Aletheia Therapy and Mandala | Psychotherapist

Aletheia Therapy and Mandala

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25.01.2022 You may be seeking something that you may not quite know what it is... You may have a thirst for understanding a bit more about yourself, yet not ready to start a therapeutic journey... And for me - but I guess for many of you too - in those situations books have always been an amazing resource a place of inspiration, wisdom, imagination and solace. Ive been known to go on and on about the books I love So I thought to start Aletheia Book Club a fortnightly post about b...ooks that can be a resource in your journey, that can nourish your soul, provide understanding to your behaviours and feelings and be an inspiration for you. All of them shape my journey as a therapist and a human being. First up, the one I am currently reading: Anam Cara by John O Donohue. A very beautiful cuddle for the soul, this book is an exploration of friendship - friendship with the other, with our body, with ourselves, with the outer world of work, with old age, with death and cycles, and with the beyond. Anam is the Gaelic word for soul; cara is the word for friend. So anam cara means soul friend. The anam cara was a person to whom you could reveal the hidden intimacies of your life. This friendship was an act of recognition and belonging. John O Donohue is a poet and scholar, his writing warm, accessible and welcoming. This book is more than just the words it contains; it is the full experience of something delicate yet supporting, light yet profound, caring and free. It speaks straight to the heart.

25.01.2022 And here is Part 2 of my care package dedicated to maintaining a sense of well-being in the times of Coronavirus. Keep well, keep safe, keep open-hearted! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMgj-bq6QmU

24.01.2022 Creative and conscious living in the times of Coronavirus #1 On Fear Its difficult these days to escape the news about the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated anxiety that it is provoking. I have been pondering a lot about this unprecedented situation. After watching a video by Dr. Erica Poly, an Italian psychiatrist, I decided to do a series of blogs on this topic inspired by the video, to offer here some support and reflection points. Lets start with the fear and anxi...Continue reading

22.01.2022 In painting, when we want our shapes and the light they carry to pop, theres only one thing to do No matter how we make that light shine, it wont pop until theres a corresponding shadow giving the shape and its light a contrast, an opposite beside which their essence can find wholeness. So when we paint, we work on the shadows as much as on the light. ... Lights and shadows. In nature there is no light without shadow. There is no light without darkness. In us human beings the shadow represents all those aspects we dont identify with who we are, those we say we are not, those we push away and end up in our unconscious. Yet, in the darkness there are precious gifts. In the shadow we find the missing parts of us that make us whole, integral beings. Why talk about this now? Because this time is a calling for us white people to go into the discomfort of the shadow and recognise our biases and all the ways we unconsciously support the status quo. If we are white, our individual histories have been shaped by a system and education profoundly founded on white privilege. And it is important to unfold that, bring it to light. I have been doing inner work around these topics, reading, listening, sitting in discomfort and vulnerability. This morning I found the work of Leesa Reness Hall and her writing prompts and I am working through them. When the shadow is brought to awareness and worked on, it stops hurting ourselves and others. This is an alchemical time, a time for individual and collective transformation. May we keep unfolding us. Unfolding - by Ameeta, 56x56cm, watercolour on paper #mandala #mandala_art #mandalaartist #mandalaartistsofinstagram #artistsofinstagram #aletheiamandala #watercolourpainting #painting #watercolourpaper #art #arttherapyheals #antiracismeducation #shadowwork #jungianshadow #theshadow See more

22.01.2022 An interesting article about the therapeutic effects of cooking. Evidence shows that cooking, especially when following recipes, forces us to be present in the moment, going one step at a time... a bit like a meditation... I have seen this to be true for me time and time again, making the chore of making dinner an opportunity to take time out, get into a bit of a zone and reconnect with myself

20.01.2022 The recent events of police brutality and the systemic issue of racism made me pick up this book again so I thought to include it in our Aletheia Book Club. It is not a specifically anti-racism book but it addresses powers intoxicating effects and how these can lead to abuse; and also how, when it is used consciously and positively, it is a tremendous force for good. Power is seen as an internal quality that affects and shapes everything we do.... The book may seem geared towards corporate leadership at first sight, but it is really for everyone. When I first read it as part of my counselling training it was as if a different layer of reality had been revealed to me a layer that had always been there, which I had related to pretty much constantly, as I navigated my relationships, my roles in the workplace and in other circles. Through extensive journaling prompts, it helped me flesh out my own powerprint, the complex system of unique life experiences, traits, social statuses, personal capabilities and strengths that informs my own sense of power. As I said, this book is really for everyone, because whatever role we have at work, or at home, or with our friends, or in our communities, we all deal - consciously, or most likely unconsciously - with power. [Partially faded cover courtesy of the Australian sun] #powerintelligence #juliediamond #bookclub

20.01.2022 Art and creativity are channels through which we can make sense of our story, express our emotions, and heal.

20.01.2022 More on the incredible value of holding the paradox <3

20.01.2022 Why is it so darn hard to seek therapy? You may have experienced it before: you feel theres something not quite right with you - maybe youre not sleeping well, being kept up by recurrent thoughts maybe youre barely coping with every day anxiety or you have consistently been feeling down for some time maybe youve been noticing unhealthy patterns in your relationships you feel you might need professional help but starti...ng to look for a therapist seems to be out of the question. Why is that? Mental health care is still surrounded by a lot of stigma, both in the way its seen by society (public stigma) and in the way we perceive people seeking therapy (self stigma). And stigma stems from common misconceptions, misguided notions, myths and assumptions about the process of therapy, mostly coming from the way therapy is represented on TV and novels. So lets have a look at some of the myths that act as a barrier to seek therapy and the truths behind them (Part 1 of 2). http://aletheialiving.com.au//why-is-it-so-darn-hard-to-s/

19.01.2022 Why is it so darn hard to seek therapy? You may have experienced it before: you feel there’s something not quite right with you - maybe you’re not sleeping well, being kept up by recurrent thoughts maybe you’re barely coping with every day anxiety or you have consistently been feeling down for some time maybe you’ve been noticing unhealthy patterns in your relationships you feel you might need professional help but starti...ng to look for a therapist seems to be out of the question. Why is that? Mental health care is still surrounded by a lot of stigma, both in the way it’s seen by society (public stigma) and in the way we perceive people seeking therapy (self stigma). And stigma stems from common misconceptions, misguided notions, myths and assumptions about the process of therapy, mostly coming from the way therapy is represented on TV and novels. So let’s have a look at some of the myths that act as a barrier to seek therapy and the truths behind them (Part 1 of 2). http://aletheialiving.com.au//why-is-it-so-darn-hard-to-s/

19.01.2022 Struggling with mental health at the moment? Here is my way to help in these times of uncertainty. This is the first of a 2-part video series dedicated to ways to look after your well-being and prevent this Covid-19 crisis to have long-term traumatic effects.... With love Ameeta https://youtu.be/nSlAnuqetkk

18.01.2022 New blog up on the website http://aletheialiving.com.au//why-mandalas-are-good-for-y/ #mandala

18.01.2022 What am I here to do? What are my gifts? How do I give them to the world? It may be weird thinking about these questions in a time when many of us may be a bit lost, or struggling with survival. Even in what we consider normal times these are difficult questions to ponder. Here is the thing: we are all born with a unique gift, with that something that adds to the world no matter how much we may be struggling with our sense of self-worth. Theres a little acorn in everyone...s soul ready to sprout and grow and blossom. It is the journey of a lifetime. And the key to find that precious gift is our bliss. Following our bliss means finding the deepest yearning of our heart and being lead by it. It means doing those things that spark in us a serene state that fulfils us and makes us feel were in flow. It doesnt mean indulging in pleasure or escapism; it doesnt involve finding success and earning money - it is so much deeper than that. Think about what you love most and do more of those things, with no particular goal, nor particular return on investment expected. Do them because they bring you joy, and let them lead you, one step at a time. It may be hard at first, especially if you have had some trauma growing up, you may not know where to look, or what to believe. The fact that you are reading this post is a sign that theres something yearning inside and you heard that little call. So, stay alert, notice when you are in flow and listen to the voice of your soul it may be a subtle whisper, or a scream for something. Give it space, notice, find the first step and trust. You dont need to have the whole path figured out. This is a path of crumbs, a path made by walking.

17.01.2022 Personal value, 50x50cm, watercolour on Amalfi paper. I finished this mandala a couple of days ago... its been a deep and long process, one that had to do with my value, my power, my capacity to bring my essence into the world. A process that keeps coming up again and again, part of my life myth, leading me deeper into myself and making me shed layers of conditioning that have also come through my genes, my lineage. Its no surprise that ive been... wrangling with this mandala for months, taming its colours, putting boundaries to avoid bleeds, trusting what i did was good enough. The thing is, ive been using an old sheet of Amalfi paper for this one, one of the purest and best watercolour papers in the world... because of its purity and age, the process has been painstaking, with the paper absorbing every drop of colour and then only showing it once dry. So a challenging process from the inside out and the outside in - but rewarding, and yes, of immense value #mandala #mandalaart #mandalaartist

15.01.2022 I must admit until I started my training in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, I had little understanding of the differences between psychotherapy, counselling, psychology and psychiatry. In Italy, where I grew up, a lot of people talked about going to the 'psychologist' during difficult times. This implied sitting in a room with somebody who had studied how the mind works for years and could understand what was going on with you. It sounded very formal! ...I had the imp...ression psychologists were almost like academics, people to be respected because of their analytical understanding, knowledge and social rank. Psychotherapists in Italy train as psychologists or GPs and then specialise so in my mind they didn’t feel that different. As for counselling, I rarely heard anything about it until recent years. When I arrived in Australia, back in 2010, I realised how much more focus there was on mental health than in Italy. Here, I found not only psychologists and psychiatrists, but also a seemingly thriving counselling field - with even my University offering both general and career counselling for free as a support to students. I also found many modalities of psychotherapy. Despite this, very little seems to be known about psychotherapy. When I was training to become a psychotherapist and I would mention my career pursuit, many people responded Oh, jeez, that sounds scary as they focused on the psycho part of the word. Even a business coach I engaged a couple of years ago suggested I find a different term to define what I do, in order not to ‘scare’ potential clients away. Nowadays, in Italy, I know there's a lot of confusion - and controversity - around the different roles. So, in the hope of shedding light on the subject, I thought I would share the differences between psychology, psychiatry, psychotherapy and counselling. Here they are. Ameeta

13.01.2022 For years now I've been comparing meditation to listening so this video and Thomas Huebl's articulation of what is meditation is very welcome. Meditation is lending a ear to what is happening inside myself, in the realm of emotions, in the body, in my thoughts and also outside of myself. It is also perceiving myself beyond all that. I'm coming up to my 100th consecutive day of Osho Kundalini Meditation and that hour a day is the moment that truly provides rest, nourishment,... love, beauty and creativity. And it indeed trains my nervous system to be in that state during the rest of my time. It is indeed a love affair...

12.01.2022 I get asked a lot what Aletheia (A-lee-thea) means and why I chose it as the name of my practice So here we go. In Greek mythology, Aletheia is the goddess of truth, truthfulness and sincerity. She is not a well-known goddess and in some ancient texts she is said to have been crafted by Prometheus, while in others she is the daughter of Zeus. The word Aletheia, to this very day, means truth in Greek. But its not quite the ...truth as we would understand it Literally, the word means not being hidden, actively taking something out of being concealed. Truth becomes therefore something as being uncovered and the process of uncovering itself. The word can then also be translated as unconcealement, disclosure or revealing. Thats why I interpret its meaning as uncovering that which is hidden to reveal its true essence. I like to think of Aletheia as a spirit that guides my practice, but also what actually happens in both psychotherapy and mandala painting. Through therapy and through creating mandalas, the truth of who we are is somehow disclosed and revealed to us. See more

11.01.2022 Poetry can be a powerful healing tool - in the same way as images, dreams and art can. Poetry goes beyond the informative meaning of words and rational thinking. It captures the ineffable, it disarms us, it creates a gap through beauty. Poetry is the language of the soul. Hold your own <3

09.01.2022 Integration was the process of this mandala. After finishing my psychotherapy training, with all the inner work it involved, i needed time for the layers to rest, for whatever had come from the outside to become part of me and then find expression through me in the world again. Integration is assimilation. Integration is digestion. And in the same way as digestion, it is highly dynamic yet it needs space, resting, silence and darkness. ... It happens when new experiences, new understandings and life lessons land inside ourselves so deeply that they disappear, becoming part of us, qualities we show as part of our being. Integration is the dissolution of those experiences, lessons and understandings into us, shaping how we perceive and behave. It is different than learning them cognitively or being able to articulate them with our minds and language. It is an alchemical process that happens by itself, eluding the spotlight of our mind. After a period of inner work whether it is individual search, participating in workshops, attending a course of therapy - or after times of profound change in our lives - like the recent experience of isolation - we may need a little time to let what we have lived and discovered rest and become part of us. #mandala

07.01.2022 Aaaaah space... In these months of lockdown what has been your relationship with space? Maybe you found it hard, being confined to your house, your neighbourhood, your city Maybe its been challenging to juggle everything, kids, work, household and you have barely been able to find a moment for yourself So how do we find space in our lives and in our selves?... For me, when I dont feel I have space its because one of the following: I push myself and dont stop I dont prioritise myself I reach out to my phone every time I actually do have a minute My head is so busy with thoughts, memories, shoulds, plans, opinions and generally different parts of me having a constant chat. What helps me is meditation. But beware, when I say meditation I dont mean meditation techniques, or mindfulness practices. Meditation is a state of flow, where we become one with the environment were in. Try this. Lift your eyes to the sky, breathe, feel its vastness, the air on your cheeks if you are outside be completely absorbed in the qualities of what you are seeing, its colours, perhaps the shape of clouds, perhaps the movement of birds flying around. Become that sky, melt with it. And for a just few moments, youll find the space you need there, beyond the confines of your own self, of your personality, preferences, wishes and hopes, struggles and challenges. #therapy #meditation #innerspace #mindfulmoments #mindfullife #mindfulliving #breathe #innersky #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthcare #selfcare #selfcaretip #endthestigmaofmentalhealth #crescitapersonale #meditazione See more

05.01.2022 As mentioned in the last post and blog, mandalas are a great support for these difficult times. So I created a mandala drawing that you can download and colour. Head over to my website aletheialiving.com.au, subscribe (at the bottom of the page) and you will receive your mandala download.** Remember, creating and colouring mandalas is a way re-connect with a sense of safety and beauty, helping us with the fear and anxiety these times are triggering. And they offer something creative to do on your own or with your kids during this period of isolation. **If you subscribe and don't see the welcome email in your inbox after a few minutes, please check your Junk folder... Even the best-meaning emails sometimes end up there :)

05.01.2022 Oooh I love the wisdom of zen!! And lately I’ve been all about holding the paradox - stepping beyond ‘either/or’ and embracing the truth of ‘yes and’ Eeeerrrr, that’s confusing, I know... What I’m talking about is the practice of holding logically contradictory aspects of life at the same time. For example, (and these are true) this time is hard and blissful or I’m lazy and hard working Or, like here above, I’m perfect and I need a little improvem...ent The thing is, every time we identify with only one part of the paradox, we are missing out on the whole story. It’s something the mind struggles to cope with because the mind works through separation and polarities but deep down holding the two sides at once opens us up to kindness towards ourselves, to our whole-ness and to a more understanding, compassionate world. We can rest in our beautiful human perfection with the awareness that we are also imperfect and can always improve. I find this truth to be so crucial for me, a bit because I’m an Enneagram type 1 but also because i’m seeing how in this time of lockdown (we’re going through Stage 4 quarantine here in Melbourne), when coronacoaster is a thing, we may feel pulled in so many different directions within ourselves and in what we see in the world. What is a paradox you are holding at the moment? Little note on the quote - i tend to prefer the more inclusive ‘We’, rather than ‘You’, in acknowledgemt that we’re all in the same boat here. Suzuki Rochi is a zen master that popularised Zen Buddhism in the West and this quote is part of his teaching. Take care of yourselves out there! #therapy #paradox #zenteachings #selfcare #selfcarequotes #mentalhealth #mentalhealthquotes #zenmaster #holdingtheparadox #endthestigmaofmentalhealth #therapyiscool #enneagram #enneagram1 #aletheiatherapy #lockdownlife #coronacoaster #takecare #therapytruths #therapyisforeveryone #zenbuddhism #enneagramwisdom #mentalhealthawareness

04.01.2022 Even though this video is in Italian, we post it here - hoping some of you will be able to watch it - because very relevant to the situation we are experiencing globally due to the COVID-19, especially the fear and anxiety it is provoking at individual and collective level. Dr Poli is an Italian psychiatrist, psychotherapist, neuroscientist, EMDR practitioner and Jungian analyst. The video below is an invitation to find a grounded space inside of ourselves in this moment whe...n fear, anxiety and the 24hr news cycle constantly overload our system. It's an invitation to be present to our vulnerability, the fragility of the human being, an invitation to symbolically see this virus as a manifestation of the shadow. An invitation to remain connected to beauty, to our life force, and, above all, to love. We'll try to see if the video will be available with subtitles but in the meantime stay tuned for further reflections and blogs on this on our website and here. #beyondfear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qE2imRJ878

03.01.2022 Oooh I love the wisdom of zen!! And lately Ive been all about holding the paradox - stepping beyond either/or and embracing the truth of yes and Eeeerrrr, thats confusing, I know... What Im talking about is the practice of holding logically contradictory aspects of life at the same time. For example, (and these are true) this time is hard and blissful or Im lazy and hard working Or, like here above, Im perfect and I need a little improvem...ent The thing is, every time we identify with only one part of the paradox, we are missing out on the whole story. Its something the mind struggles to cope with because the mind works through separation and polarities but deep down holding the two sides at once opens us up to kindness towards ourselves, to our whole-ness and to a more understanding, compassionate world. We can rest in our beautiful human perfection with the awareness that we are also imperfect and can always improve. I find this truth to be so crucial for me, a bit because Im an Enneagram type 1 but also because im seeing how in this time of lockdown (were going through Stage 4 quarantine here in Melbourne), when coronacoaster is a thing, we may feel pulled in so many different directions within ourselves and in what we see in the world. What is a paradox you are holding at the moment? Little note on the quote - i tend to prefer the more inclusive We, rather than You, in acknowledgemt that were all in the same boat here. Suzuki Rochi is a zen master that popularised Zen Buddhism in the West and this quote is part of his teaching. Take care of yourselves out there! #therapy #paradox #zenteachings #selfcare #selfcarequotes #mentalhealth #mentalhealthquotes #zenmaster #holdingtheparadox #endthestigmaofmentalhealth #therapyiscool #enneagram #enneagram1 #aletheiatherapy #lockdownlife #coronacoaster #takecare #therapytruths #therapyisforeveryone #zenbuddhism #enneagramwisdom #mentalhealthawareness

01.01.2022 'Ganga' Watercolour on paper, 56x56cm A very old mandala I started back in 2008 when I was living in the Arya Vihar ashram in Uttarkashi, up close to Gangotri, the place deep in the mountains where the Ganges river gushes out of the earth.... In those days I was sleeping in a tent on the rocky river's shore, surrounded by the beauty of the Himalayas and the power of Ganga. They were days of meditation, awe and karma yoga under the enlighted guidance of Ghiridarji. I met my friend Prembodhi over there. He passed a couple of years ago. This mandala is dedicated to him. It took me about ten years to paint the landscape in the centre, a little snapshot of my daily view while I was there.