Yoga in the Therapy Room: Tips for integrating trauma informed yoga

What is Gestalt therapy and why is it important? How can you increase your self-awareness and begin to understand how you perceive experiences?

MEET Melissa Bennett-Heinz

Melissa Bennett-Heinz is a graduate of Columbia University School of Social Work and is a practicing Gestalt Psychotherapist in private practice in NY, NC, TX, and WA. She brings her background as a classically trained musician and the creative therapy of Gestalt together in her authentic and relational approach. Gestalt Therapy goes beyond looking at the cognitive, linear perspectives of the person with its focus on process rather than content, paying particular attention to your body, an experiential awareness of how and what you do allows for new choices to emerge spontaneously. Melissa is most interested in the power of the co-created experience to promote self-actualization in the ongoing process of becoming who we are."

Find out more at Melissa Bennett-Heinz and connect with Melissa on LinkedIn

IN THIS PODCAST:

• What is Gestalt Therapy? 4:36
• Common Gestalt techniques 17:50

• What is the origin of Gestalt therapy?
• Understanding patterns in Gestalt
• How is Gestalt different from the psychodynamic theory?
• The importance of the client and therapist relationship when approaching Gestalt therapy.

• What is the empty chair technique?
• What are the main goals of Gestalt therapy?
• Seeing the different outcomes of Gestalt therapy
• What is the Highlighting technique in Gestalt?

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

What is the meaning of self-compassion? How can we teach self-compassion to our clients and be more compassionate to ourselves?

MEET Dr. Jessica Rabon

Dr. Jessica Rabon is a licensed psychologist specializing in pediatric psychology whose clinical interests include chronic illness, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and LGBTQ+ health. She has published a number of peer-reviewed research papers and a book on topics such as suicide, depression, anxiety, self-compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness. Dr. Jess creates mental health content on social media, hosts a podcast, Psych Talk, and co-hosts another podcast, Welcome to Group Therapy, with the goal of making mental health more accessible and relatable, and destigmatizing mental health.

Find out more at Psych Talk Podcast and connect with Jessica on TikTok and Instagram

IN THIS PODCAST:

• What is self-compassion? 4:34
• What are the benefits of having more self-compassion 10:31
• Techniques for teaching self-compassion 19:00

• Remembering to be kind to yourself and others
• Understanding why we are more critical of ourselves than others
• What is the impact of self-negativity?
• Escaping a self-critical and negative cycle

• Research and study statistics of having more self-compassion
• What are examples of self-compassion?
• A look a Kristin Neff's model of self-compassion
• Learning to be aware of when we are being negative toward ourselves and correcting the behavior at the moment

• Finding self-compassion techniques that connect to who you are
• Combining holistic strategies for self-care
• Learning the skill of asking yourself what you need at the moment
• Recognizing how our bodies ask for more self-compassion

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

What is Havening? Can alternative healing modalities decrease anxiety and trauma response?

MEET Kristin Krippa

Kristin has been a Licensed Psychological Associate for 31 years. She is intensively trained in Sandtray therapy and is one of 8 clinicians in the world providing the ICST certification training.

She is a certified Havening Practitioner and trained in animal-assisted play therapy, and is intensively trained in play therapy.

Find out more at Krippa Family Psychological & Wellness Services and connect with Kristin on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Sandtray Training

IN THIS PODCAST:

• What is Havening? 2:46
• The importance of being trauma-informed when using any kind of touch therapy in your practice 8:31
• What are the risks of havening? 13:10

• Using havening for self-care as a therapist
• Can havening be used successfully used with teenagers
• The benefits of havening with both teens and parents
• The importance of permission in touch therapy

• Finding havening alternatives for patients with trauma
• Understanding informed consent with havening
• Technique vs. treatment in therapy
• Understanding your client's needs before using the havening technique

• Knowing your client's trauma history before havening
• Becoming a certified havening practitioner
• What is going on in the body when applying a havening technique?
• A havening walk-through

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

What is Breathwork? Can integrating breathwork into your daily practice help manage stress?

MEET Dominiece Clifton

Dominiece Clifton is on a mission to guide others to rewrite their stories by releasing and reconnecting to remember their most authentic self. She is a registered yoga instructor and certified trauma-informed breathwork and meditation facilitator. Her spiritual transformation began after struggling for many years and finally releasing her own trauma which originated in her childhood. She entered the wellness industry as a Nutrition & Wellness Coach, wanting to guide others to heal stored stress and trauma that manifested physically in their bodies. Today, Dominiece is the Founder of Move And Still, Nourish Wellness Collective (coming 2023), and the host of the School of Healing podcast. She promotes emotional well-being for the mind, body, and soul and uses body-centered approaches to healing including yoga, meditation, and breathwork.

Find out more at Move & Still and connect with Dominiece on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

FREE 10-Minute Breathwork Download

IN THIS PODCAST:

• Integrating movement & stillness into your daily practice 5:02
• How to begin breathwork 15:09
• What are the benefits of breathwork? 20:44

• Using meditation and breathwork as a form of stillness
• The importance of setting an intention when performing breathwork
• Recognizing signals from our body that we need to practice stillness and breathwork
• Releasing trauma with breathwork and introducing yourself and clients to breathwork

• The importance of holding space for your body
• Integrative vs. meditative breathwork
• Finding pockets of time to practice breathwork
• The benefits of breathwork for transitioning throughout your day

• Using breathwork to release stress
• Learning to recognize emotions with breathwork
• Breathwork and intuition
• Who can benefit from breathwork?

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

How do you ethically and confidently integrate new holistic modalities into your practice? Why is it so important to embody new healing modalities when introducing them to your clients?

MEET LeNaya Crawford

LeNaya Smith Crawford is a Holistic Mental Health Educator and Expert, Licensed Therapist, Holistic Healer, and Wellness CEO on a mission to make Holistic Mental health and Healing accessible, inclusive, and relatable.

She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with honors from The Spelman College and holds her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Spiritual integration and Trauma Therapy. In addition to her degrees, she is an advanced certified Yoga, BreathWork, and Meditation Guide (ERYT-500), Trauma Informed Facilitator, Sound Healer, Business Mentor, and International Teacher.

LeNaya specializes in Holistic Mental Health and Healing, which she defines as "the return to wholeness through integrating practices of the mind, body, and spirit."She believes that in order for us to truly heal we must address all layers of self: physical, energetic, mental, emotional, spiritual, and communal"

With over a decade of experience in the Mental Health and Wellness space, LeNaya takes a Science and Soul approach to healing and is passionate about helping her community HEAL, LEARN, and GROW. She is a sought after Mental Health and Wellness Expert and has been featured on several platforms including the New York Times, the Huffington Post, and Healthline.

As a leader in the Holistic Mental Health space, LeNaya created The Holistic Therapist™ Academy: a certification and immersion program that teaches Therapists and Mental Health Professionals how to use the therapeutic power of Trauma-Informed Yoga, Breath Work, Energy, and Sound Healing to help clients heal from anxiety, depression, and trauma. It is a comprehensive program that helps Mental Health Professionals integrate these practices in an ethical and confident way, while building thriving businesses centered on purpose, holistic care, and community.

She is the creator of The Holistic Healing Circle™, a community for women who help and heal, ready to prioritize their self care and healing, holistically, MIND, BODY, and SOUL. The Circle features an online membership, international and domestic retreats, and products to aid you on your journey to embodied living and wholeness.

LeNaya is also the Founder and Clinical Director of Kaleidoscope Family Therapy + Holistic Wellness and Co-Owner of Seviin Yoga + Yoga School, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Find out more at The Holistic Therapist and connect with LeNaya Crawford on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter

FREE AFFIRMATIONS FOR THERAPISTS

THE HOLISTIC THERAPIST ACADEMY WAITLIST

IN THIS PODCAST:

• The benefits of combining breathwork & sound healing 3:22
• How to start integrating sound healing into your practice 10:20
• How To use sound healing & breathwork in a trauma-informed way 13:53
• Integrating different modalities into your practice ethically & legally 18:55

• Understanding what state your clients are in and using breathwork and sound healing to find a safe space for them
• How can you introduce breathwork into your practice?
• The importance of embodiment when integrating different modalities into your practice
• A look at some breathwork vest practices
• Examples of combining breathwork and sound healing

• The importance of taking a deep dive into "chakras"
• A look at sound healing results in clients
• How to set your clients up for success when starting sound healing
• How to have an open dialogue with your clients when introducing new modalities into your practice

• How to ensure that your space is set up in a trauma-informed way for clients
• Allowing your clients a place to make decisions for themselves
• How to lead your clients while still allowing them autonomy
• The importance of setting a brief framework for your clients

• Approaching new modalities that are within your scope of practice
• The importance of creating your own personal practice with new modalities
• Why you should be open to feedback from your clients
• The benefits of seeking training from therapists that have utilized the modalities that you plan to integrate into your practice

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

What are the benefits of creating touchstones when building your holistic practice? What are the outcomes for your clients when having an integrative practice built on these touchstones?

MEET Dr. Nyasha Grayman

Dr. Nyasha Grayman is a Counseling Psychologist, licensed professional clinical counselor, NBCC CE program provider, and endowed professor of Psychology and African Studies at a Baltimore area college.

Find out more at Wisdom Counseling and connect with Dr. Nyasha on LinkedIn and Instagram

IN THIS PODCAST:

• Planning & structuring your holistic practice 5:15
• A breakdown of the 8 conceptual touchstones of starting a holistic practice 6:47

• How to integrate the many facets of the human spirit into your practice
• Finding resources that resonate with you and the practice you want to build
• The importance of overlapping each of the touchstones when building your practice
• Creating a cushion and allowing yourself to be flexible

• Energy Motivated 8:07
• Heart-centered 10:36
• Being niche 12:38
• High-touch boutique counseling 13:22
• The importance of having a personal practice 14:54
• What is entrepreneurial poverty? 20:06
• Learning to stay in the fun stage 20:53
• Engaging in slow marketing and slow growth 24:13

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

What is the Emotional Freedom Technique? How can you integrate EFT into your practice?

MEET Dreya Blume

Dreya Blume is a social worker, therapist, and tarot card reader. She is also a huge fan of incorporating holistic strategies into her healing practice, from Reiki to singing bowls, and EFT to tarot cards.

Dreya is the author of several books, including "The Tarot Activity Book: A collection of creative and therapeutic ideas for the cards," and "Tarot for Transformation: Using the major arcana to discover your best self and have a life worth living" (both under her former name, Andy Matzner).

Dreya is a transwoman who worked as a gender therapist for many years, serving the transgender community of southwest Virginia. She recently moved to Durham, NC, and is excited to begin a new chapter in her life!

Find out more about Dreya at Dreya Blume

IN THIS PODCAST:

• What is the Emotional Freedom Technique(EFT)? 4:38
• What are the benefits of EFT? 13:34
• EFT and chronic pain 26:08

• What is the origin of EFT?
• How does EFT combine different psycho-sensory modalities?
• A look at EFT vs. EDMR
• Understanding the effectiveness of EFT

• Utilizing affirmations in EFT
• Hyperarousal vs. hypoarousal
• The importance of acceptance when practicing EFT
• What is bilateral stimulation?

• Activating your parasympathetic nervous system with EFT
• The benefit of being able to articulate your pain through EFT
• The importance of having the tools to change the relationship you have with your chronic pain
• A guided EFT walkthrough

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

Today, I celebrate my 100th episode!!! I've had the privilege to interview some incredible guests on my podcast, whom I've learned from and built an amazing holistic community alongside.

To celebrate my 100th episode, I had listeners call in and share what they have learned and enjoyed from the show.

Getting to 100 episodes has been quite the journey. In this episode, I talk about the 10 things I learned since starting my podcast.

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

Are you seeking more balance in your life as a therapist? What are the keys to balancing your life & work?

MEET Gordon Brewer

Gordon Brewer, Jr., MEd, LMFT therapist | podcaster | trainer | speaker | writer is a licensed marital and family therapist and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Gordon is the person behind The Practice of Therapy Podcast. The Practice of Therapy provides information and resources for clinicians starting, growing, or scaling private practices.

Gordon started The PsychCraft Network of Podcasts in 2022, along with a new podcast, The Kindness & Compassion Podcast, that explores the intersection of psychology, science, and spirituality to create more kindness and compassion in the world.

Gordon has worked in the human services and mental health fields for over 30 years. He has previously worked in agency settings and is currently in private practice as a therapist. He owns a group therapy practice, Kingsport Counseling Associates, PLLC (www.kingsportcounseling,com) located in Kingsport, TN. He has also served as an adjunct instructor and internship supervisor at East Tennessee State University.

Gordon is married to Mary "Sister" Brewer and they have one daughter, Rebecca, an environmental educator. Gordon is also a clergyperson in the Episcopal Church (vocational deacon).

Find out more about Gordon at The Practice of Therapy and The PsychCraft Network of Podcasts

IN THIS PODCAST:

• What does it mean to have balance? 4:44
• The importance of outsourcing 8:14
• Finding balance as a therapist 16:20

• Utilizing effective time management
• Understanding your internal motivations
• The importance of self-care
• What are our many different life domains and how do we balance them?

• Learning to focus our energy on what is important
• Important vs. urgent tasks
• Tools for planning and time management
• Creating boundaries and sticking to them

• Why it is essential to stick to your schedule and learn to say, "no"
• Taking time to evaluate what you prefer to spend your time on the most
• Considering your ROI when it comes to choosing how you schedule your day-to-day work
• Tips for batch processing your workload

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)

What is sensorimotor psychotherapy? What are the benefits of incorporating the body into therapy?

MEET Katelyn Jakobsen

I am an LCMHC at Krippa Family Psychological & Wellness Services. I specialize in treating chronic illness and self-esteem and use a lot of therapy principles based in sensorimotor psychotherapy and IFS. As a former athlete and chronically ill individual, using my body and reclaiming it as a safe space has been really hard but important work that I hope to share with others.

Find out more about Katelyn at NC Psychologist

IN THIS PODCAST:

• What does it mean to be in tune with your body 4:12
• Sensorimotor Psychology vs. traditional therapy 7:17
• How to help your clients overcome the freeze response 11:38
• What is The Window of Tolerance? 17:17

• How your body and cognitive process work together
• Understanding how our bodies react to internal and external circumstances
• The importance of learning to describe what our bodies are feeling
• Finding clues as to what is happening with your client's bodies as a therapist

• Reversing our cognitive psychological process and incorporating the whole body
• How was Sensorimotor Psychology developed?
• Incorporating the body into your practice
• Learning to recognize trauma in clients and what is a freeze response

• Asking questions that help put clients more in their body
• The importance of giving your clients the space they need to get in tune with their body
• Creating exploratory sessions with your clients to build trust
• The importance of being open to shifting your sessions to find what works for your clients

• Noticing when our clients are out of their window of tolerance
• What is The SUDS rating scale?
• 3 exercises to build trust with your clients
• Recognizing when our client's bodies change and learning to adapt

Download the Free guide: How to build confidence and competence bringing yoga into the therapy room

The Yoga in Therapy Collective —where therapists learn, grow, and get support with yoga-informed practices

Explore the Yoga Basics for Therapists course—designed to help you confidently and ethically integrate yoga into therapy

Yoga Basics: The Therapist's Guide to Integrating Trauma-Informed Yoga into Sessions

Instagram: @chris_mcdonald58

Join the Free Bringing Yoga Into the Therapy Room Facebook group

Leave a review and subscribe to this podcast

Self-Care for the Counselor: A Companion Workbook: An Easy to Use Workbook to Support you on Your Holistic Healing and Counselor Self-Care Journey ... A Holistic Guide for Helping Professionals)