Integrating attachment theory and yoga with trauma treatment
Before I wrote 3 books or spoke at keynotes at large conferences I had to first find my own way.
That took years working in the trenches, learning what worked and what didn’t.
It took training with the very best contemporary approaches.
It took integration, learning what worked from the inside — not just getting it with my head.
It took dealing with my own fears, remapping my attachment styles
and learning how to grow, develop and flourish.
Before I wrote 3 books or spoke at keynotes at large conferences I had to first find my own way.
That took years working in the trenches, learning what worked and what didn’t.
It took training with the very best contemporary approaches.
It took integration, learning what worked from the inside — not just getting it with my head.
It took dealing with my own fears, remapping my attachment styles
and learning how to grow, develop and flourish.
Years ago, when I was living in a yoga ashram…
my own trauma history erupted. I went from being able to train for triathlons, teaching yoga, meditation and personal growth programs to groups of 30-150 people…
…to never wanting to get out of bed.
I hated it (don’t we all…) Having studied the ancient wisdom traditions I wanted to believe the wisdom of what every tradition said was possible.
That even though my body did NOT feel like a temple I could find my way back.
So began my quest…
First I studied trauma
That was the obvious way to start. I wanted to know what the heck had happened to me. When I was training at one of the major US psychiatric hospitals a nurse who had taken a program with me invited me to teach meditation and yoga on the dissociative unit, at night, on my own time.
I was glad to. I wanted to see how to translate what I do into helping others.
First I studied trauma
That was the obvious way to start. I wanted to know what the heck had happened to me. When I was training at one of the major US psychiatric hospitals a nurse who had taken a program with me invited me to teach meditation and yoga on the dissociative unit, at night, on my own time.
I was glad to. I wanted to see how to translate what I do into helping others.
I was invited to join the internationally renowned…
Trauma Center by Bessel van der Kolk who heard of the work I was doing.
It was there that I met Janina Fisher, PhD who would send her clients to my Becoming Safely Embodied skills groups. As she said, “They got better faster.”
After years of refining the BSE Skills I wrote my first book, offering a way for professionals to…
support their clients in
Becoming Safely Embodied.
It was clear that trauma happens in relationships…
I discovered this during my thirteen years of training with Daniel Brown, PhD.
And it is in relationships that we have to heal.
Those years were a gift, as a small group of us immersed ourselves in attachment theory and practice. That collaboration resulted in a book Attachment Disturbances in Adults.
Along the way I became a trainer for Sensorimotor Psychotherapy until 2009, was certified in the Internal Family Systems model, became a certified Mindful Self-Compassion teacher, and immersed myself in Compassion Focused Therapy, LifeForce Yoga, Schema Focused Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, Self-Awakening Yoga… and so much more
That was the next part of the journey…
…integrating the body, especially through the lens of yoga psychology which I had been immersed in for so many years.
When W. W. Norton asked me to write a book on the subject I gladly said yes!
It took 4 years of additional study.
I loved every moment of it!
My goal is…
to find simple, practical, concrete ways for people to…
Grow from the inside
Develop who they want to be
Flourish despite whatever happens to them or around them.
The path is there.
Researchers and hundred of years of practice have marked the path.
What I’ve done is make it simple to follow, with small granular steps that allow you to step your way there, confident that what you want is possible.
What you want makes it possible. It takes trusting in the bread crumbs your Inner Guidance gives you.
That you’re here reading this indicates you are ready. We’ll add the support and mix in the confidence. One step at a time. That’s how we all get there.
Are you ready to take your next step?
Are you ready to translate your PROTEST into actionable steps?
Get The Manual
Pre-order my new book Becoming Safely Embodied