The Refuge draws on elements of psychodynamic therapy in its work, especially the concept of exploring the unconscious motivations, patterns and programming underlying various behaviours, in order to arrive at change via increased self-awareness and insight.
Traditional psychodynamic therapy at The Refuge is taken a step further by bringing the body into awareness in a process of neurobiological psychoanalysis. Rather than staying at the level of the cognitive, emotions, ego, and family of origin dynamics and dysfunction, this process of personal self-reflection also includes a focus on how nervous system activation fluctuates in relation to these elements. Insight can be deepened as the felt sense of the body is explored and experienced and more parts of the self are integrated as part of the change process.