Beyond Top-Down with Susan Aposhyan:

How can I integrate body-based practices into my clinical work if I’m a traditional talk therapist?

Susan Aposhyan: Start by simply asking your client, “How does that feel in your body right now?”. If they are fearful or resistant, don’t force it; instead, cultivate your own embodiment and “core flow” as a therapist so you can circularly attune to their nervous system without needing to use “body” language until they are ready.

What is the “Manifestation Cycle” in Body-Mind Psychotherapy?

Susan Aposhyan: It is a process of starting with your own embodiment—clearing the spine and opening your tail—to connect with the larger universe, then asking, “What am I wanting in my life right now?”. By feeling that desire permeate every cell of your body, you shift your physiology toward the ability to manifest that change more easily.

Is there a scientific basis for “embodied” intuition in therapy?

Susan Aposhyan: Absolutely; research by figures like Candace Pert and Miles Herkenham suggests that up to 98% of what we call cognition occurs outside of the brain. Embodiment practice allows us to receive information chemically, electrically, and electromagnetically from the world and our clients, cultivating intuition far beyond our innate baseline.