'Mind' is how we think about ourselves and what we think we know about self. The mind can be our source of what brings one to therapy. For example, anxiety is fears and worries that has our mind all caught up in rumination. We can learn skills of communication and practice a problem solving stance toward emotional challenges. Yet, there is the 'subconscious' mind, too. The part of Mind that holds habits, past experiences, long term memory. The subconscious is the place of creativity and it is running our whole personality in a way we can wish we had a handle on it and we know we don't. Through the process of therapy, one becomes newly aware (or 'conscious') of new thoughts that bubble up from the subconscious, which are perceptions that are newly available for further discussion and integration.

The body is where we hold our emotions. We may'think' our emotions are about 'what has happened.' True enough, we are reacting and responding to life circumstance and events, yet our body has an 'autonomic nervous system:' fight, flight, freeze. Fear and anxiety prompt a rapid heartbeat, shallow breathing or perspiration. From anger, stress, frustrations, ones jaw clenches, muscles tense, face flushes. Then the confusing part, love, excitement and joy can also get your heart pumping and face blushing. By listening to our body, relaxing into our body, we can sense the emotion and we can influence the body to become calm. We can increase objectivity from what our 'mind' says the problem is...' and we can release emotion in healthy ways.  Finding a safe physical activity to discharge the cursing flow of adrenaline, can bring about a healthy discharge that could otherwise be stored up for depression or externalized with ineffective anger toward others. Addressing the physiological impact of anxiety, depression, trauma and stress has become standard in mental health approaches. Healing comes naturally and more complete as we pay attention to the body.

Spirit, to me, is an ability to access a sense of connection to something  greater than oneself. Loosening the tight grip of negative self-focus, a connection to spirit can bring patience, calm, hope or healing. A spiritual connection can be experienced radically outside oneself and then inextricably within oneself, always present, always available. I am attentive to your desire to bring in concepts of spirituality into your therapy work.