‘Core Process Psychotherapy’ (CPP) was developed in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and it is a professionally recognized branch of psychotherapy there.
‘Core’ refers to the ‘authentic core’. This is the inner place where we are inherently free and whole. ‘Process’ refers to the process of personality formation as an adaptation to our (early) environment. Because of this adaptation we may feel less freedom. Because of the experiences of the past (even if we can’t consciously remember them) we may feel broken.
The relationship between client and therapist is seen as important for healing.
CPP integrates western psychological theory with insights from Buddhist psychology.
CPP primarily uses mindfulness as a technique. It is also based on psychodynamic and object-relation theories and insights from body-oriented trauma therapies. It has technical similarities with focusing (Gendlin), Somatic Experiencing (Levine), Hakomi (Kurtz) and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Ogden). In addition, a Core Process Therapist is prepared to explore the spiritual aspects of human existence.
A Core Process therapist has knowledge of how personality is formed in early periods of life, so he/she is aware of early pre-verbal physical/emotional trauma: difficult experiences that happened before the third year of age, including the pre-and perinatal period.
For more information about the training of Core Process Psychotherapists see https://www.karuna-institute.co.uk/core-process-psychotherapy.html
Core Process Psychotherapy is an experiential therapy. Your body is an important area of experience and what you notice in your body in the present moment may be connected to experiences in the past. I will regularly ask you to attend to what is happening with or inside your body. To experience feelings and emotions in the body is part of the enquiry into finding out who you are and how life has formed you.
As a therapist I listen deeply and I co-experience with you. My intention is to offer you a safe therapeutic relationship in which you will feel yourself unconditionally seen and supported.
During the sessions I look out for signals from your body which tell me there is a beginning of a state of overwhelm. Then we will slow the process down and first work on experiencing safety again. Working safely and with small steps allows space for experiences and emotions which were too overwhelming in the past, and which have not been seen and supported before. This is part of the healing process.
We work with weekly sessions of an hour. The duration of the therapeutic relationship mostly varies between several months to several years.
Core Process Psychotherapy
Theoretical background
‘Core Process Psychotherapy’ (CPP) was developed in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and it is a professionally recognized branch of psychotherapy there.
‘Core’ refers to the ‘authentic core’. This is the inner place where we are inherently free and whole. ‘Process’ refers to the process of personality formation as an adaptation to our (early) environment. Because of this adaptation we may feel less freedom. Because of the experiences of the past (even if we can’t consciously remember them) we may feel broken.
The relationship between client and therapist is seen as important for healing.
CPP integrates western psychological theory with insights from Buddhist psychology.
CPP primarily uses mindfulness as a technique. It is also based on psychodynamic and object-relation theories and insights from body-oriented trauma therapies. It has technical similarities with focusing (Gendlin), Somatic Experiencing (Levine), Hakomi (Kurtz) and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Ogden). In addition, a Core Process Therapist is prepared to explore the spiritual aspects of human existence.
A Core Process therapist has knowledge of how personality is formed in early periods of life, so he/she is aware of early pre-verbal physical/emotional trauma: difficult experiences that happened before the third year of age, including the pre-and perinatal period.
For more information about the training of Core Process Psychotherapists see https://www.karuna-institute.co.uk/core-process-psychotherapy.html
How we work in sessions
Core Process Psychotherapy is an experiential therapy. Your body is an important area of experience and what you notice in your body in the present moment may be connected to experiences in the past. I will regularly ask you to attend to what is happening with or inside your body. To experience feelings and emotions in the body is part of the enquiry into finding out who you are and how life has formed you.
As a therapist I listen deeply and I co-experience with you. My intention is to offer you a safe therapeutic relationship in which you will feel yourself unconditionally seen and supported.
During the sessions I look out for signals from your body which tell me there is a beginning of a state of overwhelm. Then we will slow the process down and first work on experiencing safety again. Working safely and with small steps allows space for experiences and emotions which were too overwhelming in the past, and which have not been seen and supported before. This is part of the healing process.
We work with weekly sessions of an hour. The duration of the therapeutic relationship mostly varies between several months to several years.