Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice
The Seeker
As a seeker my entire life, in search of my own healing and evolution, I have walked two parallel paths: psychotherapy and spirituality. I have had the great fortune of studying with several master teachers in both realms.
My path with psychotherapy began over 35 years ago, when I fell into a dark, suicidal depression. In my search for help, I tried medication and several types of psychotherapy. I found my path to healing when I began working with my first Hakomi therapist in 1984. Hakomi therapy, an experiential, body-centered (somatic) approach to healing and psychotherapy, became both the foundation of my own journey, as well as the foundation for my approach as a psychotherapist.
My journey as a spiritual seeker began as a teenager, when I became involved with Young Life, a Christian path for teens. From there, I became involved with Unity Church, followed by a decade of studying A Course in Miracles. I studied Buddhism and practiced vipassana meditation. While I embraced these paths, there was something missing, however, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
The Missing Piece
I found this missing piece when I began studying yoga at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, in 1995, while living in Boston.
The missing piece was the embodiment of spirituality through the practice of hatha yoga, which includes the physical (asana) practices we have come to know today as “yoga” in the west, as well as the practices of pranayama, or breath control, and meditation.
During the time when I was living in Boston, working in my former career in biotechnology, by “accident” I ended up in a psychotherapy training program, with the intention of addressing my own complex trauma. I quickly came to the understanding that my life and career path was to change directions.
In 2011, I met my current teacher, Yogarupa Rod Stryker. Through studying with my teacher and the practices of tantric hatha yoga, I have been integrating spirituality and psychotherapy into the practice I call “Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice.”
So….what is Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice?
The premise of my approach to therapy is that we are spiritual beings having an embodied, human experience. Though we come in with our own temperament (anyone who has children knows this!), as babies we are like an untouched screen. Life happens, traumas happen, and we develop the lenses we see the world through, however clouded and distorted.
Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice is a journey to reconnecting with our essential nature. It’s clearing away the veil that blocks the light our soul. It’s finding the true meaning, purpose and joy of our embodied life. Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice embraces and honors all religious and spiritual traditions.
With the Hakomi Method of Somatic Experiential Psychotherapy as my foundation, in tantric tradition, I weave together EMDR therapy, as well as my background in Gestalt, Internal Family Systems (“parts” work), Reiki and my training as a certified ParaYoga instructor and Four Desires trainer into my work with clients to create deep transformation, healing, freedom and connection with our essential nature.
Most recently I have been integrating the newest research in neuroscience with psychotherapy, (called neuropsychotherapy) and spiritual practices. Research shows us what happens in the brain and provides a strong “evidence-base” for practices such as EMDR therapy, specific breathing practices and mindfulness meditation. I’ll be writing more about recent research findings in upcoming blogs.
I offer a half-hour complimentary consultation, either in person or via phone or video. I invite you to contact me to find out more about my approach to therapy.
With warmest regards,
Linda
If you are interested in hearing more about Hakomi Therapy, contact me today.