What is Somatic Attachment Psychotherapy?
For too long, the pervasive effects of trauma have been ignored in psychotherapy. As neurobiology has made huge leaps in the last decade in our understanding of trauma, a new model of psychotherapy has emerged [...]
Branching Out: Toward a New Model of Trauma Recovery with Polyvagal Theory
I am pleased to share with you this informative article about the new paradigm of trauma treatment using Polyvagal Theory. I was interviewed for the article by my friend and colleague, Chiara Viscomi, M.A.: "Trauma, [...]
Is Anger OK?
Anger and its relatives, frustration, rage, and annoyance, are highly misunderstood and stigmatized. It’s hard to find examples in our society of healthy anger. Is there even such a thing? Part of the confusion around [...]
Embodiment and Interbeing
Like many of you, I am deeply disturbed by what is happening on our planet. The destruction of Nature, the exploitation of people and animals, and the rampant use of violence all weigh heavily on [...]
Cultivating Empathy
We live in a web of relationships. We have a relationship with the people in our lives, a relationship with ourselves, and relationships to the animals, sky, water, and land. What does it mean to [...]
Independent or Interdependent?
We are relational beings, meaning we need to be in relationship with other beings to be healthy and happy. Our society, however, teaches us that the ultimate in personal development is to be independent, and [...]
Experience Healing
The good news of the last decade of brain research can be summed up in one word: “neuroplasticity.” “Neuro” refers to nerve cells that make up your brain and nervous system and “plasticity” refers to [...]
A Conversation with Counsellor Swarn Leung (from the Cowichan Valley Voice, October 2014 issue)
As a child, counsellor Swarn Leung was always very interested in helping others. “I wanted to be a nurse or a teacher in Ethiopia. When I was fifteen I watched a movie about Gandhi that [...]
Authenticity
“I just want to be ME!” These words are music to my ears. As a counsellor, one of my greatest joys is helping people to live more authentic lives. What gets in the way? Why [...]
Going Back to Go Forward
“Get over it!” “Move on.” “Don’t look back.” These are some of the words of advice commonly heard by someone who is depressed, anxious, and/or suffering from trauma. Though well-intended, this advice is impossible to [...]