Open Space Therapy Collective (they/them/she/her/he/him)

"Sometimes in my daily life, I lose time or have feelings that don’t match what is going on around me." Trauma can result from a single event, but more often, it comes from a long period of challenging circumstances. Often, we can only see that there is trauma through its effects, which is the feeling of disconnection or erratic feelings and behaviors, usually beyond our control. These experiences can prevent us from feeling like our lives our whole, or even that we know who we are.

"I am unsure of whether I can handle this new space. I don’t know what to do in this new role". "Other people in my life don’t understand what I'm going through". Big changes in our life force us to come to terms with the new reality around us. Many of us can get “stuck” when changes happens. Clearly our world is different, but it can be hard to know what to do, or how to adapt. If you are experiencing a big or unexpected change in your life, these feelings are normal.

"Life doesn’t exist in the binary, and I’m happily moving around in the middle. But I feel alone. I am missing a community that sees me and experiences life like me. I am tired of being misgendered and constantly having to explain myself. I want to exist, be seen, and be valued." In therapy there is no pressure or expectation for you to be anyone except who you are. The therapy process reflects who you are and where you are in your growth process.

"You’ve lost hold of who you are and don’t know your thoughts and feelings". Art therapy uses creative, artistic practices to address psychological and emotional needs. Not only does art therapy work to support self-expressive practices, but it is a great way to dig into the main goals that brought you to therapy. Art therapy is a unique tool because it can access the subconscious, the part of yourself that you can’t always see, even though you know it plays a significant role in your life.

"It would be nice to talk freely to somebody on your side, someone who can help you become who you want to be and not who they want you to be. You want somebody supportive and caring to help push you forward in your growth". You will never have the same therapy as someone else – your therapy centers around you – your needs, goals, and preferred pathways for achieving those goals. Gestalt therapy is more active, conversational, and effectual.

"I want to be a more fully integrated person. All these different parts of me get me from one place to another, including my feelings, thinking, and body. These parts feel so separate – like they’re strangers – and I think it’s time to be introduced". Somatic Focusing is the practice of focusing and listening to your body and discover new personal insights. It's like having a conversation with your body and being able to integrate what it's telling you".