Cornerstones of Ava’s Approach to Therapy
Mindfulness:
The majority of our sessions may be in "active" mindfulness. This simply means that I will be supporting you in turning inwards to become more aware of your present moment experience. Through deepening mindfully, "core material" can arise from your unconscious where deep and profound change becomes possible.
Somatic:
The brain connects to a nervous system that runs through the entire body. This system is encoded with memory of events, automatic responses to stimulus, etc. Somatic psychology includes the study of the mind/body interface, the relationship between our physical matter and our energy, and the interaction of our body structures with our thoughts and actions.
Experiential:
We will also focus our attention on what is happening in the present moment. This includes attending to and studying the concrete present moment experience of self and or self in relationships, even within the client-therapist framework.
Empowerment:
I believe in the inner-wisdom of my clients and hold that my role is to guide my clients in remembering and reconnecting with this inner guidance. Where we see potential areas of development, I offer transparency and provide clients information and practices that empower clients to own their process and growth practices outside of therapy. By supporting clients in this way, they become empowered with new and more familiar pathways of connecting and moving through the world in alignment with their values and the quality of relationship they wish to cultivate.
We may also attend to the Attachment & or Nervous System
Attachment:
In relationship counseling it can be of great benefit to identify and attend to the client's individual attachment style. By establishing a secure attachment system people can experience in relationship a greater sense of trust, safety, belonging, empathy, and self-esteem..
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Traumatic events come in many forms and can cause many effects that impact all aspects of life and even sleep. Through attending to nervous system activation in the counseling setting you can gain greater understanding of your trauma system indicators, learn to reduce nervous system activation, and begin healing past traumas.