PsychoSomatic Integration  (PSI ^TM ) is an overall theory and approach, developed by Judy Lightstone, that is especially helpful in working with problems that tend to dissociate mind from body (e.g., eating and body image problems, anxiety, sleep disturbances, physical symptoms, etc.)  It is unique in that it combines a variety of approaches to integrating the effects of trauma, neglect, abandonment, and/or attachment/relationship issues. The goal is for each person to meld the following with their individual philosophy and approach to healing:

1.            Bodily mindfulness therapies

2.            Attachment repair

3.            Ego state work

5.            All within a feminist relational approach.

The therapeutic relationship provides an opportunity to work through harm from  past dysfunctional relationships and practice new healthy ways of relating.  Feminist relational  theory helps us not only understand how this occurs, but guides us in our interventions. Both Lifespan Integration and the DNMS  offer powerful techniques for repairing early attachment injuries.

Everyone has ego states – parts of self that take on different roles and functions.  Sometimes ego states can be at odds with each other, and this can cause many problems. Developmental traumas can seal off the neural nets that are experienced as parts of self (or ego states), preventing them from growing and learning from life experiences that post-date the traumas.  Ego state therapy seeks to uncover and understand the various roles and points of view of these ego states and bring them into harmony so that all parts of self cooperate to attain goals and desires.

EMDR combines cognitive behaviour therapy with stimulation of both sides of the brain to desensitize trauma quickly. It is most effective with adult onset trauma, and with single incident trauma.  Many off-shoots or derivatives of EMDR have since been developed to address the more long-term and complex trauma that often brings clients into therapy. The three EMDR derivatives used in PSI are Lifespan Integration (or  LI, developed by Peggy Pace), the Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy (or DNMS, developed by Shirley Jean Schmidt) and Put Your Best Food Forward (or BFF, developed by Krystyna Kinowski.

Trauma effects sense of time and development. Lifespan Integration, or LI, developed by Peggy Pace, enables you to view your whole lifespan from birth to present, or from the time of a particular trauma to the present, and to recognize adult strengths and capacities learned since difficulties in childhood.  It puts traumatic events back into the past where they belong, so that they are no longer haunting the present.

The Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy, or DNMS, created by Shirley Jean Schmidt, helps to re-parent disowned aspects of self (also called ego states) and repair internal relationships that were based on needs not having been met adequately in the past. It seeks to get ego states "unstuck" from the past, where they can be sealed off due to trauma or neglect, and help them to grow and integrate into life in the present.

Best Foot Forward, or BFF, developed by Krystyna Kinowsky, integrates bi-lateral stimulation with somatic resoursing techniques to address repetitive fear-based behaviours such as driving phobias and assertiveness issues.

Whether using it to heal or learn, PSI integrates psyche and soma, mind and body, spirit and heart.

Is for counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, body therapists, social workers, psychiatrists and occupational therapists from all disciplines including analytic, dynamic, cognitive and somatic. The training blends lecture, experiential exercises, live and video demonstrations, case presentations, and role-plays to help  clinicians integrate the material in a way that fits with their own common sense and years of education and clinical and personal experience. Particular attention is paid to the practitioner's countertransference while developing strategies for self-care. To arrange a session, call the PSI Institute at (09) 835-1929 or email jlightstone@gmail.com For online training or supervision for those not in the Auckland area, please click here.

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