Breath, Emotion & Creative Flow

Mercedes is a writer, theatre artist and a Somatic Adlerian psychotherapist in private practice: Mind In Body Integrated Counselling Services www.mindinbody.ca . Her areas of focus in her counselling practice include: grief & loss; body image; relationships; living with a life altering/life threatening illness; family of origin issues; identity issues; sexuality & issues related to race & culture. Mercedes believes that the embodied experience is central to deepening self-awareness, healing and insight. She views our minds/bodies/spirits as an interconnected whole and encourages fully embodied living. With 25 years’ experience in the performing arts, Mercedes has found that her training in drama, voice, movement, scriptwriting, mask, physical theatre and dance and her professional work as a writer, director, producer, teacher, actor and performance poet has strongly influenced her approach to counselling and her understanding of the healing process. In her work with clients, creative expression is a forum for self-expression, personal exploration, healing, and strengthening connection. In addition to her one to one counselling work, Mercedes develops and leads experiential groups. Her work with groups incorporates elements of theatre practice with her clinical training. Through the use of breath work, body awareness, movement, voice, writing and drama exercises, she encourages participants to deepen their understanding of their life experiences and use creativity to envision change and elicit insight.