Occasional day long workshops near Bethesda to introduction some of the newly evolving tools of psychotherapy. Learn compassionate skills that with practice could increase self awareness, support being present and grounded, and help to address stress, anxiety, depression and overwhelm.

Next workshop Saturday 18 May 10am-5pm. Places are limited to 6. There will be a sliding scale price of £30-£100, you choose what is affordable without stretching, in the understanding that paying more enables peope with less financial capacity to also paarticipate. Please bring vegetarian lunch to share. Email Rik@RikMidgley.co.uk for more details.

Over the last 2 decades there have been significant advances in our understanding of the mind and mental health. Radically new techniques are evolving for addressing behaviours such as anxiety, stress, addiction, and trauma arising from historical stressful events. Some of these techniques are simple and natural in that they entail a process of listening to and learning about both the body and your sense of self, in such a way as it promotes self empowerment. Growing awareness and understanding of your behavioural patterns invites self love and the possibility of change.

There is no need to revisit any painful episodes. What is important is what is alive in you now. That is, how you presently respond to painful or unpleasant events in your present and how you relate to those in your past. The past cannot be changed, but your relationship with the past can be changed, and your capacity to choose your response to present stimulus can grow. There are techniques that you can learn and practice that bring into your life a process of getting to know and understand yourself which bring clarity and understanding to past events, while nurturing the capacity to choose what this relationship with the past can look like in the present moment.

When ‘unnatural things’ happen to us, the natural healthy body responds in way which serves life. Our instinct is to care for ourself, to protect ourself. If an event appears sufficiently intense, which can be case if we are young, then this protective survival strategy can be imprinted on the mind and become habitual. Once we are older, we may still retain this coded response, although times and situations may have changed. The healing is in the acknowledgement and understanding of the caring motivation of this young part of you, and in the recognition of your present power.

This all requires a natural length of time, courage and a curiosity/openness to a different understanding of who you really are. This course is just a day, and just an introduction to this work, just a step in your journey. It is for you to do your own work, and to find your own natural way and pace. I offer courses such as this day to support you in this. I also offer one to one spaces, as sometimes when we are stuck, it is useful to reach out for support. The choice is yours.

I am a Level 2 practitioner of Internal Family Systems (IFS), a certified facilitator of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and have more than 30 years of experience of working with Somatics (the felt experience within the body).

If you would prefer to work individually with me see more details of my One to One Work