Therapeutic Presence: when Science Meets Art

Ioana Preda (CTA-P)

Conference: Sunday, October 27th, 11.30 - 13.15

Under the influence of extensive hyper-stimulation and/or hypo-stimulation of our nervous system, we run the risk of entering physiological states where relationships and emotional processing of events become impossible. In this workshop, we will touch on contemporary neuro-bio-psychological theories and discuss their relevance for psychotherapy.

We will learn, in the here-and-now, how to interpret (our) neurophysiological signals, in order to modulate our therapeutic interventions and unlock the natural healing process. This information will be relevant for personal and/or client work.

Presentation: 60 mins power-point presentation followed by experiential work in small groups.

The workshop is relevant for practitioners in all 4 domains of TA but especially for psychotherapists and counsellors with medium or extensive experience.

In my practice I have noticed that nearly any symptom presented in therapy could be understood as being stuck in a state where the individual has been exposed to either too much or too little stimulation, or to a kind of stimulation that does not match their particular needs. When, in therapy, we notice, name and process each micro-step of the experience, what potentially comes out is a highly refined act of balancing of the autonomic nervous system. This is capable to spontaneously mobilise vitality and the innate healing resources that had been stuck in and preserved for far too long from having to adapt to an unfriendly or hostile environment.