'Mental Health' Wellness Coaching Sessions for Experiencers

Coaching for Experiencers

I have been offering one to one sessions with people experiencing extreme emotional and mental states for the past five years.

Until 2020, my preferred method was to work with Sei Ki Bodywork (similar perhaps to body psychotherapy), alongside 'conversation' work, but since then I have discovered how effectively I can work online through a combination of conversation, energetic resonance and shared practices.

I love it because I can see how much benefit people get from our exchanges.

As I shared more and more of these conversations, what I found was that there were several areas in which they seemed helpful:

Normalising the experiences so people don't feel alone in them.

I know exactly what it feels like to be in a non-ordinary state that does not end.

The world 'outside' interacting with my mind like we are 'one', almost cartoon like.

With no sense of whether I am alive or dead or in another universe.

With emotions spiking into extreme panic attacks, paranoia rising naturally in response to the behaviour of others, revelations pouring into my mind as if I am talking with God, 'extra' objects and beings manifesting around me, voices both friendly and unfriendly appearing in my mind, helping me or suggesting I kill myself.

This is all normalised for me, and over a ten year period I got used to facing it and not going into fear too much. When you have walked the territory enough times, you can navigate it without too much fuss for oneself or others.

One friend / client (after a one hour conversation like this - we feel like friends!), was sectioned immediately after an experience similar to this, because he was afraid of the state, but with increased knowledge he might have been able to hold the experience and come back from it.

Another person tried to commit suicide and entered the psychiatric system because of the 'cartoon' state - but after a short conversation where we affirmed that she wasn't mad and that it was a natural human experience, she was able to look at it differently and consider whether she needs to train as a clairvoyant or at least learn to relax when it happens to her.

As she experienced herself, you cannot 'helpfully' discuss this with 'most' people as they just say you are mad! They go into fear.

Sharing my self-acceptance of who I am, which is contagious.

If you can't accept yourself, you judge yourself and you are likely ashamed of 'who you are' and this puts you at war with yourself, creating serious difficulty inside. I have had to deal with relating to the 'dark side of God' within me. When you can love the 'dark' as well as the 'light', things get a lot easier.

I have also had to deal with 'being a failure' and having a 'wasted life'. It is actually nonsense and just a mental judgement but it doesn't seem like that when you are experiencing it. Everyone around you tends to think it's a wasted life as well. And this can cause terrible suffering. I nearly commited suicide partly because of this, partly because of my medication.

Sharing my cognitive understanding of the experiences and how to navigate them safely.

When you grow up in a normal family and go to school you learn how to relate to the world around you. Unfortunately the current understanding of the universe shared in most families and schools does not prepare you for encounters with the unconscious or non-ordinary states and if this is your regular experience, there is much to learn.

Sharing my enthusiasm and enjoyment of life, giving hope to people.

I am a happy person. Life will still have its ups and downs and many things may not be as I might have dreamt them, but the basic life is good, 'NOW'! (even with the Covid-19).

Just experiencing someone who has been through similar situations to yourself, come through them, and recovered offers more conviction than anything else that you yourself will get through. In my experience medical professionals tell you the opposite, that you will not get through and will need medication for the rest of your life.

I can go on... there are many things we can share including energy practices I use to balance my emotional state.

My Way of Working

My way of working with people is to arrange a single introductory coaching session to allow us to get to know each other, clear up any confusions about what is going on, and be clear on 'health & safety' aspects before encouraging you to start your journey of recovery.

We may then arrange a series of online practice coaching sessions in which I help you to develop a routine you can do on a daily basis to move your journey forwards. I will then encourage you to practise by yourself on a regular basis with support classes every few weeks or each month as required. For regular students, I will be open to small amounts of communication by text msg outside of classes if necessary. What is important is that you don't feel alone in your process.

Any subsequent coaching sessions will be because 1) There is a crisis to resolve 2) Questions have come up which need further support. I am not encouraging regular coaching.

I believe this can be both a therapeutically effective and cost effective way for me to support you in your journey towards recovery.

Depending on location, it may also be possible to join one of my in-person events. See easternpeace.com for more on these.

Important Notes:

Wellness Coaching: I am offering 'wellness / life coaching' sessions as an 'expert by experience'. I am not a regulated psychotherapist or counsellor. I have professional training and up to date insurance to work with individuals as a Mindfulness teacher, a Bodywork therapist and as a Tai Chi teacher.

This is a legal disclaimer: What you take from a session and put into action in your life is your personal responsibility. By engaging my services, I will assume you understand and accept this.

Personal Responsibility: I expect individuals to take responsibility for themselves. I cannot take this on myself, though I will support people as best I can. If the individual cannot do this then family members need to take responsibility. If there is a situation in which no one is able to take responsibility, then sadly this is where the mental health services play an important role in our society.

Psychiatry: In my experience the psychiatric profession plays an important health and safety role for the society. I must acknowledge that for some people the use of some form of anti-psychotic medication may be appropriate despite the side-effects. When something better is available the treatments should be updated.

But I also believe that there are individuals with more sensitivity who could be helped in other more gentle ways and right now these options are not available to them. Treatment with anti-psychotic medications may prevent them from living out their full potential in life and this is very, very sad. Most people will prefer to look away unless it is their own life being ruined or that of someone they love but this cannot be ignored and needs to change in our society and mental health systems.

So while the pharmacology path may be the only option for some people, as a kindly psychiatrist once told me, if you can find any other path, take it...

Dangers - I am not naive as to the dangers inherent in non-ordinary experiences, but am not afraid of them in the way perhaps the majority of humanity are, including psychiatric professionals. We will discuss this, and if in the end you need 24hr support (which I did the first time), then the options will include psychiatric care, hopefully for a short time.

Trauma & Suffering - In my experience, people experience mental health difficulties for a reason, not because of a random 'act of God'. Whether anyone wants to face the 'reason' is another matter. A benefit from having been 'cruxified' in my own journey is that I have a capacity to be with suffering in others. We may even be able to make light of it...

Practical Details & Fees

I would suggest people make an initial contact with me through this website.

We can then arrange a first paid session if you are clear you want to work with me.

Session Fee: £80, Concessions: First session £80, Further sessions £50

Coaching Sessions are for one hour, but may often last up to 1 1/2 hrs if required.

For small groups, I will charge £40 / hour each for two people, £30 / hour each for three, £25 / hour each for four people.

Please contact me for large scale events in person or online.

I charge £90 for Sei Ki Touch and coaching sessions combined in person usually lasting 1 1/4 hours. At the moment, the venue may vary.

Payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card via Paypal. I will send details. I request payment to be made before the agreed session.

Contact Me...

Nb. I am not able to offer 'free' one to one sessions and I am well aware many interested people will be living on social benefits. Much of my activity in this field is unpaid or underpaid and this is where I choose to charge for my time. If we cannot meet in this way, please review the material I have already put online on my websites. I intend to create much more. Hopefully we will be able to meet in a group session in person sometime.