How I Work
I believe that you can heal from your childhood wounds. That process requires a healing relationship between you and the therapist. I make sure that our relationship is tended to at all times. I use empathy, compassion and humor to help us connect and move your work forward.
The model that I use with clients is John Mosher’s Healing Circle. Using this approach we explore the first seven years and find the trauma that occurred—abandonment, betrayal, disempowerment and meaninglessness (chaos). I’ll teach you the model to help further your understanding of it and track the progression of our work.
After that has been identified we explore the mythology or story you created about your life and how that story has been lived out since making that childhood decision.
We move on to look at what healing rituals are needed in your life and begin the process of creating those experiences in therapy and in your larger life.
As a warm up to doing this work think about yourself and recall your favorite childhood story, movie or what is your earliest memory. These choices often are indicators of the type of story you have been living.
The type of ritual you need to heal will depend on the wounding you received. The four rituals are:
- Rites of Separation: Becoming an adult. These help clients break out of patterns of blaming and set their own coarse in life. They are about creating identity, intentionality and taking action. (new behaviors)
- Rites of Transformation: These help people find deeper meaning and personal wisdom through an ordeal that creates awareness and a new way of thinking. (new beliefs)
- Rites of Incorporation: These help clients make peace with their past and meaning out of their traumas. It is about having a new beginning. (new connection to feelings)
- Rites of Continuity: These are about being elevated and connection to spirit. They are about affirming your worthiness by a community. (new wantings)
Another theory I use is called Corrective Parenting created by Jaqui Schiff and developed further by Elaine Gowell PhD. This model addresses out unmet child needs and states that all of our child selves are still here and with us even as adults. The goal of this therapy is to have out adult be aware of and meet the needs of those child selves. I as your therapist can take on the role of being a healthy parent for your child parts. We discover what your needs are at all your developmental stages and create strategies to meet those needs. We create contracts on developing new behaviors or old patterns to change in your day to day life.
We also do dream work, role play and psychodrama to move you forward.
I believe that what has traumatized us in life has been reinforced by repetition and therefore any effective healing process also involves many repetitions in order to heal. In other words, healing is a process that takes time, energy and a commitment. I am committed to doing this work with you if you are ready to take the next step.
About the wolf
In Native cultures all people are believed to have a totem, or spirit guide. I have identified mine as the Wolf, whose help I use in working with clients. I incorporate my shamanic training in finding your totem and animal guides if you wish.
Jump, it is not as far as you think.
—An old Navaho saying