Frequently Asked Questions

Sometimes our mind says one thing while our body knows or shows another. Instead of continuously getting stuck in a spiral of thoughts or prescriptive “shoulds,” or unproductive narratives, blending body-based awareness, practices and processing can allow more awareness of one’s unique bodily rhythms, movement patterns, gut instincts, and deeper hungers.

This type of therapeutic “dance” between helper and client allows for more nuanced movement expression to take up space, more “parts” become present and less stored in the body. Over time, with support of the therapeutic dance, one’s nervous system state shifts from a defensive mode of stress responses toward a greater capacity for more sustainable bodily functioning, Belly-brain + Head-brain integration, and self-regulation.

Somatic therapies differ among various approaches or practitioners. M-Bodied Therapy & Coaching offers trauma-informed somatic approaches using a relational and developmental foundation based on a trauma healing method called Chi for Two®. (Chi meaning energy, Two meaning relationship).

Chi for Two explores how the therapeutic relationship invites movement expression—including vocal patterning, breath, and sound expressions using jaw, mouth, teeth and tongue—and this definitely involves the communicative dance of talking! And, yet, sometimes our body holds early relational patterns before we could talk, and sometimes these patterns can use more relational space and support to process and healthily embody, hence exploring early developmental dances of connection and separation that organically present in session over time.

M-Bodied Therapy & Coaching offers a client-led approach. Clients might prefer talking, body awareness practices, expressive arts practices, storytelling, specific Chi for Two somatic practices, or all the above. Using the 3Cs of Curiosity, Compassion and Care offers a non-shaming way to explore what might need processing.

To summarize, a session includes:

*an invitational approach to promote client autonomy

*exploration via talking along with trauma-informed practices that are relational and developmental

*nervous system and attachment-based psycho-education

*processing experiential practices in-session to eventually integrate into daily life for more presence and satisfaction for relationship with self and others.

All M-Bodied® services are self-pay. Clients may submit their invoice as a superbill, but this does not guarantee any coverage. M-Bodied does offer a number of sliding scale options to help recognize a range of income levels. Please contact us for fee and scheduling information.

M-Bodied psychotherapy, movement education and coaching sessions are available virtually and in person on the east side of Atlanta in Kirkwood. M-Bodied offers psychotherapy in the state of Georgia as well as Somatic Therapy/Education and Chi for Two® embodiment coaching to clients worldwide.

Yes. A relational approach with an emphasis on kinesthetic empathy, invitational language, nervous system awareness, and trauma-informed somatic skills can help re-nourish the deeper bio-psycho-social hungers. M-Bodied uses the multi-generational trauma healing method Chi for Two®, which is a polyvagal-informed approach to healing complex trauma.

Eventually, more of a client’s “movement expression”—client’s conscious self-reflection or body awareness, or unconscious gestures, movements, patterns or behaviors—can offer insight into where the symbolic somatic redos can be offered/practiced for more sustainable nervous system functioning. Over time, this allows one to digest deeper nourishment and experience more self-regulation states of “Rest/Digest” and "Play/Dance" as Porges names.

Yes, and ideal healing includes clients eventually birthing their own unique Being🌟. M-Bodied Therapy is based upon the multi-generational trauma healing method Chi for Two®. Chi for Two is polyvagal-informed and attachment-based. It draws from a synthesis of healing modalities while offered in a trauma-informed way that invites both matching and mismatching dances of relationship that help to support and celebrate individuation.

Please check out Chi for Two’s comprehensive site or Instagram @chifortwotraumahealing to explore various focuses where we invite awareness and relational healing of trauma related to gender and culture for schools, businesses, families, couples and individuals.

When “Mother” is referenced here, we are inviting the “mothering quality of oxytocin,” which plays a major role in signaling safety within our Social Engagement system functioning as related to nervous system science. Therefore, those who identify as female, male, or non-binary may offer and embody that “Mother” quality.

M-Bodied somatic practices are offered in a relational way where someone serving as “Ideal Mother” (Ideal Parent) offers the symbolic redo to help promote secure attachment and re-patterning of nervous system functioning.

None of us humans are ideal or perfect, so this is not shaming/blaming one’s parents. Rather, we recognize the limitations our lineage, our multi-generational patterning, might have had. Therefore, we celebrate both matching and mismatching rhythms with appreciation for the dances of repair that are possible.

M-Bodied Therapy and Coaching are based upon Chi for Two®, a multigenerational trauma healing method. When people wonder how M-Bodied or Chi for Two might compare to other healing methods, the following link explores the similarities and differences: https://www.chifortwo.com/questions-about-chi-for-two

Each person’s journey is unique. Most clients choose this healing and growth work as a lifestyle practice, to explore their circuitous journey in many different facets of their life. Some clients take a more immersive but shorter approach. Each client is unique.

Might you consider that growth and healing take time. Sustainable growth is slow. There are no quick fixes. It’s normal to question, and the M-Bodied approach welcomes and celebrates clients working at their own pace. There are no musts or shoulds.

Reaching for relational somatic support can help to provide a robust quality of embodiment as well as heal attachment and complex trauma. Exploring the process in session helps clients to learn how to weave the practices into their daily life and eventually “Self-Handle” their Unique Being. 🌟

Yes! Blending trauma-sensitive, polyvagal-informed, body-based practices with talk therapy can be an intriguing path to process, learn and offer. While I regularly offer CEs for therapists, I also provide individual consultations. Feel free to reach out to me for more information, and stay tuned at Chi for Two®’s Trainings for Professionals page for upcoming professional trainings and embodiment coaching opportunities. We start our seventh two-year professional training cohort this October 2023!