Healing Through Connection: Awakening the Joy of Being
Somatic Psychologist, Coach ("Midlife Midwife"), Mother, Workshop Presenter, Guided Meditation Leader and Ecstatic Dance Facilitator — Speaker
Healing Conversation # 1311
— “The inner journey is a mystery, so we lean into the exploration with a sense of experimentation, of playfulness, of openness, trusting we have the answers inside of us.”
Valeria interviews Dr. Loi — She is a somatic psychologist, coach ("midlife midwife"), mother, workshop presenter, guided meditation leader and Ecstatic Dance facilitator.
Dr. Loi integrates her years of clinical training with her movement and awareness-based practices, grounding them into connection with the earth to facilitate a deeper understanding of presence, embodiment and reverence.
Dr. Loi has a background in the non-profit world (founding the single parent resource network in Austin Tx), has worked in radio, co-produced newspapers and music festivals, and owned an event production company. Her clinical work began in 2005 when she began graduate school as a single mother (after an almost 10 year break from school). She has worked with pre-school aged victims of trauma and neglect, in low income clinics that offered depth therapy, in a college counseling center, with couples, those mandated to attend domestic violence batterer groups. Her CRP was entitled, “The Role of Empathy in the Domestic Violence Treatment of Male Batterers” through a feminist theory lens and she graduated in 2011. She was licensed in 2014 after 3 years of postdoctoral training in a private practice neuropsychology clinic where she offered neurocognitive assessments and treatment after TBI (traumatic brain injury).
Dr. Loi currently is in private practice seeing individuals and couples throughout California for therapy and intensives, via teletherapy and in person with a collaborative, holistic approach. She incorporates Somatic, Ketamine-Assisted-Psychotherapy, mindfulness, parts therapy, CBT, neuropsychology, Brainspotting (certified), and energy psychology grounded in a psychodynamic, depth-oriented framework. She specializes in affect regulation (anger management/anxiety reduction), integrating transformational experiences, prenatal/postpartum, parenting issues, midlife and menopause with a focus on empowering clients and encouraging their connection to themselves, others and the earth. She occasionally offers workshops and trainings, and hosts Ecstatic Dance Sebastopol (since 2014), often offering the closing sound baths and meditations.
Through her own journey of healing from physical and emotional over-sensitivities, she learned how to manage these overwhelming states and teaches this to others. More recently, after a TBI forced her to stop "business as usual" she created a program to assist women in midlife learn to slow down and reconnect to their inner wisdom.
Dr. Loi educates and empowers her clients with practical strategies and guides them to a place of greater coherence and vibrancy. She believes that we are born wise and can re-learn how to live with ease and pleasure. She offers these clinical, spiritual and heart-based practices to assist humans in healing, reconnecting and awakening to the joy of being.
To learn more about Dr. Loi and her work, please visit: https://www.drloi.com/
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SHOW NOTES
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SUMMARY
In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Loy Medven, a somatic psychologist, shares her insights on authenticity, healing, and the importance of connecting with our bodies. She emphasizes the role of curiosity and playfulness in the healing process, the significance of self-relationship, and the impact of midlife changes on women's health. Dr. Loy discusses the interplay between feelings and emotions, the necessity of slowing down, and the exploration of the shadow self. The conversation culminates in a discussion about the differences between therapy and coaching, highlighting the importance of transparency and self-awareness in personal growth.
TAKEAWAYS
Authenticity is connected to being natural and present.
Somatic psychology helps individuals integrate their experiences.
Curiosity and playfulness are essential in the healing process.
Self-relationship is foundational for personal growth.
Movement and embodiment are crucial for healing.
Understanding feelings versus emotions can aid in self-awareness.
The body stores trauma, which can affect our well-being.
Slowing down allows for deeper self-connection and awareness.
Healing through connection with others and the earth is vital.
The shadow self can be explored through curiosity and acceptance.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Loy Medven
01:53 The Journey to Authenticity
03:40 Understanding Somatic Psychology
06:10 Embodiment and Intuition
10:34 Healing Through Connection
12:35 Curiosity and Playfulness in Healing
14:37 The Importance of Self-Relationship
18:06 The Evolution of Somatic Psychology
20:22 Moving Energy and Body Wisdom
24:18 The Role of Safety in Healing
28:18 Boundaries and Feminine Identity
29:51 Breaking Patterns and Embracing Rest
31:46 Understanding Feelings vs. Emotions
34:18 Mindfulness and Present Awareness
36:23 Calming the Mind and Body
38:49 Self-Awareness and Autonomy
40:32 The Nature of the Present Moment
42:14 Awakening the Joy of Being
45:08 The Authentic Self and Spirituality
47:50 Exploring the Shadow Self
53:48 Therapy vs. Coaching: Understanding the Difference
SOUND BITES
"Slowing down is the key."
"The body doesn't lie."
"Awaken the joy of being."
KEYWORDS
somatic psychology, authenticity, healing, embodiment, self-awareness, mindfulness, midlife, curiosity, movement, spirituality