Somatic Approaches in Therapy Summit

Introduction

• Host: Kaleigh Isaacs, founder of the Awake Network.
• Guest: Susan Aposhyan, expert in meditation, embodiment, and psychological wellness.
• Susan's Contributions:
  • Founder of Body-Mind Psychotherapy.
  • Trained practitioners internationally.
  • Author of "Heart Open, Body Awake: Four Steps to Embodied Spirituality."
  • Founding director of Naropa University's Somatic Psychology Program.

Body-Mind Psychotherapy

• Definition:

  • Originated in the 1990s, during the emergence of somatic psychology.
  • Based on body-mind centering, experiential anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience.
  • Emphasizes understanding physiology, anatomy, and neuroscience.

• Body vs. Mind Approach:

  • Body-Mind vs. Mind-Body: Focuses on integrating body perspectives into psychological practices.
  • Encourages awareness of bodily sensations and reactions.
  • Supports a deep understanding of human development and the species' current challenges (e.g., ecological sustainability).

Neuroscience in Psychotherapy

• Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Processing:
  • Top-Down: Conscious intention guiding bodily actions.
  • Bottom-Up: Intuitive, instinctual responses.
• Challenges:
  • Fear of intuitive responses due to societal conditioning.
  • Initial resistance and fear of negative emotions.
• Integration:
  • Encourages looseness and compassion in psychological practices.
  • Increasing acceptance and integration of body awareness.

Practical Application in Therapy

• Example of Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up in Sessions:

  • Encouraging spontaneous, intuitive reactions in clients.
  • Importance of therapist being energetically centered.

• Self-Awareness vs. Self-Consciousness:

  • Self-awareness is encouraged over self-consciousness to prevent fixation on personal issues.

Embodiment in Practice

• Embodied Meditation and Practice:

  • Transition from psychotherapy to embodied meditation.
  • Participants seek patience, kindness, and self-compassion.

• Therapist's Role:

  • Importance of therapist's embodiment and authenticity.
  • Need to step away from authority roles and embrace vulnerability.

• Embodied Listening and Speaking:

  • Feeling energies and sensations within and around the body.
  • Active listening involves full-body awareness.

Conclusion

• Current Global Context:

  • Recognition of the "dark night of the soul" humanity faces.
  • Encouragement of personal development and compassion as essential responses.

• Takeaways:

  • Practice of ultimate okayness and self-compassion.
  • Continuous learning and adapting through embodied practices.

• Closing Remarks:

  • Appreciation for communal learning and personal growth.
  • Encouragement for engagement in the summit and further exploration of somatic practices.