Inner Room Somatic Therapy    |    Eugene, Oregon

​Credentials & Training

 

Professional License

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (License #C8508)

• Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), Somatic Experiencing International

 

Education

• Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, George Fox University, Portland, Oregon

• Master's Degree in Landscape Architecture, University of Oregon

• Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon

 

Specialized Training

• 2 years of training in Hakomi Mindfulness-Based Somatic Experimental Psychotherapy with Hakomi Institute co-founder Jon Eisman

• 3 years of training in Somatic Experiencing with senior SE teachers Joshua Sylvae, PhD, Raja Selvam, PhD, and Abi Blakeslee, PhD

• Certified Breema Bodywork Practitioner (CBP)

• Active contemplative prayer and meditation practice since 1998

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My Approach

I integrate Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi-based approaches within evidence-based frameworks including Trauma Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TI-CBT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). The work will engage core beliefs (or 'core material' as we'd say in Hakomi), emotions, autonomic nervous system states, and the large and so-called small choices you make in your life every day.  Healing and transformation is made real, guided by the subtle wisdom of the body as the essential meeting place with what we might call call the divine indwelling.

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My work is oriented toward present-moment experience as it unfolds, moment to moment, within our sessions. Many of us have learned to leave our bodies when we've experienced overwhelming stress or trauma - disconnecting from sensations, emotions, and our own inner guidance. Through somatic therapy and at least a taste of contemplative practice, you will learn to safely return to your body, decode its signals, and access the innate healing capacity that dwells within you.

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What I Believe

I believe that unresolved stress and trauma doesn't just affect your thoughts emotions—it lives in your nervous system and body. The good news is that your body is incredibly wise and capable of healing. With the right support, you can:

• Resolve persistent anxiety, worry, irritability, and anger

• Move beyond feeling frozen or powerless

• Restore a real felt sense of safety in relationships

• Reclaim and develop your confidence and self-esteem

• Improve your physical health and immune function

• Develop greater resilience and presence in daily life

 

I also believe in the power of episodic care - engaging fully in therapy for a concentrated period, then taking mindful breaks to integrate your work. This approach helps you develop a sustainable long-term relationship with therapy, without the burden of "never-ending" continuous treatment.​

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I work mostly with individual adults, in-person at my South Eugene office. I also offer online video sessions throughout Oregon.

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What to expect working with me

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During our first session, I will invite you in a more structured way to share key aspects of your history and what you are hoping for out of our work together.  If you are using health insurance, we will need to confirm that medical necessity criteria are met, which includes a diagnosis and identifying the functional impacts of that diagnosis in your day to day life.

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In follow up sessions, we will follow a structured yet organic and intuitive process ​​.  A session might begin with settling in, orienting to the present moment, and identifying your focus for the session.  The aim is to shift into a mindful state of receptive consciousness, with just the right level of relational atunement to your present moment experience as it unfolds moment to moment.

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The symptoms of trauma or related stressful and overwhelming experiences might show up in many ways. Maybe you are experiencing a sympathetic "fight/flight" response, once essential for survival but now stuck in the "on" position with unwanted anxiety, irritability, or anger.  Or, you might be experiencing dorsal vagal "freeze" or "shut down", feeling depressed, unmotivated, or powerless.

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One of our jobs during sessions is to support these kinds of stuck nervous system states to find completion and discharge. In Somatic Experiencing, we accomplish this through the skillful application of titration and pendulation.

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Titration is about slowly easing into those tough feelings or memories without feeling totally overwhelmed. Think of it like balancing with one foot on solid ground while the other foot dips into the water. Once you have good enough balance, even if you dip the one foot deep into the water, you know that you can safely pull it out and return both feet to dry land. Working in this way, we will work through trauma at your own pace, making it easier to heal and experience lasting change.​ Similarly, pendulation is a process that supports your attention to naturally move between discomfort and comfort, constriction and expansion, healing and trauma.

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If you are curious to learn more, go ahead and schedule a no charge consultation using my online calendar by clicking on the button below. You can also reach me at 541-275-6349 or christo@innerroom.net