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ACC ISSC FUNDED CLASSES
MY BODY MY BALANCE
My Body, My Balance (MBMB)—is a series of 8 weeks classes, 1 & 2-day retreats designed to support you in reconnecting with your body and fostering a compassionate relationship with yourself. This program offers a nurturing space where you’ll explore a variety of self-care practices, including trauma-sensitive movement, arts therapy, and guided self-enquiry. You’ll gain valuable tools to help you regulate your nervous system, reduce stress, and feel more connected to yourself and others. My Body My Balance creates an opportunity to invest in your well-being and create lasting habits that support your healing journey.
Benefits
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Deeper Understanding and insights on the effects of your trauma on you.
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Learn, practice and integrate a personalised self-care techniques and practices
that provide you with an effective toolbox / kete to manage trauma symptoms. -
Experience empowerment and self-efficacy: Take an active role in your healing
journey and apply what you learn in your daily life. -
Increased Well-Being: Experience states of deep calm and relaxation, reducing
stress and enhancing your overall quality of life. -
Supportive Community: Connect with others in a safe, confidential group
setting, reducing feelings of isolation and shame.
Is This Course for You?
This course is designed for women who have experienced trauma and are dealing with symptoms of PTSD in their daily lives (who have a current ISSC Claim). If you're looking for tools to manage these symptoms, understand more about trauma, and feel empowered in your healing journey, this group may be the right fit for you.
You will learn about PTSD symptoms such as: dissociation, emotional overwhelm, lack of trust and safety, detachment from self and others, issues with shame, self-blame, guilt, in relation to trauma events, having flashbacks and nightmares among others.
You will experience a range of holistic techniques and approaches to manage the symptoms that you can then integrate into your life.
UPCOMING CLASSES
Term 4 2024 (8 Weeks)
24th Oct - 12th Dec
Thursdays - 09:30-11:00am, 24th Oct - 9th Dec (Female only)
Fridays 5:30-7:00pm, 18th Oct - 13th Dec (Female only)
LOCATION: Nelson, Koru Centre
Term 1 2025 (8 Weeks)
10th Feb - 8th Apr 2025
Mondays 9:30-11:00am, 10th Feb - 11th April (Female only)
Tuesdays 5:30-7:00pm, 11th Feb - 11th April (Female only)
LOCATION: Nelson, Koru Centre
to register please speak with your therapist
UPCOMING RETREATS
Calming an Anxious Mind:
2 Day Retreat WELLINGTON
We warmly invite you to our upcoming retreat, Calming an Anxious Mind. Through restorative movement, expressive art-making and guided relaxation processes, you'll discover new paths to well-being.
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Learn practical tools to calm an anxious mind.
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Develop self-soothing and compassionate habits.
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Overcome obstacles to self-care in a supportive space.
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Reconnect with your body in a gentle way.
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Improve your ability to stay present with difficult emotions.
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Gain techniques for managing stress and anxiety.
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Restore balance between your body and mind.
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Feel more in control of your choices and less isolated.
14-15th December, 11:30am-5:30pm - Wellington Yoga Centre (Female only)
22-23rd Feb 2025, 11:30am-5:30pm - Venue TBC (Female only)
2-3rd November, 11:30am-5:30pm - Pause Yoga Studio, Days Bay, Lower Hutt (Female only)
29-30th Mar 2025, 11:30am-5:30pm - Venue TBC (Female only)
to register please speak with your therapist
WHAT TO EXPECT...
When you join a session, you can expect a warm, welcoming environment where your healing journey is supported at every step. Here’s what you can look forward to:
1. Arriving and Grounding: We'll start with grounding exercises to help you settle into the space and connect with your body. These might include simple breathing techniques or mindfulness practices designed to bring your awareness to the present moment.
2. Guided Somatic Practices: The core of the session involves guided somatic practices, including mindful movement rooted in the eastern philosophies of Yoga, QiGong, and TaiQi, as well as leading-edge stress and trauma release techniques like Dance/ Movement Therapy, Somatic Stress Release™, Body-Mind Centering® and Feldenkrais®. Some of these movements and shapes may be familiar, while others may be new. The purpose of this movement practice is not to do a 'workout', instead the focus is to attune to your body's sensations, emotions, and memories, allowing you to process and release trauma in a safe and supportive way.
4. Art Therapy: We’ll engage in creative exercises to engage the body, mind, and spirit in a way that is non-verbal helping to integrate new experiences and emotions.
5. Group Sharing and Reflection: There will be opportunities to share your experiences with the group, if you feel comfortable. This sharing can foster a sense of connection and mutual support, as you realise that others are on similar journeys. Listening to others can also provide valuable insights and perspectives.
6. Integration and Closing: Towards the end of the session, we’ll focus on integrating the experiences and insights gained. This might involve gentle movement, relaxation exercises, or creative expression. We’ll close with a brief reflection on the session, reinforcing any sense of safety and resilience you’ve cultivated.
7. Aftercare and Support: You’ll receive suggestions for aftercare to help you continue the healing process between sessions. This might include simple practices you can do at home, journaling prompts, or other self-care tips.
By participating in these group sessions, you’ll experience a unique blend of individual and collective healing, supported by somatic techniques and the shared strength of the community.
Each session is designed to help you reconnect with your body, process trauma, and build resilience, all within a compassionate and supportive group setting.
PLEASE BRING:
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Clothes that are comfortable to move in.
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Any objects that might support your comfort, hot water bottle, warm socks, or a preferred blanket, to name a few possibilities.
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A journal (notebook) and pen.
All equipment will be provided - yoga mats, bolsters, blankets, eye masks.
Herbal tea and water will also be available.
MEET YOUR FACILITATORS
Led by qualified facilitators and therapists with over 35 years combined experience.
Hester and Jade bring their extensive training in group facilitation, arts therapy, movement meditation, and somatic-based mind-body healing to create a nurturing and personalised experience to meet you, where you are.
THERAPISTS & LEAD PROVIDERS
INTODUCING MY BODY MY BALANCE
My Body, My Balance (MBMB) introduces a variety of evidence-based clinical interventions for trauma recovery. The curriculum integrates insights from renown leaders in the field of trauma recovery, such as Levine, 1995; Van der Kolk, 2014, Rothchild, 2000, Dana, 2018; Porges 1994 and offers internationally recognised somatic healing approaches and arts therapy interventions.
Led by qualified facilitators and therapists with over 35 years combined experience. This program is designed to benefit clients with post-traumatic stress disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder and those resistant to traditional treatments.
MBMB is a unique program designed to support the delicate process of stabilising and integrating trauma. It offers participants essential psychoeducation to help regulate their autonomic nervous system responses, fostering resilience and balance in daily life. Through their participation, clients are gently guided toward healthy social engagement, cultivating connection and well-being.
Program Objectives:
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Develop an in-depth understanding of self-care.
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Develop self care choices in relation to self care needs and autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses.
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Develop an individualised self care practice and develop internal and external resources to use it.
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Develop and/or strengthen self soothing, compassionate and non self judgemental thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
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Explore obstacles to self care.
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An opportunity to be in a trauma sensitive and accepting environment to explore practices that support healing.
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Tuning into the body and somatic sensations safely.
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Reconnecting with and befriending the body in a compassionate way.
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Develop increased embodied mindfulness skills and ability to tolerate a range of sensations/emotions while staying present.
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Develop supports for working with states of hyper-arousal and hypo-arousal.
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Develop pausing, relaxation and self-soothing skills.
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Restoration of a more coherent body-mind relationship.
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Increased sense of self-agency by provision of choices and support to make choices.
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A reduction in feelings of social isolation and alienation.
Participant Suitability: This program is suitable for women with approved ACC ISSC claims. It is ideal for clients who could benefit from a trauma-sensitive environment to explore self-care and regulation practices. The program is particularly beneficial for those who struggle with nervous system dysregulation, social isolation, or difficulty reconnecting with their bodies after trauma.
Safety and Cultural Sensitivity: We collaborate closely with participants and their lead providers to ensure all safety and cultural needs are met. The program emphasizes cultural diversity and bicultural awareness, and we seek guidance from ACC cultural advisors as needed.
Participants will receive an anonymous evaluation form to reflect on their experience, and we encourage lead providers to support their clients in completing this assessment. This feedback will help refine and improve the program for future iterations.
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