I sit and explore my present relationships with my ancestors who have passed over and into the next world of being. I recognize the warmth of feeling in body and mind when recalling their role in my life.  My memories embrace this warmth of feeling in a shared sense of self and other. In this embrace, a spark of memory recall brings my ancestor back into the living moment. Sustaining the memory in the present moment brings me a sense of comfort.

Our nervous systems have a close relationship with the natural world. The sounds, sights, and sensations of nature speak a language our bodies inherently understand. When we're surrounded by natural environments where we feel safe, our nervous system often shifts into a more regulated state – heart rate steadies, breath deepens, and muscles soften.

When it comes to self-discovery, a psychedelic journey can accelerate growth in ways that simply talking through it never could. This work is as much about your body’s truth as your mind’s intentions. If we’re gearing up to explore these subconscious spaces, the groundwork isn’t about crafting the perfect mantra but about building a somatic intention—anchoring into bodily awareness and presence.

Our intention with the Somatic CBT Certificate program is to tap into our shared purpose to help heal ourselves and others while sharing the skills and tools to make that a reality. We’ll begin by recognizing our behaviors, tuning into our bodies, and exploring the relational dynamics and beliefs that shape those behaviors. Together, we’ll learn to embody these holistic experiences and apply them effectively in our lives. Learn more about this transformative program…

In today’s fast-paced world, where we’re often caught up in the demands of daily life, somatic intimacy offers a gentle invitation to reconnect with ourselves and others on a deeper level. It’s about more than just physical touch or emotional closeness—it’s about embracing the profound bond between our mind and body and recognizing how this connection influences our overall well-being.

In this crazy, beautiful life, you and I will both experience loss and its constant companion, grief. But I am here to say that in the weeds of grief, unconditional joy is always possible. I’ve experimented with how to live this out in real-time, and this piece highlights my experience.

Polyvagal theory locates the nervous system within the individual (as well as within a social context) and helps to explain how and why our nervous systems interact in order to communicate cues of safety and connection, allowing us to feel understood in the presence of others. It also highlights how our nervous systems detect disconnection, sensing danger in our environment or from those around us. Learn more about Polyvagal Theory and the roots of health with Dr. Arielle Schwartz...

Trauma can simply be defined as too much, too fast, or too little for too long. It is a universal and unifying experience of being human. Nkem says "Trauma is a universal and unifying experience of being human, yet, we don’t always have the best understanding of it.”

Healing your wounded heart isn’t easy, but it’s worth it — where to begin to lean into curing your pain.

Bereavement companionship circles offer a safe haven for the bereft to share vulnerable grief stories associated with a significant loss of a loved one. The collective wisdom of the group springs forth from the tapestry of interweaving grief stories. Connections are deeply cultivated in group storytelling and leave participants feeling less isolated along their grief journey.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) stands out as a profound therapeutic approach for individuals navigating personal healing and therapists facilitating transformative sessions. Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, IFS introduces a distinctive framework centered around the concept of the Self. The following information was shared in a live conversation between Dr. Scott Lyons, Dr. Richard Schwartz, and Dr. Peter Levine on the topic of Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Our breath is a window into our bodily state (nervous system state) and is also the fastest way to modulate our bodily state and intervene at the physiological level. By changing our physiology, the breath has the power to affect our nervous system state and the emerging feelings, emotions, behaviors, and thoughts.

It takes an enormous amount of courage and vulnerability to talk about and get curious about burnout. At its core, burnout actually reflects a very important set of primal human needs and wishes - safety, belonging, and dignity. Burnout is simply a response to overwhelming life experiences. An adaptive strategy to the underlying need for safety, slowing down, and a holding environment where all parts of oneself are welcome, seen, heard, and acknowledged.

Are you feeling the stress of the holidays? You’re not alone. The holidays can be the most stressful time of year for many if not most of us: in the U.S., a whopping 89% of adults say that anticipating family conflict, among other factors, causes them stress at this time of year.

If you’re choosing to spend your holidays with family, here are some somatic and cognitive practices to support you as you navigate the joys and challenges of the season.

Becoming as embodied and connected to the earth as we can is potentially one of the most deeply spiritual experiences we can have whilst on this planet. Rather than this never-ending quest to go up and out, connect with something greater, and be outside of ourselves, perhaps what needs to happen is to find a place of more balance with our earthly selves.

The first time I ever experienced an emotion in my body was one day in a yin yoga class, in pigeon pose. I felt these sensations bubbling up from deep within my hips, rising to the surface when I had historically fought so hard to push them down throughout my usual day-to-day life.

“How do you ~do~ that?” is a frequent question usually referring to ukemi when directed to me. The quiet falls, smooth rolls, breakfalls, high falls, quick get ups, strong attacks - there are so many tangible skills, but the sum of all those together still don’t quite capture great ukemi. An uke can learn, practice, and do all those things, but where’s the je ne sais quoi?

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that encourages individuals to express themselves creatively through various art forms, such as painting, drawing, sculpting, and other artistic media. This therapeutic modality utilizes the creative process to enhance emotional well-being, self-awareness, and personal growth.

Somatic Flow Writing is a practice to connect with our wisest Self. This wise Self is within each and every one of us and is also known as our true nature, higher self, or even Grace. The goal is for you to get curious about this version of you who is the natural leader of all the other parts that live inside.

The Hakomi Method offers a unique approach to psychotherapy that combines mindfulness, compassion, and somatic awareness to foster personal growth and healing. Originally developed in the late 1970s by Ron Kurtz, Hakomi is influenced by humanistic psychology and Eastern philosophical traditions.