As a registered professional counsellor with deep roots in yoga and mindfulness, Evolve’s Deedee Poyner approaches her work with clients from a place of honouring. In her work with clients, she weaves together many modalities offering a holistic approach to mental wellness. Below Deedee shares her approach to supporting her clients through emotional and mental healing and release.
Each client is unique, bringing their own histories and desired outcome along with them. A client may be working with loss, grief, anxiety, fear, instability or simply looking to let go. Every situation is different, but often concerns can be held deep in the mind and body, and old emotional wounding comes forward as we work together.
Life these days is busy, with pressures like family, work, financial stress, housing; the list goes on. It can be hard to find time to take a break and assess your state of mental and physical health. If you find yourself ruminating obsessively or become more aware of held tension in your body, this could have an emotional component to it looking to be released, and it may be time to reach out for support.
When it comes to releasing stored tension and emotions in the body, the breath can be a powerful tool. In addition to traditional talk therapy and CBT, I also use breathwork with my clients. For some people in a session, we may be mostly talking with periodic breath breaks, often a simple deep breath instruction: “inhale deeply and exhale completely”, for about 5 breaths. It’s a moment that supports a “reset” that can also help the client in getting to what they want to express. The breath break supports release and awareness of insights which are both so helpful in our healing process.
With others I introduce a style of breathwork therapy called “Clarity Breathwork”. I am trained in Clarity Breathwork by the founders of the technique which comes from Rebirthing Work. This type of breathwork takes the client into a slightly altered state, giving them access to their subconscious and superconscious. It offers a powerful process of healing and transformation, potentially supporting the healing process of old emotional wounds. As they are using the breathing techniques the client is able to stay in this deep, open and relaxed state, while I support them with guided questions and discussion.
If you would like to book a Counselling or Breathwork session with Deedee Poyner, RPC, or if you would like to learn more, email us at info@evolvevancouver.ca
Please note that any advice in this article doesn’t replace personalized medical advice from a professional.