Reclaiming Wholeness: A Compassionate/Relational Gestalt Understanding of Trauma and Addiction Spring 2025

Description:

Trauma and addiction are deeply intertwined, shaping how individuals relate to themselves, others, and the world. Addiction often emerges as an adaptive response to unprocessed trauma, serving as a temporary refuge from emotional pain, disconnection, and dysregulation. However, true healing requires more than symptom management—it calls for deep relational engagement, somatic awareness, and compassionate integration of past experiences.

This experiential and theory-driven workshop offers a Gestalt Compassionate/Relational approach to understanding trauma and addiction. We will explore:

• How traumatic experiences shape self-perception, relational patterns, and coping mechanisms.

• Why addiction serves as a functional creative adjustment and how to help clients shift toward healthier adaptations.

• The role of somatic awareness and nervous system regulation in trauma healing.