In September, I attended Susan Aposhyan’s Body Mind Psychotherapy workshop intensive this last weekend. Hailing from Denver, CO Susan brings a wealth of experience in movement, dance therapy, mindfulness, psychology and embodiment therapy.
One important concept we as students were introduced to was the idea of sequencing, which is allowing felt sensations to move in and out of the body. This can manifest as tears, sound, shaking, sighing, screaming- any kind of energetic release. This letting go of control allows our bodies to transition between intensity and peace, adapting to the emotional pain and getting out of our heads and feeling the body. Trauma is effectively energy that cannot be dissolved and sequenced through the body so it can be very healing to allow this trapped energy to be released in a gentle, loving and self compassionate manner. The process can be slow and this can be frustrating but change happens in small increments at the cellular level. As Susan says ‘”we can learn to track our own experience so that we’re not dependent upon others for guidance”.
Here is an excerpt from Susan’s book ‘Body Mind Psychotherapy’ that I have permission to share and thought you might enjoy.
“Take a deep breath and a relaxed position. Contemplate the questions, How much of my inner nature do I allow out into the world? Feel this question in your body. Feel the insides of your head, throat, chest, waist and pelvis. Adopt an attitude of inviting this internal energy to sequence out of your end points – our face, your pelvic floor, your hands and your feet. Pay special attention to the sensations of your endpoints. Give them permission to breath, touch, move and gently open themselves so that your internal energy is allowed to move out into the space around you. At times, allow yourself to focus specifically on your hands, feet and face. At other times, open up to a general sense of all of them.”
Tracey Gramm – owner
