April 17, 2025

Family Constellations in One-to-One Work: Exercises and Approaches

Family Constellations, developed by German psychotherapist Bert Hellinger, is often associated with group workshops where participants physically represent elements of a client’s family system. However, this powerful methodology can be effectively adapted for one-to-one therapeutic settings, integrating seamlessly with both Gestalt therapy and Somatic Experiencing approaches. This article explores how constellation principles can be applied…

Fear of Your Own Anger

Fear of Your Own Anger. Few emotions generate as much internal conflict as anger. While some struggle to contain angry outbursts, many others experience profound fear of their own anger—avoiding it, suppressing it, or becoming anxious when they feel its stirrings. From a Gestalt therapy and Somatic Experiencing perspective, this fear of anger often indicates…

Guilt and How to Process It

Guilt – That uncomfortable sensation of having done something wrong or failed to do something right— ranks among our most complex and challenging emotional experiences. As a Gestalt therapist and Somatic Experiencing practitioner, I’ve observed how this powerfully shapes behavior, relationships, and self-perception, sometimes productively guiding moral action and other times creating debilitating cycles of…

Shame and How to Resolve It

Shame. Few emotional experiences prove as devastating or difficult to transform as shame. Unlike guilt, which focuses on specific behaviors (“I did something bad”), shame indicts the core self (“I am bad”). This profound emotional state shapes identity, relationships, and behavior in powerful ways, often operating outside conscious awareness while limiting authentic expression and connection.…

Loneliness and Accepting Differences

Loneliness ranks among the most painful human experiences, yet it often persists despite apparent social connection or even within the context of relationships. As both a Gestalt therapist and Somatic Experiencing practitioner, I’ve observed how a particular form of loneliness emerges not from physical isolation but from the inability to be authentically known and accepted…

How Mushrooms Help with ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects millions of people worldwide, creating significant challenges with attention regulation, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and impulse control. While conventional treatments like stimulant medications and behavioral interventions remain first-line approaches, growing research suggests that certain mushrooms—both psychedelic and non-psychedelic varieties—may offer promising complementary approaches for addressing ADHD symptoms. This article explores the…

How the Two-Chair Technique Works and How to Do It Yourself

The Two-Chair Technique, a cornerstone method in Gestalt therapy, offers a powerful approach for resolving internal conflicts, working through ambivalence, and integrating polarized aspects of self- experience. As a Gestalt therapist who regularly employs this method, I’ve witnessed its remarkable effectiveness for issues ranging from decision-making dilemmas to inner critic dynamics to unfinished emotional business…

Why It’s Good to Hug a Pillow

Hug a Pillow. Something as simple as hugging a pillow might seem childish or trivial at first glance. Yet from a therapeutic perspective, particularly through Gestalt and Somatic Experiencing lenses, this practice offers profound physiological and psychological benefits that extend far beyond mere comfort. This seemingly modest action activates multiple neurobiological systems that support emotional…

How You Can Set Up a Constellation by Yourself

Family Constellation work, developed by Bert Hellinger, traditionally takes place in group settings where participants physically represent elements of a person’s family system. However, this powerful approach to systemic healing and insight can be adapted for personal use. As a practitioner trained in both Gestalt therapy and Somatic Experiencing who regularly incorporates constellation principles in…

Somatic Exercises for Calming

Somatic Exercises. The fast-paced, often overstimulating nature of modern life frequently triggers our stress response systems, leaving many people in states of persistent physiological activation or shutdown. As a Gestalt therapist and Somatic Experiencing practitioner, I’ve observed how directly engaging the body—rather than relying solely on cognitive approaches—offers powerful pathways for restoring balance to dysregulated…