How do Body-Based practices fit in?
One of the aims of including body-based practices including simple Yoga postures, breathing practices, and guided meditations within a therapy session is to guide clients to consciously evoke positive experiences, such as:
- A feeling of unconditional contentment.
- Confidence in one’s intrinsic power to make positive change.
- A desire to be real: honest and authentic.
- The inspiration to grow and expand.
- The courage to take risks.
- Feelings of kindness and acceptance toward oneself and others.
Establishing Trust
By feeling safe within the therapeutic relationship, you will more likely express yourself openly and honestly. By its very nature, opening up within the space of a supportive relationship activates the healing process. Opening up can become an opportunity for you to find in yourself the power to explore, become curious, discover new and healthier approaches in your life and nurture a belief in yourself—all indications that change is in fact stirring.
Focus on Moment-To-Moment Experience
Focusing on actual moment-to-moment experience is closely intertwined with establishing trust. Trust supports being in the moment, since feeling safe will encourage you to express your feelings as they arise. Bringing attention back to the present maintains an experiential focus as contrasted to an exclusively ‘”talking about the problem”’ approach.
Example Session
The following offers an example of how a session might unfold and how positive experiences can be evoked through integrating simple body-based practices. In the case of someone who has become aware of an underlying lack of confidence, standing upright with a tall spine, an open chest, and a feeling of support and rootedness through their legs will invariably evoke a degree of self-confidence. In Yoga, intentionally standing as described is known as Tadasana or Mountain Pose. Standing in Tadasana offers you the possibility to not only talk about confidence, but to actually experience it, invite it deep into your being, and with therapeutic guidance, facilitate its growth.