts for a shorter period of time.

How long will I need to come to therapy? 

It is hard to say how long therapy will last as it takes time for trust to develop and for issues to be explored before they can be resolved. But generally, when clients feel they are managing life with more confidence, ease and hope, this would be the time to discuss ending therapy.

Will I have to do drama and movement?

No. Drama and Movement in Therapy is not for everyone, although sometimes more introverted people find that it is not as intrusive or embarrassing as they thought. Importantly, movement and drama in therapy does not entail performing bur as an approach when ‘words are not enough’. It is optional and only used with the client’s consent.

Confidentiality

All sessions are confidential and contact details and notes are kept securely. I will not discuss you outside of sessions, with the exception of clinical supervision where I may refer to sessions for the purpose of professional insight and support.