What is MindBody Therapy?
In 1998, Congress established the Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM), one of the institutes in the National Institute of Health. Mind-Body Medicine, one of the main health categories in the CAM Center, is also referred to as mindbody therapy. The basic premise of mindbody medicine and therapies, is that there is a dynamic relationship between the mind and body and the ways in which the mental, emotional, spiritual and social aspects interact and affect behavior and health. Thus, to maximize the opportunity for health and healing, all aspects, or the “whole” of the person, need to be recognized and engaged in the therapeutic process.
Mindbody therapies recognize the individual’s capacity for self-awareness, self-knowledge, and ultimately the innate capacity for igniting self-healing mechanisms. The approach to mindbody therapy is psycho-educational, meaning, the therapist combines “therapeutics” with “practices” in the delivery of treatment. The therapist either guides the individual through practices or directly teaches mindbody skills and techniques. The client actively participates in the therapy process and assumes a co-creative role in creating health and wellness.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy, a contemporary
school of psychological thought, actively honors and incorporates the
body in the psychological process. At the center of somatic theory is
the belief that the mind/body are one; there is no separation. Therefore
thoughts and feelings effect the functioning of the body, and conversely,
body functioning effects the mind and emotions. The somatic therapist
is always bringing attention to the body:
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“What
are you experiencing in your body?”
“What are you noticing about your breath?”
“Where are you holding tension in your body?”
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The somatic therapist works
with the intent to facilitate the client’s body awareness as it
relates to emotional feeling, cognitive thoughts and psychological functioning.
In practice, somatic therapists engage the body in process and utilize
the skills of conscious listening, conscious touch and active dialogue.
The therapeutic work can be in chairs, the client lying on the floor,
or the client lying on a massage table.
Somatic therapy is a healing therapy which focuses on the whole person and emphasizes the mind-body connection. It is a healing method that integrates verbal dialogue with touch, thus consciously activating the mind-body process.
Energy Work
Energy medicine is a field
with historical roots dating back 2000 years ago. Originating in the east
with the “laying on hands” and acupuncture, today energy medicine
is a field widely recognized by Western mind. The basic premise of energy
medicine is that all living beings are comprised of energy, and organized
into an intelligent, self-regulating network of vibrations and frequencies.
When we function optimally our energy flows freely and with vitality,
and our energetic network of communication is “listening, talking
and responding” effectively. Imbalances and blocks in this natural
flow of energy create energetic disturbances, which lead to illness and
eventually to disease. The first task of energy work is to identify how
the energy is flowing in the individual and the healing task is to restore
and balance the “chi”, or primal energy in the body. During
a session the client lies on a table and the energy medicine practitioner
either works directly on the body or a few inches above the body accessing
the flow of energy, clearing blocks and restoring flow.
Meditation
Meditation is the art of “paying attention”
”on purpose.” It is the practice of moving with intention
within the self and paying attention to what is. It is being present with
the self in the moment, not in the past, not in the future, and without
judgment.
There are different types of meditation practices. Mindfulness
meditation and guided meditation are the two meditation practices utilized
by MindBody Therapy & Healing, Inc.
Guided Imagery & Visualization
A therapist guides the individual
through a meditative visualization and uses either specific images or
invites images to emerge from within. The intent of the guided imagery
varies and ranges from creating a sense of well-being & peace, to
reducing stress to preparing for surgery to decreasing symptoms of anxiety.
Journaling
Journaling is a written process of communicating with
yourself. It is a tool for recording your thoughts, feelings and awarenesses,
contemplating your experiences and deepening your understanding of self.
Relaxation Exercises
Moving in a high paced,
high “doing” society, individuals often feel stretched to
the max and stressed out. The “stressed out feeling” is actually
the body’s way of saying something is out of balance. Over time
psychological symptoms of stress lead to anxiety and depression, and the
body reacts to stress with symptoms of heart palpations, high blood pressure
or conditions of fatigue and general malaise. Relaxation exercises help
to reduce the symptoms of stress and can be used as coping tools in times
of stress. Exercises range from proper breathing to stretching to yoga
postures. These give individuals the tools they need to facilitate the
reconnection to self and the restoration of health.
