Intermediate Level Practice Group
with Somatics, Parts Work & Authentic Connection
A 6-Week Small Group
I invite you to gather in a group of 3-5 people to do potent personal work over the course of 6 weeks. You have time to focus on your inner world and life themes, especially those things that are challenging to you, to find more clarity and care and to make life-affirming personal changes.
We will engage with simple and powerful practices for healing, including body-based practices, such as breath and movement, tools from IFS (Parts Work) and creative approaches such as writing and drawing. Some explorations will be done individually, some in pairs and others with the group. You will receive focused attention on your process, including the opportunity to be witnessed and supported by the group and offer this to others in return. These are potent opportunities for finding insights, un-shaming our experiences and releasing stored emotions.
As we heal, there are two practices that are especially important: One is to learn how to focus on and receive that which is nourishing, such as care, attention and support, and the other is building the capacity to allow challenging feelings to move through us. There is an art to this, and this group is a place to learn and practice.
I draw from the wisdom of Somatic Experiencing, Authentic Movement, and compassionate relating practices
in this rich healing journey. Many participants report feeling more free, more relaxed and connected to themselves. Some unburden the past in profound ways. Others simply find it a supportive space to tend to their inner life, which often is put on hold during our busy lives.
Words from past participants:
"Mandy is a gentle magician. By carefully structuring every aspect of this experience behind the scenes, she was able to turn internal work that can feel daunting into a relaxed, even joyful event."
“This group helped my relationship with myself in deep, surprising, and delightful ways. I was shocked at how comfortable I felt in a group setting.”
"It has taught me to connect deeply to my body and to notice and deactivate stress. It has deepened my capacity for self compassion. I met some wonderful people and found a life long self care practice."
We will engage with simple and powerful practices for healing, including body-based practices, such as breath and movement, tools from IFS (Parts Work) and creative approaches such as writing and drawing. Some explorations will be done individually, some in pairs and others with the group. You will receive focused attention on your process, including the opportunity to be witnessed and supported by the group and offer this to others in return. These are potent opportunities for finding insights, un-shaming our experiences and releasing stored emotions.
As we heal, there are two practices that are especially important: One is to learn how to focus on and receive that which is nourishing, such as care, attention and support, and the other is building the capacity to allow challenging feelings to move through us. There is an art to this, and this group is a place to learn and practice.
I draw from the wisdom of Somatic Experiencing, Authentic Movement, and compassionate relating practices
in this rich healing journey. Many participants report feeling more free, more relaxed and connected to themselves. Some unburden the past in profound ways. Others simply find it a supportive space to tend to their inner life, which often is put on hold during our busy lives.
Words from past participants:
"Mandy is a gentle magician. By carefully structuring every aspect of this experience behind the scenes, she was able to turn internal work that can feel daunting into a relaxed, even joyful event."
“This group helped my relationship with myself in deep, surprising, and delightful ways. I was shocked at how comfortable I felt in a group setting.”
"It has taught me to connect deeply to my body and to notice and deactivate stress. It has deepened my capacity for self compassion. I met some wonderful people and found a life long self care practice."
During this group, you will have a chance to:
- Go deeper with your personal healing.
- Experience individual attention within a group format.
- Practice skills in navigating challenging emotional states.
- Feel an embodied sense of calm, clarity and spaciousness.
- Make new connections with others on a healing path.
- Feel seen and heard.
- Go deeper with your personal healing.
- Experience individual attention within a group format.
- Practice skills in navigating challenging emotional states.
- Feel an embodied sense of calm, clarity and spaciousness.
- Make new connections with others on a healing path.
- Feel seen and heard.
The Logistics:
Mondays: 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time: New York).
6-Weeks: Mondays 4:30 to 6:30 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time: New York). June 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29th.
Location: Virtual. Via Zoom.
Limit: 3-5 people.
Cost: $240 to $390 Sliding Scale. If you are drawn to this group and can't afford the bottom of the sliding scale, please be in touch.
Registering requires reading this information, a short application and an interview, if you we are new to each other.
Important information to know before applying:
-This group is considered an Intermediate Level group. This means that you have been doing personal healing work (of any kind) for at least one year.
-While this work is therapeutic, it is not a substitute for mental health counseling. If you are dealing with mental health issues, please have support from a therapist.
-I require that you have access to some sort source of outside support either ongoing or someone on call, a therapist, bodyworker, etc. during our time together. Sessions may catalyze the movement of emotions that you don’t have time to process during a session.
-This work draws from Parts Work (Internal Family Systems), but doesn’t necessarily use all of the tools or in the order in traditional IFS. This approach is more fluid. I use the concept of a “part” more broadly. At times it will refer to a sub-personality that has a specific age and other details, but at times it will refer to a segment of your experience such as an emotion, thought or image.
My goal is to establish a compassionate relationship to whatever is emerging, allow for unblending/rooting in Self, and release (unburdening), and restoring a sense of wellness and safety. My background in Internal Family Systems is a 3 year study group with Wendy Weiss.
-Somatic approaches draw inspiration from 2 years of training in Somatic Experiencing, and over 20 years of mindfulness practices, and improvisational dance forms. My main goals with these practices are to discharge stored nervous system energy and foster an internal sense of safety and resilience.
-I welcome all genders to my groups.
-Groups are done online. Sessions will NOT be recorded, because these are highly experiential.
Participant Requirements:
You are able to:
-Listen to others without interrupting.
-Speak with respect and kindness.
-Refrain from giving advice, unless asked.
-Communicate your needs and make requests.
-Tend to your own triggers and come prepared with a few tools for self-care.
-Pause & take time to notice body sensations and emotions.
-Trust the process of being with discomfort as difficult feelings are processed.
More about triggers and self-care: A trigger happens when your nervous system perceives a threat from the present or one is evoked from the past. You might feel antsy, tense, irritated, nervous, shut-down or have other symptoms. These are often uncomfortable and you start to feel a sense of disconnection from the group.
It is very likely that you will feel this nervous system response during at least one of the meetings. At these moments, I may not be able to attend to you (but I may, depending on the flow of the group). In either case, I highly support you in doing self-care. This can look like taking a break, doing some deep breathing or journaling. If some self-care doesn’t help bring you to center and the trigger feels quite big, you may exit the Zoom meeting. These choices ARE part of honoring our parts and I will encourage it along the way.
Mondays: 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time: New York).
6-Weeks: Mondays 4:30 to 6:30 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time: New York). June 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29th.
Location: Virtual. Via Zoom.
Limit: 3-5 people.
Cost: $240 to $390 Sliding Scale. If you are drawn to this group and can't afford the bottom of the sliding scale, please be in touch.
Registering requires reading this information, a short application and an interview, if you we are new to each other.
Important information to know before applying:
-This group is considered an Intermediate Level group. This means that you have been doing personal healing work (of any kind) for at least one year.
-While this work is therapeutic, it is not a substitute for mental health counseling. If you are dealing with mental health issues, please have support from a therapist.
-I require that you have access to some sort source of outside support either ongoing or someone on call, a therapist, bodyworker, etc. during our time together. Sessions may catalyze the movement of emotions that you don’t have time to process during a session.
-This work draws from Parts Work (Internal Family Systems), but doesn’t necessarily use all of the tools or in the order in traditional IFS. This approach is more fluid. I use the concept of a “part” more broadly. At times it will refer to a sub-personality that has a specific age and other details, but at times it will refer to a segment of your experience such as an emotion, thought or image.
My goal is to establish a compassionate relationship to whatever is emerging, allow for unblending/rooting in Self, and release (unburdening), and restoring a sense of wellness and safety. My background in Internal Family Systems is a 3 year study group with Wendy Weiss.
-Somatic approaches draw inspiration from 2 years of training in Somatic Experiencing, and over 20 years of mindfulness practices, and improvisational dance forms. My main goals with these practices are to discharge stored nervous system energy and foster an internal sense of safety and resilience.
-I welcome all genders to my groups.
-Groups are done online. Sessions will NOT be recorded, because these are highly experiential.
Participant Requirements:
You are able to:
-Listen to others without interrupting.
-Speak with respect and kindness.
-Refrain from giving advice, unless asked.
-Communicate your needs and make requests.
-Tend to your own triggers and come prepared with a few tools for self-care.
-Pause & take time to notice body sensations and emotions.
-Trust the process of being with discomfort as difficult feelings are processed.
More about triggers and self-care: A trigger happens when your nervous system perceives a threat from the present or one is evoked from the past. You might feel antsy, tense, irritated, nervous, shut-down or have other symptoms. These are often uncomfortable and you start to feel a sense of disconnection from the group.
It is very likely that you will feel this nervous system response during at least one of the meetings. At these moments, I may not be able to attend to you (but I may, depending on the flow of the group). In either case, I highly support you in doing self-care. This can look like taking a break, doing some deep breathing or journaling. If some self-care doesn’t help bring you to center and the trigger feels quite big, you may exit the Zoom meeting. These choices ARE part of honoring our parts and I will encourage it along the way.
Application Process:
Please send an email to me, Mandy, at [email protected], with answers to the questions below. If we are new to each other, I require a 20 minute interview. Note: if you've already taken a group with me, there is no need to complete the application, just send me an email saying you'd like to sign up.
1. What is your name? What are your pronouns?
2. What is drawing you to this group? What are your goals for your healing?
3. Do you meet the participant requirements?
4. What days and times work for you to have a 20 minute informal interview? And note, this is an informal chat to get to know each other and assess if the group is a good fit for you.
5. Do you have any questions or concerns about the group?
That's it! Thank you. I will be in touch within 2 days.
Please send an email to me, Mandy, at [email protected], with answers to the questions below. If we are new to each other, I require a 20 minute interview. Note: if you've already taken a group with me, there is no need to complete the application, just send me an email saying you'd like to sign up.
1. What is your name? What are your pronouns?
2. What is drawing you to this group? What are your goals for your healing?
3. Do you meet the participant requirements?
4. What days and times work for you to have a 20 minute informal interview? And note, this is an informal chat to get to know each other and assess if the group is a good fit for you.
5. Do you have any questions or concerns about the group?
That's it! Thank you. I will be in touch within 2 days.