Practitioners at The Refuge draw on body-oriented techniques to help clients explore the concept of boundaries in their own lives. By learning to track sensations and activation in the nervous system, a warning system each of us is endowed with from birth, the focus is on exploring safety, areas where one’s personal boundary has been ruptured, as well as on mobilizing the energy required to set or restore healthy boundaries. This often involves titration and moving from fear and constriction into greater confidence to speak up and act on your own behalf.
Assertiveness is a related concept and requires the ability to be able to identify and validate your own needs, emotions and body sensations as well as express these to others, in order to reclaim your sense of personal empowerment.