We believe that true healing comes when we work in tandem with both body and mind. Integrative Somatic Therapy Practice (ISTP)™ is a body-centered, soul-Based Psychotherapy for healing body-stored trauma. As a humanistic & relational model to healing body-stored trauma, Integrative Somatic Therapy Practice (ISTP)™ focuses on enhancing the body’s own capacity to heal by freeing the body, breath, and energy flow through the practice of self-awareness and self-compassion. Formerly know as Mindfulness-Based Somatic Therapy (MBST), Integrative Somatic Therapy Practice (ISTP)™ is informed by research and developed by Body Psychotherapist Ratha Chek, from an intuitive knowing of the need to weave various healing modalities into a cohesive whole to fully support individuals in therapy; body, mind, and soul.
The basic premise of ISTP ™ is that body and mind are interconnected, and emotional and psychological issues can manifest as physical tension or body rigidity. Engaging the body with specific movements, breathing techniques, and felt wisdom to reclaim instinctual (primal) responses for emotional & psychological wellbeing. Integrative Somatic Therapy Practice (ISTP)™ integrates innovations in Yoga, Mindfulness, Breathwork, Movements, Somatic Bodywork, Sound Healing, Resilience Enhancement, Ceremony, Ancestral Medicine, Somatic Processing/Integration, and neuroscience designed to enhance the body’s own capacity to heal and reclaim HOPE. Centering on this organic process to healing, individuals are gently guided to release body-stored trauma, experience self-efficacy, gain greater emotional resilience to interact with life challenging circumstances with clarity, openness, and HEART.
INTEGRATIVE SOMATIC THERAPY PRACTICE INTUITIVELY INTEGRATES VARIOUS HEALING MODALITIES:
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor, and creator of Integrative Somatic Therapy Practice (ISTP)™. I am also the founder of Integrative Somatic Studies Institute and Body Mind Soul Healing Centre. I bring over 25 years of counselling, psychotherapy and insight in the healing of trauma into my training, mentorship and clinical supervision. Along with formal education in Master of Counselling Psychology, my background also includes training in Therapeutic Yoga, Breathwork, Thai Yoga Massage, Bodywork and Shamanic practices. My education and professional training informed my practice in working from the body’s intuitive knowing along with the mind.
In my early years of clinical practice, I have come to realized that my interventions have centered solely on the mind thus, reinforcing a further disconnection from the body for many of my clients. I have come to understand that while the mind can distract clients from the truth, the body always speaks of wisdom and truth, when we are willing to listen.
Experiences from working with my own clients have enriched my understanding that separation from one’s body informed continued suffering while connectedness informed healing and WHOLENESS! Therefore, integrating various distinctive (separate) approaches to recovery into a cohesive whole is premise to healing body-stored trauma.
While a number of treatment models have continued to remain separate, ISTP™ integrates various distinctive approaches grounded on body-mind interconnectedness. For many of my clients, I am often their last stop. I am truly humble by my clients lived experiences and strengths with renewed sense of hope in overcoming intense challenges.
Integrative Somatic Studies Institute offers CE credits with the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association, CCPA. Training in ISTP™ , Levels 1, 2, and 3 are eligible for the Canada Job Grant covering up to 80% of student’s tuition. We are Pro-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by providing both payment plans and scholarships for all our programs.
Enhance your practice by learning to apply specialized skills to help clients self-regulate emotional distress, manage physiological symptoms, experience self-efficacy, and build resilience with Integrative Somatic Therapy Practice (ISTP) ™. View Training Overview, HERE.
