Below are some questions I have been asked about Trauma Informed Embodiment (TIE)™ Level 1 program. Because I deeply believe that if one person has a specific question, at least five others also have the same (or similar) question but weren’t able to ask, I am offering you this brief Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). |
How did you develop the TIE approach?
The short answer is research, trial and error, and lived experience.
The longer answer:
When I entered graduate school I knew I wanted to work with trauma and families. My main focus was on different approaches to crisis and trauma resolution and processing and how systems (families) work and are impacted by trauma.
During this time I was introduced to a lot about different somatic/body-centered-mindfulness approaches and then on my own began a deeper dive into several of them. I began playing with the different exercises I learned, using them on myself and then when I began seeing clients, exploring the exercises with them.
This has been a six year process, of starting with an exercise provided by another expert in the field and then tweaking the exercises to see how those tweaks would work better or not. In time I began to realize that there is a base where we need to start (the nervous system) in trauma and embodiment work, and from there moving to boundaries, then grounding, then resources was the most beneficial approach for myself and my clients. These foundations then allowed clients to become even more curious about their own bodies and gave them ability to begin deep embodiment work.
What other trauma experts and approaches influence/inform you, your work, and specifically the TIE approach?
My approach is strongly influenced by:
• Beatriz Winstanley, MEd Psych & Albert (Terry) Sheldon, MD (Complex Integration of Multiple Brain Systems approach)
• Peter Levine, PhD (Somatic Experiencing approach)
• Pat Ogden (Sensorimotor approach)
• Ron Kurtz (Hakomi approach)
• Babette Rothschild (The Body Remembers)
• Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps Score)
• Judith Herman, MD (Trauma & Recovery: The aftermath of violence from domestic abuse to political terror)
• Daniel Siegal, MD (MindSight; The Whole Brain Child; The Developing Mind)
• The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
• The field of Epigenetics
• The field of Neuroscience
• My own personal trauma processing journey
In addition I am also strongly influenced by and incorporate into my work:
• Systems Theory (family systems, cultural systems, and various systems theories from physics)
• Feminist Theory (and specifically intersectional feminist theory)
• Social justice perspectives and theories (particularly as they relate to mental health and mental health provider accessibility)
You have stated you’ve used this approach with individual clients, have you used it in a group setting before?
Yes. Part of the development of this approach was with in-person support groups I facilitated. In a group setting the participants would share their own traumatic experiences (or not share them, as talking about traumatic experiences was never required), how the body responds to trauma, and practice different nervous system soothing, boundary connecting, grounding & centering exercises. We would also explore internal and external resources and talk about barriers to acknowledging and or utilizing them.
The groups were always popular and successful and I was often thanked by the participants after each session for providing them with these tools and resources to explore and experiment with together.
Additionally the first cohort of this online program is about to graduate. It has been a great learning experience and am incorporating what I’ve learned into the next cohort’s journey.
What if I am unable to attend the live the group calls?
While the calls are not mandatory, and will be recorded, I also strongly recommend attending as many calls as possible in person. There is so much gained from live interaction, being able to ask and have answered questions in real time, and building a connection with others around this work.
That said, I also understand that the days/times of the calls may not work for every person, which is why all calls will be recorded. Recording links will be provided within one week of each call.
Is this group open to both men and women?
Yes. This program is open for persons of any gender, including those who self-identify as men, women, or non-binary and gender queer persons.
I currently do not offer scholarships for the TIE Level I program. However, I would love to work with you and create a payment plan that
Will we be talking about our traumatic experiences or be expected to share our trauma history with the group?
While some people may share parts of their personal trauma histories with the group, it is not a requirement of the work. One of the beauties of the TIE approach is that it is somatic, body-based, and relies on the (non/pre-verbal) language of the body. You are always welcome to share as much or as little of your history as you feel called to do and if that is never sharing your own personal history, that is absolutely acceptable.
I will ask that in our group that we don’t share vivid details of our trauma histories. For example, stating that you were raped by a neighbor is fine, sharing the details of how it felt or how they smelled or what weapons were used, etc is not. The reasoning for this is two-fold: 1. Sharing vivid details may be triggering for other participants in the group; and perhaps even more importantly 2. Studies have shown that retelling of vivid details of traumatic experiences is actually re-traumatizing for the victim/survivor/person who experienced the traumatic event.
Additionally this is not a trauma processing program. I strongly recommend that you work with an individual therapist while in this program to have a space to process all that may come up for you around your own trauma history. If you are interested in working with me individually, you can learn more about that here.
I am a professional (coach, therapist, body worker, medical person) who works with people who have experienced traumatic events. Can I share any of the exercises we learn in the group with them?
YES! I encourage you to share the exercises with your own clients as you find appropriate. If you do choose to offer them PDFs of any of exercises, I do ask that you cite me as the resource (You will also receive PDFs of the all exercises for each section that will have my name and contact information on them; you are welcome to also share those with clients as you feel it is appropriate).
When does registration close?
Registration will close by Saturday, August 4 by 10pm Pacific.
To register go to http://gwynnraimondi.com/tielevel1
I still have questions, can we set up a time to talk? Of course! I’d love to set up a 30-minute chat to discuss any of your questions about the program. This is strictly a No Sales Call – I will not pressure you in any intentional way to sign up for the program. I want all participants in all my circles, group programs, and individual work to be working with me because they have intentionally chosen to be there, not because of some gimmick or sales tactic by me. To start the process of setting up a call, fill out this form and we’ll get our calendars coordinated and go from there! To register for the program, choose from the payment buttons below. Note: By registering for this program you agree to the Office Policy and Client Service Agreement terms and conditions. |