About
Lisa Garnham
Lisa is a psychotherapist and mental health counsellor who specialises in body orientated trauma resolution and emotional regulation modalities to work with the deep seated causes of depression, anxiety, addiction, chronic fatigue, insomnia, unresolved emotional conflicts, relationship problems and some physical illnesses. She works on many different levels: body, emotions, mind, will and spirit.
Lisa holds an Advanced Diploma of Body Psychotherapy from the Institute of Body Psychotherapy and an Advanced Diploma of Counselling from the College of Complementary Therapy and is an assistant teacher at the Institute of Body Psychotherapy in Brisbane.
Lisa has studied Core Energetics, Eco-therapy, transpersonal counselling, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Somatic embodiment and Regulation Strategies, the neurobiology of attachment, CBT strategies for ADHD, and offers grounding, meditation, mindfulness and movement in her practice.
Lisa brings warmth, compassion and a sense of belonging to her work with clients, and a safe and supportive space to explore past and present issues and unconscious patterns. These patterns can keep us recreating similar life situations and relational dynamics.
Lisa works on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation (Surry Hills, Sydney). She is passionate about social justice and how embodiment can support healing intergenerational trauma and our relationships with people, communities and the environment.
Training and Qualifications
Adv Diploma of Integrated Somatic Psychotherapy (10372NAT) - Institute of Body Psychotherapy (4 years)
Advanced Diploma of Transpersonal Counselling - College Complementary Medicine (2 years)
Certificate Eco-Psychology - Pacifica Institute
Certificate Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) Therapy - Dr Russ Harris
As part of a lively therapeutic community, Lisa remains dedicated to her own healing journey and continues regular personal sessions, supervision and continuous learning to enable a competent practice.
Sessions are available in person or online via zoom.
PRICING: $110 - Individual 1 hour session
"Our discontents are often rooted in an unmet longing for wildness, mystery and meaningful engagement with the world..a craving for the untamed terrain of the soul."
-Bill Plotkin
Wild Earth Psychotherapy and Counselling
What is body psychotherapy?
Body Psychotherapy uses the latest techniques of body orientated trauma resolution and neuroscience to work with the deep seated causes of depression, anxiety, addiction, chronic fatigue, insomnia, relationship problems and some physical illnesses. The foundations of body psychotherapy are based on bioenergetics and the work of Freud, Jung and Reich.
It is based on the concept that life experiences manifest as chronic tension, armouring & defence patterns in both the body and personality and that bringing awareness to these can help you release patterns of behaviour or emotional conflicts which are unresolved and often repressed. Body psychotherapy helps us understand how our life and worldview is to a large extent a function of these blocked energy patterns. These patterns can keep us recreating similar life situations and relational dynamics. Cognitive work is simply not enough. When you show up for the work of body psychotherapy, it changes you from the inside out and connects you with your deeper purpose, so you can live the life you are meant to live.
Watch this video for more information about body psychotherapy and Core Energetics.
What happens in a session?
Sessions include counselling and some bodywork. This could include grounding, stretching and breathing exercises to help you feel more connected to your body and increase your capacity for feeling. It might include trauma release exercises to work with your nervous system and stress response. By working with a set of targeted body techniques you will learn how you inhibit or block the flow of awareness and energy in your body, how you may have limited your breathing, restricted your movements or reduced your self expression - to limit your feelings. You might learn methods of expressing emotions directly, in a safe supportive environment and find release and healing from trauma and stress. The analytic and counselling part of the therapy will help you understand the why of these unconscious inhibitions in terms of childhood or other experiences as well as techniques to unhook from unhelpful thinking patterns.
Why body psychotherapy?
You may intellectually understand that you have anxiety, depression or trauma, but it will be difficult to work on the issue if you are holding, restricting or moving your body in a way that keeps your pain numbed.
Many people ‘live in their heads’, in abstract mental processes that keep them stuck in unwanted feelings or behaviours. Body psychotherapy helps you get out of your head and into your body which can make you feel more ‘real’ or alive and able to make positive changes in your life.
In order to avoid intense emotions or fear, its common for people to numb themselves with alcohol, TV or overwork, pushing away anxiety, fear or anger - and then tell themselves that nothing is wrong. Embodiment creates a lasting change in behaviour - there is no constant vigilance to maintain a mask or an act.
Counselling-only sessions are available if you would prefer not to do any bodywork.
Pricing - 1 hour - $110
ZOOM online sessions are also available.
Book an appointment
For more information or to book a session, call or text the number below or fill in the form.
OUR ADDRESS
1/259 Riley St
Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Phone: 043-992-3054
ABN 42 877 191 005
Responsibility to self simply means to acknowledge inner truth-our imperfections and our power, our beauty.
— John Pierrakos, Core Energetics
