In our bodies there is a self-healing power that often goes unnoticed.
When our built-in needs for compassion, understanding and empathy go chronically unmet, this power starts to express itself through emotional and physical states of unwellness.
We don’t feel good. We crave relief - from depression, anxiety, addiction, chronic illness and a host of other states of unease that span the so-called “mind-body” divide.
Many voices in our culture speak of unwellness as a problem to be solved, fixed, resolved, regulated, balanced or at least improved.
They say to us with compassion: Of course you want to be well!
Beneath that they whisper: But there's something wrong with you that you must fix first, if you really want to get well.
In this way, the voices in the culture “coach" us to relate to our own unwellness as pathology.
But what if there is nothing wrong with you and the intelligence inside your unwellness just needs to be witnessed?
I'd like to help you experience the power of UnShaming - and learn how to offer it to yourself
UnShaming Witnessing is a relational method of healing
It offers you skillful compassionate witnessing and begins to melt away the tendrils of shame wrapped around your past experiences.
It taps into the intelligence hidden inside your struggles to release a gentle flow of transformations and well-being.
You're ready for UnShaming if...
You want to access the wisdom that already lives in your own body
You believe in the healing powers inherent in human & more-than-human connection
You want a therapeutic modality that does not pathologise your unwellness
You're willing to get to know your own experience rather than trying to fix or regulate it
You're ready to make real steps towards the potential you feel inside of you
The Process
01
Settling in
My first job is to connect with you in a calm and friendly way so you can feel comfortable in the session ... You can name any hesitations or fears you might have at the outset. Naming them is a great way to ease into things. I'll ask you about what you'd like the session to focus on - what personal knot or trouble would you like support in tapping into your body's wisdom around? (The focus can also be any topic that is relevant to you - something that happened, a feeling in your body, a difficult decision, event or even a dream). Often, some gentle back-and-forth with me is helpful in getting clear on the focus point. You don't have to arrive knowing exactly what you want to work on - a general sense of wanting to get some insight into something that's happening in your life is enough.
02
Following your body
Then I ask you questions to help us learn more about what your inner experience of this knot or trouble is like for you - how does it live in you? What's it really like, inside, for you to experience it? ... From this point we start unfolding your inner process - not your well-worn, familiar thoughts & emotional reactions to it, but the hidden flow of creative intelligence in your body that has been going unheard (because it's been wrapped in shame of one kind or another). We move very slowly, following what arises in you. I have an array of Unshaming tools and techniques to help us tune in and listen to your body's deep intelligence, in a way that feels safe and gradual - because it's tied to the nuances of your inner process, rather than being imposed by me from the outside. I'm following you, I'm not taking you somewhere you aren't ready to go. I'll check in frequently for your consent to what we're doing, in ways that are supportive and not jarring - and I'll also be scanning for the No's you might not have words for. You'll feel like our connection is a safe and reassuring place to take small steps in exploring the flow of your own inner process - the sensations and emotions that have been trapped in your body and the insights you haven't been able to fully articulate.
03
Exploring your experience
Together we go slow, getting to know the lesser-known parts of you that can now start to show themselves in this safe space. Together, we are Unshaming the neglected, hidden facets of your experience: witnessing them, letting them know that they are valid and important. Helping them express themselves and say what they really need to say. We take our time, lingering with the details, always with your consent. I watch very closely and help you see your own process through my compassionate eyes: how your facial expressions, tone of voice, posture and movements are each saying something meaningful and vital, something that needs to be heard. I encourage you gently to experiment within your comfort zone with what it's like to listen more closely and even to amplify what your body is trying to share. I am fully supporting you in being able to explore, with deep compassion, "What is it REALLY like to be me in this (difficult experience, dream, longing, decision)?" With my help, you're able to stay connected, maybe for the very first time, to the flowing and complicated truths of your inner experience. We find unexpected things in this process! Creative powers and energies that you didn't know you had...Parts of you that never got a chance to be seen...these start to bubble up and show themselves and my job is to help you get to know them better...these powers live in you; they were here all along; they just needed to be Unshamed and witnessed.
04
Reaping the benefits of the session
Unshaming unfolds organically. There is no "fix" or solution we're trying to get to - nothing specific that we have to "accomplish." But there is an immediate benefit to lavishing this kind of care and attention on what's going on inside us... ...an immediate shift... ...a sense of expansiveness that comes online when previously-unknown or neglected parts of us have a chance to be seen This energy can be like a beautiful wave carrying fresh insights and awakenings. Or it can be a low-key sense of awe and gratitude. Or something different altogether, unique to you! It often takes several rounds of back-and-forth conversation to integrate the learnings of the session. This usually includes ideas for how you can practice giving space at home to what unfolded in the session and how it might continue to unfold in your everyday life. All along, I'll be holding awareness of the pace of the session relative to the clock, reserving enough time for integration and making sure we're able to come to a good stopping point.
Benefits of UnShaming
Unshaming is a relational organic process, like an ecosystem recovering.
Over time, it gently helps you:
Access your Intuition & Self-Knowledge
Awaken Your Self-Healing Powers
Release Yourself From Shame
You'll start to notice a clearer connection to your body's inner guidance
You'll experience your natural capacity for emotional self-healing
You'll walk your life's true path more fully as the tendrils of shame release
Feel more Connection and Acceptance
You'll experience more ease in connection with
yourself and others
Unblock Energy and Aliveness
You'll feel your vitality increase and have more energy for what matters
Session Pricing
Single Session USD $120
3-Session Bundle USD $345
Designed to support flexible or ongoing UnShaming Work.
Read more in the FAQs.
Work With Me
Are you ready to try Unshaming Witnessing? There are a few very helpful things for me to know about a client before we begin. For example:
What have you already tried in the past and what leads you
to be interested in trying out Unshaming?
Do you currently have support from a therapist or
other mental health professional?
You'll find these and a few other easy questions in the form below. Thank you for taking the time to help me understand your situation better!
FAQs
How long is the session? A session lasts 60 minutes. We’ll take time at the beginning to orient together and allow time at the end to integrate the experience.
How much does the session cost? My current fee is $120 per session, or $345 for a bundle of three sessions. This structure supports both flexible scheduling and deeper, ongoing UnShaming work.
Do you offer sliding-scale options? Yes, I offer a limited number of reduced-fee sessions each month reserved for those in financial difficulty. You may attend one reduced-fee session per month— please contact me at maria@climatecourage.cc for more details.
Is this therapy? No, this is not therapy or mental health counseling. As a somatic guide, I support you in tapping into your body's wisdom for deeper self-awareness and growth. My work focuses on fostering connection and insight through the body, rather than diagnosing or treating mental health issues.
Are you a mental health professional? No, I am not a licensed mental health professional. My training is in somatic practices and UnShaming (a version of Process-Oriented Facilitation), which are different from therapy. I work with individuals seeking self-exploration and personal growth, not those in need of mental health treatment.
What if I’m in a difficult situation or a crisis? If you're experiencing a mental health crisis or are in an urgent situation, I encourage you to seek support from a licensed therapist, counselor, or emergency services. My sessions can be supportive, but they are not designed for immediate crisis intervention.
Can you help me with trauma and/or abuse? While I do not treat trauma or abuse in the clinical sense, I can provide a supportive space for exploring the ways your body holds and expresses past experiences. For those with significant trauma, I recommend working with a licensed trauma therapist alongside any somatic or holistic work.
Do I need to know what I want to work on ahead of time? No, you don't need a specific issue in mind. A general sense that you'd like insight or clarity is enough. I’ll help you identify a focus point, whether it’s a feeling in your body, a situation in your life, or even a dream. We’ll find something together that feels alive and ready to explore.
Is there a goal to the session? There is no fixed goal or solution we’re aiming for. The session unfolds organically, and the intention is to witness whatever arises. You may leave feeling more expansive, with fresh insights, a quiet sense of awe, or a desire to journal, rest, or drink water.
