How I Work

My primary offering is in-depth Orgonomic Psychotherapy, which addresses the mind/body interface of who you are and how you function in the world. In addition, I offer workshops and groups, which are described under Services & Programs.

Orgonomic Psychotherapy

Orgonomic Psychotherapy (also known as Reichian Therapy) is a mind/body discipline that incorporates verbal analysis with biophysical interventions and takes place within a strong therapeutic relationship. Through this work, you shed unnecessary layers of armoring and façades, which in turn allows the emergence of your true Self.

Expected Results

As a result of this work you will experience:

• Significant and profound behavioral shifts and character transformation

• Self-awareness and deep insight

• Enhanced pleasure, liveliness, and vitality

• Decreased stress and muscular contractions followed by increased energy flow

• Changes in habitual and unhealthy defensive patterns

• Reduction in physical and psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression

Guiding Beliefs and Values

The unexamined life is not worth living.
– Socrates

When we truly examine our life, we are making a deep commitment to our own truth. In the therapeutic alliance, we can let go of our façades and make genuine contact with and reveal our most vulnerable struggles.

The therapeutic container is the most powerful environment for effective, real change. An experienced therapist holds a strong container within which a dedicated client can deeply and safely explore the caverns of their psyche while the therapist guides and protects the journey.

Knowing our character style is the key to real transformation. Character includes our personality and our entire emotional range as well as cognitions, attitudes, beliefs, relational style and defensive structure.

There is no dichotomy between the mind and body. Our personality interfaces with our energetic system and how it functions in the body.

My Approach

My therapeutic approach is based mainly on Orgonomic Theory developed by Wilhelm Reich.

In addition, my work is informed by an understanding arising out of Attachment Theory and the impairments to the Self that arise when our early relationships are limited or impaired.

What is Orgonomic Psychotherapy?

Orgonomic Theory

Many people develop coping strategies early in life to ward off difficult and uncomfortable feelings. These coping strategies or defensive styles inhibit us from naturally experiencing joyful and expansive feelings. Our bodies become contracted, and we are trapped in our defenses. This contracted state can lead to high levels of stress, anxiety, depression and physical illness. Our contractions are revealed in our character structure and in body armoring, and can show up in our personalities as unhealthy styles of relating such as attacking, clinging, isolating or dominating. When we become conscious of our armoring, we can find our free and authentic self.

Orgonomic Psychotherapy

Developed by Wilhelm Reich, the father of somatic psychology, Orgonomic (also known as Reichian) Psychotherapy recognizes that there is a functional identity between the mind and body. The word “Orgone” was coined by Reich and refers to the organic life force energy found in all of nature. Orgonomic Psychotherapy is a method of character transformation that involves two main components that deeply address an individual’s life force: verbal character analysis and biophysical interventions. (Note: Bioenergetics is an adaptation of Reich's work. Orgnonomic, or Reichian Therapy reflects Reich's original work).

Character includes the personality and the entire emotional range as well as cognitions (thoughts), attitudes, beliefs, relational style and defensive structure. Through character analysis, I help you understand aspects of your character that reflect how you are in the world, such as your speech, expression, and body language. Character analysis reveals the ways in which you may be out of contact with yourself, others, and your yearnings. In addition, it shows you what you may be doing to defend against genuine contact, which often results in a great deal suffering. In addition, character analysis reveals the chronic muscular tensions that anchor and support behavior.

The biophysical (somatic) work is done within the understanding of the client’s character style. Releasing muscular armoring supports emotional release and frees the body from the chronic contractions that prevent healthy expansion and positive self-expression. The somatic work involves breath, expressive exercises and direct physical intervention into muscular armoring.

Attachment Theory

Developed by theorists such as John Bowlby, Mary Ainsworth and James F. Masterson, Attachment Theory suggests that our earliest impulse embedded in our genes is to be attached in close relationship with another person. This primal impulse is the organizer of Self. However, when there is an impairment in these early relationships and a lack of attunement, the child develops a “false self” to protect against the pain of abandonment. Many people with impaired early relationships often feel very debilitated, have difficulty activating, often have volatile relationships, and become mired in cycles of pain, blame, and contraction. The goal of therapy is to help the client recognize and release their defensive expressions of their “false self” and get in touch with their real selves.

My Uniqueness

Orgonomic Psychotherapy is unique in contrast to other forms of psychotherapy in its combination of verbal character analysis with somatic (biophysical) interventions into the muscular armoring (when appropriate). Character analysis focuses more on the “how” rather than the “why” of traditional analysis. Utilizing the theoretical framework of Attachment Theory enhances the conceptualization of this work.

In addition to this unique and powerful approach to psychotherapy, I bring my life-long experiences and lessons as a wife, mother, grandmother, dancer, gardener, adventurer and seeker of personal growth. (See About Diane)

Contact Me for an initial free phone consultation.