"Why is it important for me to learn about this?" and/or "How does this change my life -really?"

The unfortunate reality is we have all had, or will encounter difficult experiences, at some point in our lives. Many of us didn't get the important six functions of secure attachment (protection, attunement, reassurance, self worth, guidance, or help dealing with conflict) that help build a solid sense of self. 

To deal with this we develop strategies that protect us and keep us safe. 

The perceived safety works - and doesn't work. It works in helping us managing and navigating life. It doesn't help in building a solid, secure sense of self inside. Instead we lose touch with our true nature, our Self energy (in IFS language). We feel split off from ourselves. 

As one of my clients said when she started therapy, "I need a map!!!! Nobody ever showed me how to do this!" 

Have you ever asked yourself, "Why is this happening to me?"

I've worked with many hundreds, if not thousands of people, over the years who want to know why the same kind of thing keeps happening to them. 

  • Why do they have the same kind of controlling boss? 
  • How come they keep having difficult relationships?
  • Why do my significant relationships all become my ___________ (mother/father)?
  • This doesn't make sense! I don't understand why I feel so ___________ (insecure/lost/isolated, lonely/alone/ like I don't belong anywhere).  

Designed to provide a blueprint of understanding, a map to guide you from what hasn't worked to what does work

Find practical, concrete skills & practices to apply in your everyday living

After thirteen years of study in attachment theory, twenty five years of training in body oriented trauma treatment, having lived for six and a half years in a yoga ashram, written three books, contributed to articles and a lifetime of experience learning from my own trauma history, I've designed a blueprint to teach and share the practical ways to come home to your heart, body, and mind.

"I found your website online, registered, and have both really enjoyed this class and learned a great deal. You presented quite a bit of material and I went through all of it! Despite having been in therapy, including 12-step programs, the course showed me the core patterns that keep me stuck. I've already registered for the next course. You responded to each person thoughtfully and without a pat response. Really made me appreciate your approach, your wisdom, and all of the hard work you've done to condense and present this very important material to such a wide audience!"


Becoming Safely Embodied Skills Manual 

The Becoming Safely Embodied Skills were designed to help organize the places we get disorganized inside our bodies, minds, and hearts, They are now used throughout the world individually and in groups. This online seminar series will be exploring topics pulled from these two books as well as the material from the Becoming Safely Embodied™ Skills Manual.

Attachment-Based Yoga & Meditation for Trauma Recovery 

A couple years ago I arrived at my office to find a large envelope from Norton Publishing asking me if I would be interested in writing a book for them. Just like when the owl dropped the letter on Harry Potter my life changed. Norton was asking me to write on a topic near and dear to me: yoga, trauma and attachment. For me yoga postures are less compelling than yogic psychology and its path toward transformation. How perfect and necessary for those healing from trauma and attachment wounding. 

Comprehensive Attachment Repair 

The other book is one I have been involved with for years with my mentor, Daniel Brown, PhD, who taught me both the theory and experiential ways to apply attachment repair. A group of us have been meeting with Dan for over ten years and it’s finally culminating in a book out in September, 2016 by Norton Publishing. 


This integrative seminar series provides an embodied transformational map for you to live the life you want to live

Yoga Psychology

This is less about yoga postures and more a framework for being in the body in a radically positive way

Compassion 

Using theory and practices developed by Chris Germer & Kristin Neff's Mindful Self-Compassion and Paul Gilbert's Compassion Focused Therapy

Attachment Theory 

Explore the underlying patterns embedded before you could cognitively understand but see showing up in everyday life 

The seminar is designed to help you put the pieces of your inner world together

Other areas of exploration: how our internal working model is solidified as nonverbal patterns that share our perceptions and experiences of relationships in the future; even better yet, once you know about your patterns you'll find ways to deal with the turbulence that comes anytime we want to change; you'll learn about attuning to yourself, sorting through the huge numbers of messages that make it hard to get clear, so that you can get clear!; we'll explore the importance of intrapsychic boundaries between self and other, and the necessary ingredient of attuned repair. 

What we learn will be in response to the questions you have and the inquiries you are in about your own life. I'm always traveling to conferences, reading, and learning from my own life. I'll be bringing any fresh, new information into our discussioins, exploring how to take the information and make it relevent for our lives.

"I was lucky enough to be in the online seminar you taught on attachment. It was truly transformational and deeply enriching. I just finished giving a presentation to the other therapists in my department where I work, telling them about my experience and leading them through some of the exercises I learned from you... and they also found it moving and deep. There was a quality of connection in the online course that I have not felt before in any course I've taken. It felt like you were present with each one of us. I'm writing to thank you for the work you're doing- it is so powerful! And so wonderfully accessible. I'll be taking another course with you soon!"

~ Sara Lee Richards, therapist, Washington, DC

You're probably wondering how an online group works, interactively

How will I put this into practice?

During the last week of November, December, January and February I’ll put out a topic for us to explore. Each month will focus on a topic central to compassionately developing a solid sense of self.

Those of you who have taken courses with me in the past know that I give you everything I can! In addition to valuable content you'll also have time to explore the content in your life, fine-tuning the content to your life. 

What are the steps?

Each month I'll send you emails letting you know when new course material is available. I'll also be compiling the emails I’ve received from you is I can respond to your questions or practices with comments either by audios, videos, or through emails or responses on the course page. My intention is to support you to experience suffering a doorway to return to your Self and to your heart.  

And in what order will this be happening?

Each month builds on the previous month. I take your questions, thoughts, comments and build that into the next month's material is new so each month is targeted to your responses, helping you explore what you need. 

Having good, accessible skills to live satisfying lives is important 

It's why I spend the time I do to find new, innovative treatments. And it's why I try to provide the courses in as economically as I can. 

"As I go through the course, read your articles, interact with others, and explore how this applies to my life I have found myself changing in small ways that add up to a big difference. I must say that your way of being with people reveals such a deep compassion and engagement. It helps me find self compassion toward the part of me that is deeply wounded, not easy to do but this course has made it so much easier to deal with the difficulties. Thank you."

~ Ed, after participating in the last Attachment Seminar

Limited enrollment to ensure interaction and safety while exploring embodied ways to heal attachment

Monthly Course

Giving time for exploration rather than trying to cram it in

At your own pace

The material is there for you to explore when you have time

Individual Response

Receive feedback to compassionately shift patterns

Downloadable

It's yours to take and keep for your own use when you want it 


" I was intrigued by the ideas you described - so I jumped in and took the course. It's odd. I'm competent, able to do so much and yet, often times I feel like I live in a blur. Kind of like a clouded space between the desire to be loved and a fear of the world. On top of that I find it hard to connect to my body. My mentor suggested I take this course to learn how to be compassionate with myself and learn the underlying dynamics that keep me stuck. It totally worked! Not that I'm cured but I have the framework, the tools, the understanding when things get confusing. I know how to take the steps and make the shifts that I want to do. Absolutely worth it. I'll take it again to be able to get your feedback on where I am now."

~ Shelly, after participating in the last Attachment Seminar


What you get as part of the Compassionately Healing Trauma & Attachment Wounds

  • Private Couse Website

Set up specifically to deliver the course material and provide a way for everyone to participate with Deirdre and each other

  • Monthly videos to give visual descriptions of what we're leaning 

We all have different ways we learn. As much as I'm able I want to provide simple ways to explore these important topics

  • Audios with practices to use as much as you want

We're not always in front of a computer. Having audios makes the course even more portable

  •  Feedback from Deirdre as we explore the seminar material

Often this is what people find the most helpful - getting feedback from me about how to apply what we're learning to their own life

  • Handouts and other reading material

People often want to read more on the various subjects, whether it is something that I've written or learning from others. You'll get handouts and other references to follow up on things that interest you

"I have found this course to be very helpful particularly the email responses with your comments. And getting the understanding that I am not the only one is huge.” 

Other people have said

"I am amazed and grateful at your ability to express the ineffable. I am awed at the ability you're giving me to anaylze feelings at such a minute level, I am trying to learn to do it for myself. Thank you for this course."

and

"It has been a really big support for my healing to have the resources and sense of connection around trauma and attachment that you have provided over the past several months. 

I wanted to say thank you so much for offering them and to say what a big help your words have been to me. I really appreciate it and am looking forward to reading your book when it comes out. 

I look forward to taking more online courses in the future. I have benefited from these courses and thank you for all the teaching!"

and

"In some ways the best thing you give me is knowing that you know what you are talking about from inside your bones."


"At first, I didn't think I would give this information a chance. Not a chance. If I can't see the person in real life I have no reason to trust them. This was not the experience I had. I appreciate your whole package, the material you share, the way you share your and others insights and the voice you lend to people. I think it's probably 'fresh' every 100 + times and years you do your work.That's pretty good."

I'm so confident about the seminar's value

If you're not completely and utterly satisfied after the first month, we'll gladly give you your money back.


Seminar starts November 25, 2106. Each month you'll learn ways to get free from stuck patterns and live a more satisfying and nourishing life.

Listen to your heart. If you do want to explore the embedded patterns that keep you stuck and you want to find ways to feel more solid in yourself, come join us! 

If you want support and practical support in finding your way to a more satisfying life, then Yes! This seminar is for you. 

Registering for the seminar series acknowledges that this course isn't for everyone. It isn't a substitute for therapy, nor does it mean you're in psychotherapy with Deirdre.  

Want even more support and in depth training? Join the Trauma, Attachment & Yoga training that happens live in Watertown, MA starting January 13, 2017

This experiential seminar is an opportunity to explore ways to heal trauma and developmental wounding. 

Create and embody new internal representations of secure attachment that allow natural expression.

Develop new "facilitated pathways" by exploring practices to positively heal trauma and embody secure attachment in a safe and nourishing environment. Neuroscience research tells us this makes these new patterns easier to use when you really need them.  



Not only is the training practical and skills based but uses current research in attachment and trauma woven together with yogic psychology to give you a felt sense of secure attachment. 

This is all about taking theoretical concepts into embodied experiences so that your own inner wisdom naturally arises. 

The small group makes for safe exploration. 

"Deirdre what a delight to find your wisdom!! You have compiled such important teachings into a lovely voice that integrates the best of the world of psychology. Your training was brillant. Everyone was wowed. Thank you so much."