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Somatic Experiencing by Peter Levine, Circling, and Authentic Relating

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a form of alternative therapy aimed at relieving the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental and physical trauma-related health problems by focusing on the client’s perceived body sensations (or somatic experiences). It was created by trauma therapist Peter A. Levine. A very good book to read on the topic of trauma is Bessel van der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score.

Another therapy modality that focusses specifically on trauma recovery is the Hakomi Method, which is a form of mindfulness-centered somatic psychotherapy developed by Ron Kurtz in the 1970s.

Both SE and Hakomi share the belief that trauma experiences that occur either in childhood or as adults lodge in the body, and so long as they remain unconscious, will affect our behavior and create all kinds of problems with our health, life-coping strategies, and relationships.

As discussed above in my report on the Avalon Community, trauma recovery is currently a hot topic in Circling as many people don’t believe that Circling is effective for recovery from trauma experiences, and can even be damaging, by the simple fact that Circling is by its nature a peer-led movement, and so leaders and participants may lack knowledge or expertise in dealing effectively with people carrying deep trauma, and may re-trigger the circlee unawarely.  This actually occurs quite frequently. As such there are situations where a somatic-based therapy modality may be very helpful, either as a substitute for circling or as an addition.  Circling does have the capacity to provide a peer environment meeting contact needs, a social support network such as no therapy modality could ever provide (it would cost too much, to begin), and as such I would recommend both Circling and therapy for people dealing with trauma experiences.

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RSS Authentic Relating Leader on substack

  • Marco and Sophie, v2.0
  • What happened when I fully committed to bringing Authentic Relating into all my relationships
  • Getting married and moving to Germany!
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  • Trauma is good for you: Authentic Relating and "karma acceleration"

Upcoming Events

Upcoming events below and on our Google Calendar

Communities Map

Authentic Relating Organizations

  • Circling Institute (San Francisco and Global)
  • The Relateful Company  (previously CircleAnywhere (Global)
  • Circling Europe (Europe and North America)
  • ART International (Global)
  • Authentic Relating Go (Global)
  • Connection Institute (Boston & Global)
  • The Connection Movement (New York City)
  • Austin Circling Studio (Austin, TX)
  • Evolutionary Relating (Australia)
  • Circling Cornwall (UK)
  • Let’s Be Authentic (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Realness Project (Prison work)
  • The Awkward Leadership School (Toronto)
  • Integral Centered Leadership (Boulder, CO)

Local communities can be found on Meetup.com and on the Authentic Revolution communities map

Free Circling Video Course

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Recommended Books

Quotes

  • “There is no place to get to but more here” — Decker Cunov, co-founder of Circling
  • “You will always outlive my concept of you. And I will always have a concept for you to outlive” — Guy Sengstock, founder of Circling
  • “Pain is not a punishment, pleasure is not a reward… good and bad, happy and sad, all thoughts vanish into emptiness” — Pema Chodron
  • “If we were all to sit in a circle and confess our sins, we would laugh at each other for lack of originality” — Kahlil Gibran
  • “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care” — Theodore Roosevelt
  • “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. They listen with the intent to reply” — Stephen Covey
  • “Trust that people move towards wholeness, and we just have to follow” — Alexis Shepperd, co-founder of the Authentic Woman Experience
  • “Depression is the reward we get for being ‘good’ ” — Marshall Rosenberg
  • When we are angry, killing people is too superficial — Marshall Rosenberg
  • “You don’t need to get what you want if you can express what you want” — Strephon Kaplan-Williams

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Marco’s Books and Blogs


Relational Power: Win Friends, Influence Others, and End Loneliness Through the Practice of Authentic Relating

 


Broke, Single, Crazy and Old: The Redemption of a Sex and Love Addict

 


As Lovers Do: a Manual for Men

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