Relational & Embodied Psychotherapy
Relational psychotherapy
Relational psychotherapy recognises that our primary motive is to be in relationship with others. Humanness means we are social; we do not exist in isolation and we are always in relationship with others.
Our potential for growth is dependent on ‘good enough’ mutually affirming relationships.
Contemporary psychotherapy has merged with neuroscience to help us understand the development of our social brain and the regulation of our nervous system.
This brings an appreciation of our dilemmas in wanting to be close or to avoid others and how we develop the capacity to regulate ourselves and to feel at ease with ourselves and in our relationships.
Our relational capacity is only a ‘potential’ at birth, our social brain matures from our early experiences with others and we are reliant on our bond with our significant others to survive.
In fact, we are ‘experience dependent’ and we need ‘good enough’ and repeated experiences of being responded to with sensitivity, consistency and reliability to understand our experiences.
This becomes our ‘blueprint’ for our expectations that we carry through into all our relationships and often out of our awareness.
If we don’t have enough of these experiences in our early lives it’s no wonder we dismiss, deny or demand that our needs are acknowledged in our relationships with others.
We can be devastated by abuse, relational trauma, loss and illness in our early or later lives. This can understandably pave the way for relational distrust impacting on our capacity to connect with or withdraw from our relationships.
Social cultural identity
As a Relational psychotherapist I acknowledge the impact of discrimination and prejudice and how this effects the way we are around others and our struggles to regulate our experiences. I actively explore how the dynamics of power can affect our relationships in terms of our class, culture, migration, neurodiversity, gender, transgender, sexuality, disabilities and age.
Embodied psychotherapy
To live an embodied life is to experience a sense of wholeness. The integration of the brain, mind, body and spirit enables an authentic connection with yourself and in your relationships with others - meaning you are fully alive in the present moment in your integrity, honesty and self responsibility.
Our social brain and the rest of our nervous system are connected with our body sensations. All act in tandem to communicate and record experiences of pleasure and distress or a confusion of both.
If we experience stress or are distressed this can manifest as anxiety, depression or an unresolved trauma affecting our ability to connect with others. Our systems become flooded with intolerable sensations that we cannot identify.
We manage by developing layers of survival strategies to, 'fight', 'flight', 'submit', 'attach' or remain 'frozen' in our shame, guilt, fear and anger which become embedded in our thoughts, bodies, and through the nerves in our muscles, bones and skin.
Relational and Embodied Psychotherapy begins with noticing our survival strategies, understanding how they function and working on techniques to regulate and soothe our nervous system. Once equilibrium is restored the gentle process of understanding the stories connected to our buried emotions can begin. This process releases mental and emotional energy and improves our motivation within our relationships and our lives.
How can relational and embodied psychotherapy support you?
You can be supported to become aware of how you relate with others and if your patterns of relating are working or interrupting contact with others.
You can discover where 'core beliefs' about yourself interfere in your relationships with others. Core beliefs that we hold about ourselves are often linked to our early experiences and out of our awareness.
You will explore how and why you disconnect or sabotage your relationships which can often manifest in experiences of anxiety and depression.
Authenticity is the key, supporting you to identify what you want rather than being driven by what you think you should be doing.
Practical Information
I offer face to face sessions at my practice in South East London, In Nature and Online, close to Sydenham, Forest Hill, Honor Oak, Crystal Palace and Dulwich.
Your first step is to arrange an initial consultation, contact me, give me a call on 07946 5122 78 or email at info@nicoleworrica.co.uk.
