Adam Benjamin

Attachment Theory

A thorough grasp of attachment theory is foundational to understand most forms of dysregulation or mental illness. I consider attachment patterns as I seek to tune in to each client's suffering. I also have training in attachment-based therapeutic techniques.

Hakomi

Hakomi is an approach to therapy that brings mindful attention to bodily experiences, and an experiment-based approach to insight and change. I have extensive training in Hakomi and tend to use some of its techniques in most of my sessions. I borrow from Hakomi an attitude of compassionate respect for each client's organic process, and a basic stance of seeking to follow and unfold that process.

Mindfulness-based

'Mindfulness' as used in my training background means 'sustained, non-judgmental attention and self-study.' This kind of mindfulness is not meditation; it is a therapeutic technique applied explicitly to promote insight and relieve distress. Mindful observation of one's feelings, sensations, and reactions, is a part of many therapy sessions, and may be done eyes-open or eyes-closed, as a client's comfort allows.

Historical Trauma

Central to my approach is to understand the impact of historical or complex trauma, including the vagal and brain systems it often affects, and to help you develop ways to manage its effects on your nervous system.

Loss or Grief

We encounter many forms of grief in our lives. I have conducted bereavement groups for those who have lost loved ones. I am also attuned to the grief that accompanies a lost childhood (for instance, when a parent has major mental illness), or lost innocence (the sense of safety, for instance, that disappears due to abusive or chaotic upbringing).

Self-Esteem

The corrosive effects of poor self-worth, and shame in particular, limit our capacity for flexible thinking and the range of choices we perceive in many situations.

Depression

Depression and anxiety are often situational, but just as often they are rooted in a core experience of ourselves that has persisted a long time, and resists any efforts to think our way clear of them. The mindful and experiential techniques I utilize allow access to the deep, core experiences and beliefs that need to be changed so that we can feel different and live with renewed energy.

Men's Issues

I have a particular interest in working with men to overcome the legacy of toxic masculinity and the persistent burden of shame that it engenders.