Understanding the journey of self-exploration

The deep, emotion-focused inner work offered to you by Free Your Core, and other approaches that focus on your feeling and physical state as a way of accessing and dealing with past wounds, is just that - work. It is not a quick fix, nor is it an easy journey. Indeed, it could prove to be the hardest of your life... but also the most worthwhile. So, in the interests of transparency, here are some things that this work is not:

Dependence inducing

You will recognise an integrity-fuelled inner work approach by its marker of sustainability, in that you will not only be guided through your own process, but also taught the tools to help you work your triggers in everyday life, for life. In the case of Free Your Core, while there’s no timeline set in stone, clients who undertake regular, weekly sessions, or two to three intensive retreats are usually ready to go it alone after a year or so. In addition, from an early stage, typically the tools used are gently taught to you, and you are thoroughly encouraged to practice with them in your personal time.

Talk therapy or analysis

In the process of emotion-focused, or 'affective' inner work, there is certainly talk about your needs and triggers and, at the end of each Free Your Core session, a discussion of actions going forward. However, it is important to understand that the key, and truly therapeutic, element here is the affective moment of each session. This is where we use techniques such as light hypnosis, imagery, dream work, art and bodily advocacy work, in order to access those parts of you that are not available to the logical, conscious mind. These techniques may feel unusual and intense to begin with.

Easy

Diving into your subconscious and facing whatever you find there is usually not straightforward or pleasant. But it is the absolute key to breaking the hidden mental and behavioural chains that are keeping you unhappy. As Carl Jung said, 'until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.' And, don’t worry - after you dive in, you’re never left there. Ultimately, the role of any guide throughout this process is to provide you with a safe space for your subconscious encounters and to gently help you shift into the reality of who you are - and can become - today.

About blame

True, liberating inner work isn't about blaming your family of origin for the negative aspects of your life (which, I'm guessing, hasn't actually helped to shift you to where you want to be). Rather, while the feeling-focused aspect of the work leads you to stand up for your wounded self and confront your ‘parent programmes’, this journey is ultimately one that will enable you to truly take responsibility for your life into your own hands.

A quick fix

Look, there’s just no such thing. And if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, I suggest you run the other way - fast. What integrity-fuelled approaches offer you is the opening of the door to your subconscious in a safe space, and the tools to work with whatever you encounter on the other side. Inner work such as this is a lifelong process, a bit like exercising muscles at the gym - the ‘muscles’ that govern your feelings of wellbeing and empowerment, and enable you to make rational, adult decisions, also need regular nurture and mobility.

In a nutshell...

Psychotherapy that aims not only to make you intellectually aware of your root pain and patterns, but actually 'unhook' them at an emotional level, ultimately enables you to harness some extremely powerful and sustainable tools to face and work with your deepest wounds. This does not mean that after you complete inner work, such as that offered by Free Your Core, you will never again feel angered, stressed or otherwise 'triggered' by people or events in your life. Rather, you will have something you didn't have before: the deep awareness and powerful, yet simple, tools to enable you to emerge from stress much quicker and stronger, significantly improving your quality of life.