Finding out who I am as a person is an unfolding journey that has taken me through the uncharted waters of gender, identity, sex, power, and privilege (Bornstein, 2013). During this process, I have felt trapped, stuck, confused, angry, overwhelmed, powerless, ashamed, despairing, and joyful. Similarly, my trans* clients have experienced waves of confusion, disorientation, anger, grief, sadness, loss, and …
Mindfulness Practices for Working with Fear and Trauma
Mindfulness practices can help us work with fear and trauma to cultivate safety, stability, and a sense of inner relationship. Because fear and trauma both involve turning away from present-moment experience, they present specific obstacles to life and mindfulness. Based on my own experience as a therapist, a meditator, and a survivor of trauma, I’ve put together some thoughts and …
Nonbinary / Genderqueer Competent Counseling video
This presentation on Nonbinary and Genderqueer Competency in Counseling covers a brief trans* 101, an introduction to nonbinary/genderqueer/gender-expansive identities, and gives guidelines for cultural competency in counseling with NBGQ folks. Recorded March 2018 at the M.E.T.A. Counseling Clinic, Portland, Oregon.
Contemplative Psychotherapy video
In July 2017, I presented at the World Conference of Psychotherapy in Paris. This presentation, “Contemplative Psychotherapy: Integrating Mindfulness, Buddhism, and Humanistic Counseling,” discusses the roots of contemplative psychotherapy and 3 of its core principles: brilliant sanity, maitri, and mindfulness-awareness. The video includes a suggested reading list and information on where to train in Contemplative Psychotherapy.
Self-Care, Resourcing, and Pleasant Events
©2017 Sasha Strong, M.A., www.brilliancycounseling.com Healing is hard work. Establishing safety, building healing relationships, going through unpleasant feelings and memories, and changing painful patterns all take a lot of energy. People need to create balance in their lives, so that there are plenty of chances to relax, resource, and have positive experiences. Rather than making recovery a 24/7 marathon project, …
Brilliant Sanity
The basic premise or root teaching of contemplative psychotherapy is brilliant sanity: at the most fundamental level, we are basically awake and unconfused. Developing trust in this innate wisdom is the path of recovery and building a life worth living. Brilliant sanity is not something that needs to be created or obtained, but rather is an already-present reality in our …