Thank you!
Thank you so much to everyone who reached out after the sudden passing of my dear wife, Miriam, in August. Your support was so much appreciated!
While it is still raw and early days, I’ve resolved to deal with it from the perspective of gratitude for what we had, and the special light she was for all who knew her.
And I have her cute dog Luna, to help me through!
Prior to her death I had booked 8 days of Craniosacral training in September, specifically Somato Emotional Release (below), which I considered cancelling. However, I decided this may just give me the opportunity to do some much needed and timely healing for myself.
I am so glad that I did!
I feel in a much better space emotionally, but also rejuvenated and hopeful moving forward.
I’m excited about the potential for this work for my clients, for realease of bodyheld trauma, and also the personal development and individuation potential as well.
Feel free to ask me more, if you think it has potential for you.
Somato Emotional Release
Somato Emotional Release (SER) is part of the bigger picture of Craniosacral therapy, which at its core is about our nervous system, and how well our nervous system is regulating.
When we experience a traumatic event in our lives, our nervous system will activate, that’s a normal response. You have probably heard of Fight or Flight responses, ie the angry or fearful reactions to trauma. We could also activate a Freeze response where we feel really stuck in our lives and it’s difficult to move forward. Or we can actually experience what we call Faun, where we feel like we have to take care of everybody, make sure everyone else around you is feeling good, without worrying so much about yourself. Does some of this resonate with you?
With this Craniosacral work we are trying to help your nervous system deactivate, come back to more of a calm balanced response in the body. When our nervous system is in that space we are able to prioritise things like digesting our food properly, flowing our hormones properly, and having good sleep.
In SER when we work with the emotions we work with calming the nervous system, some people might fall asleep, or have a very quiet, relaxing session. At other times people might experience an emotion in a session, they might start to feel some tears, they might feel some laughter, or have some memories pop up that flow across their mind as we’re working. Even though that might feel random, that is actually a very big part of this work. And it’s that inner part of them that knows what they need that’s starting to show then some of the things that might be contributing to how they’re feeling.
So if the client is willing and comfortable, they can share some of that with the therapist as it arises.
There is also a change in your body tissues that I am feeling for, it is actually a change in your nervous system. Think of it like a communication from your body letting us know that that emotion or memory is important to what’s going on. You don’t need to worry about when that is. I will notice that change in your body and at that time I might say to you, ‘Now what are you noticing right now? What are you thinking about?’
So, again I would confirm with you that you are willing for me to ask questions around what you are noticing, when I feel that change in your body.
What may come up, may surprise both of us.
This work is not about ‘poking the bear’ or forcing some change. It can appear very different for every person that comes in. I just want to support you in your life moving forward.
It’s possible that dialogue will extend in future sessions, as we start to explore the dominant issues for you.
We can add a little bit of imagination and dialogue to help shift things in your body. When we experience a stressful event in our lives, our body releases a bunch of hormones and messaging through our system. When we remember that event, actually the same cascade goes through our body. That’s what happens with the negative experience. But we can actually use the imagination to rewrite that. The imagination can release a different lot of hormones and messaging in the body, that can help to shift things.
It’s not just about trauma!
Somato Emotional work is also useful in personal development. In particular in refining our soul’s purpose and living more in accord with that, in a being, present state.
My own therapy recently has been a mix of resolving past trauma, recent grief and working on my soul’s purpose, refining my inner drives and desire to help others.
This work can be quite transformational, but its really about shoring up your own resources, your neurological resilience, so that you can not only survive, but thrive as your life unfolds.
(This was paraphrased from lecture notes from my recent training in SER.)
Pro Bono Days
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With caring and kindness,
Rhys Dwyer
If you know anyone, from kids up who maybe struggling with body-held tension, energy levels, stress, anxiety, or choices, then please ask them to check me out. Bodywork and present moment awareness may just make a big difference.
Note that bodywork is always complimentary to prudent medical care.