So, what might we do in an integrative retreat?
Read about some of the methods that we use to enhance your healing during the time that we have together. Everyone's journey is personalized and tailored just for them.
Let's explore!
Attachment-Focused EMDR
I was trained completely by Laurel Parnell, PhD, creator of Attachment-Focused EMDR (also known as AF-EMDR), and until 2022 provided EMDR Consultation in her training institute.
Attachment-Focused EMDR is a transformative therapeutic approach that integrates the power of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with a deep understanding of attachment theory. This innovative therapy is specifically designed to address the profound impact of early childhood trauma and relational difficulties on individuals' emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships. By targeting the core attachment wounds that often underlie psychological distress, AF-EMDR empowers clients to process traumatic memories, develop healthier attachment patterns, and cultivate greater emotional resilience.
Through a carefully tailored therapeutic process, AF-EMDR helps clients explore and reframe negative core beliefs about themselves and their relationships. By addressing unresolved trauma and attachment issues, clients can experience significant improvements in areas such as emotional regulation, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal relationships. This innovative approach offers a comprehensive and effective pathway to healing and growth for individuals seeking to overcome the lasting effects of early trauma and build fulfilling connections with others.
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Reiki
Reiki - officially named Shinshin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryoho (meaning Usui Reiki treatment method to improve body and mind) - is a gentle, non-invasive Japanese healing technique that promotes relaxation, stress reduction, and natural wellness. Using the transfer of energy through light touch or at a distance, it can be used not only for physical and mental improvement but also for correcting bad habits and offering treatment by distance as well. This practice supports your body's natural healing abilities, restoring balance to mind, body, and spirit.
While practiced in various ways in Japan over history, Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui and his form of Reiki emerged in 1922 after a profound meditation experience on Mount Kurama near the city of Kyoto. Although he passed away four years later, he taught this healing art to others including Chujiro Hayashi, who later trained Chiyoko Yamaguchi and Hawayo Takata. Before the World War II there were many practitioners throughout Japan, but it "disappeared" in Japan during the war - resulting in Yamaguchi remaining as the sole teacher of the original Japanese way now known as Jikiden Reiki. Takata brought Reiki to the Western world in the late 1930s, modifying it with Judeo Christian and new age spritual perspectives and evolving it into the approach that the world is most people are familiar with today. Though there are now many branches of Reiki, all trained practitioners hold a lineage which can be traced directly back to Mikao Usui himself.
I am trained in both original Japanese Reiki, a branch of Jikiden Reiki called Komyo ReikiDo (level: Chuden), and Western Reiki (Usui Shiki Ryoho, Level 3/Master). However my preference, because of the simplicity and due to Western Reiki's Judeo Christian and new age influences, is to work from the simplistic Japanese approach of Komyo ReikiDo. Komyo ReikiDo is a gentle, mindful, and Buddhist influenced evolution of the traditional Japanese Jikiden Reiki, emphasizing simplicity and meditation. This pure form of Reiki focuses on inner peace and spiritual development through hands-on healing, returning to the original teachings of Usui Sensei with minimal ritual and maximum effectiveness.
My Reiki Training & Lineages:
Komyo ReikiDo (Japanese Reiki): Level: Chuden. Lineage: Usui, Hayashi, Yamaguchi, Inamoto, Matsumura, Tony Parmenter
Usui Shiki Ryoho (Western Reiki): Level: 3/Master. Lineage: Usui, Hayashi, Takata, Furomoto, many other teachers, Tony Parmenter
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Ego State Therapy
Ego State Therapy, also known as Inner Child Healing, "parts work", Internal Family Systems, Shadow work, and other names helps you identify aspects of yourself which may have developed in order to help you survive through trauma. These parts of yourself, with well established patterns (which once served you well), may be working so hard that they are holding you back from now reaching your full potential. It is possible that they do not know that you are fully grown! Drawing from ancient traditions as well as modern innovators, like Carl Jungian and Richard Swartz, these deep yet practical approaches address frameworks formed in your own development which influence your current decisions, relationships, and personal growth. Together, we'll compassionately explore these and work to help your inner child heal.
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MARS
I created Medicine-free Altered-state Restoration System to meet the need for people struggling from the effects of current life and generational ("past life") issues with a journeying and processing experience which does not require the use of substances. This innovative program merges principles of westernized Buddhism, past life regression, and modifications of well established Memory Reconsolidation work into a concise, medication-free alternative to psychedelic integration, aimed at helping people move past unaccessible barriers and toward freedom sooner. Structured in a shortened intensive model, with only a total of three hours, it offers a transformative experience allowing for breakthroughs and insight without the use of substances.
The program begins by grounding participants in specific guided meditation and mindfulness practices, establishing a base of present-moment awareness and safety to explore and develop a question or intention for the journey. This foundation supports the integration of past life regression therapy and the use of art and music for memory processing, offering a unique opportunity to explore and resolve deep-seated issues, potentially stemming from pain passed down to us from past life experiences, from our ancestors, and into our DNA.
Designed for those seeking rapid yet profound improvements, this unique modality combines historical wisdom with modern therapeutic practices in an efficient and impactful manner, emphasizing growth, healing, and self-discovery within a non-pharmacological framework.
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Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, is a powerful self-help method that combines ancient Chinese acupressure points with modern psychology. By gently tapping on specific meridian points while focusing on emotional or physical concerns, EFT helps release stress, reduce anxiety, and process difficult emotions. This mind-body approach can effectively address trauma, phobias, pain, and limiting beliefs that may be blocking your path to wellness.
As an energy healing modality, EFT works by targeting disruptions in your body's energy system that may be caused by negative emotions or experiences. When we experience emotional distress, our energy pathways can become blocked or imbalanced. Through the simple yet profound practice of tapping while acknowledging our feelings, EFT helps restore balance to our energy system, leading to emotional relief and physical relaxation. Many people report significant improvements in their well-being after implementing this gentle, non-invasive technique into their daily routine.
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HeartMath Biofeedback
HeartMath biofeedback technology offers a scientifically-validated way to reduce stress and increase resilience by optimizing your heart rhythm patterns. Using a simple ear or finger sensor connected to user-friendly software, you can see in real-time how your thoughts and emotions affect your heart rhythms. Through guided breathing and emotional self-regulation techniques, you'll learn to achieve "coherence" - a state of optimal performance where your heart, mind, and body are in sync. This powerful tool helps improve focus, emotional balance, sleep quality, and overall well-being, while providing measurable feedback of your progress. I am a Certified HeartMath Practitioner.
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Somatic & Nervous System-focused relaxation training
This process teaches you to tune into your body's natural wisdom and regulate your nervous system response. Through guided practices and both traditional and modern techniques, you'll learn to recognize and release tension, manage stress, and develop a deeper connection with your body's signals, leading to improved emotional balance and physical well-being.
Some of the approaches we may use include:
Yoga nidra, considered by some as a form of psychedelic meditation, which offers profound states of consciousness through non-ordinary methods. This specialized form of deep relaxation and meditation helps access expanded awareness and insight, promoting healing and personal transformation without the use of substances.
Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP), a music based non-medical approach which uses specifically designed acoustic stimulation to help regulate your nervous system. This innovative approach targets the vagal nerve through carefully filtered music, promoting feelings of safety, reducing anxiety, and improving social engagement - all essential elements for emotional and physical well-being. I am a trained and certified SSP provider.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a structured yet client-centered approach which teaches your body and mind to produce the relaxation response through proven meditation and mindfulness techniques. This evidence-based approach combines gentle movement, body awareness, and focused attention to help reduce stress, anxiety, and physical tension. Through regular practice, you'll develop greater awareness of your thoughts and emotions, learn to respond rather than react to life's challenges, and cultivate a deeper sense of peace and well-being in your daily life. I am an experienced MBSR facilitator and began this journey in the year 2010, working with veterans and first responders in trauma recovery.
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Psychedelic Preparation & Integration Therapy
For those who are interested in working with trained providers of psychedelic therapy, in a safe and controlled environment, I will work with you to both prepare prepare meaningfully for your journey and and integrate any insights gained, ensuring safe and transformative outcomes. I do not provide any medication and this is not considered a medical intervention. If you are interested in a Ketamine Assisted Therapy experience, I partner with licensed prescribers and can sit with you during your journey.
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