Most of us grew up needing to survive a certain amount of criticism, neglect, shame, guilt and trauma in our environments. To navigate our way through these experiences we learned to suppress many of our feelings and sensations. We became skilled at physical ways to survive including tightening up our bodies and restricting our breathing. In addition, we also developed beliefs and behaviors that, while they protected us from being hurt or exposed, do not serve us in the long run.
This array of physical and emotional habits gradually developed into a physical and psychic sort of armor. It may have indeed protected us from feeling vulnerable. But in our present lives, it significantly restricts our ability to experience joy, pleasure and healthy intimate relationships.
Michael Stattel MA, LPC integrates various mind/body modalities to help loosen this limiting armor in a safe and caring environment. This process allows underlying feelings and sensations to slowly be loosened up and energetically released. The results are a significant reduction of symptoms such as despair, anxiety, shame, guilt and trauma. Many clients also experience relief of somatic symptoms (back pain, stomach/ digestive issues, headaches, etc.) Gradually clients experience a greater joy, pleasure and emotional honesty with themselves and those around them in ways that can be quite profound.
The major modalities that Michael integrates into his work are Contemporary Reichian Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Sensory Awareness, Natural Breathing, Humanistic Psychology, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Psychology. His work in these modalities was begun in his graduate work at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He continued to hone his skills over the next twenty years through the influence of a number of very gifted mind/body therapists who mentored him. In recent years Michael has continued to enhance his skills by studying and practicing with a private group of mind/body therapists in the Pacific Northwest.