Richard Nevin Counselling

My work rests on the understanding that we are shaped by our early and ongoing relationships and experiences, not only in the stories we carry but in our bodies, nervous systems, emotions and ways of relating. Our adaptations are often remarkably intelligent responses to what we have lived through, even when they later limit our sense of connection, freedom or possibility.

At the same time, we are not defined by our wounds or adaptations. We retain capacities for connection, resilience, awareness and growth, and therapy can make these resources more available. My work is not only about understanding what has happened to us, but about discovering what becomes possible when we meet ourselves differently.

Training in Somatic Experiencing® has been central to this understanding, including ten years assisting a range of teachers across 60 training modules. This long immersion offered a rich study of trauma, attachment, development and the nervous system. The learning came not only through teaching but through practising together, observing one another, and belonging to a community of therapists exploring how deeply embodied and relational therapy can be.

Further training in Touch Skills for Trauma Therapists and Somatic Resilience and Regulation, with Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell, deepened this orientation. These approaches attend closely to the body's intelligence, to subtle shifts in regulation and presence, and to the importance of safety, pacing and attunement in relationship.

These trainings have also deepened my understanding of shock trauma: the effects of sudden or overwhelming events such as motor vehicle collisions, surgeries, falls and other accidents or medical procedures. Even after the event is over and the body has physically recovered, the nervous system can continue to respond as though the danger were still present. Somatic Experiencing offers a gentle way of working with these physiological responses, helping people reconnect with a greater sense of safety, regulation and ease.

The same perspective informs my work with persistent physical symptoms that often develop alongside prolonged stress or nervous system overload, including fibromyalgia and chronic pain, chronic fatigue, IBS and other digestive issues, and migraines. This approach explores the relationship between these symptoms, the nervous system and unresolved stress or trauma, while working gently with the body's capacity for regulation and recovery. This work is offered alongside, not in place of, care from your doctor or other health providers.

Some of the people I work with are healing from difficult or painful experiences, including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, particularly in childhood. These experiences can show up in confusing ways, such as anxiety, shame, difficulty trusting, or strong reactions that are hard to explain. I work with people of all genders, always at a pace that prioritizes safety, choice and stability, so that whatever arises can be approached without becoming overwhelming.

Many of us carry the effects of painful early experiences. For some, this leaves us more passive and anxious. For others, it can bring anger or aggression; this can hurt others in ways we regret. Guilt, shame and remorse can become heavy burdens, along with a sense of not deserving support or kindness. I offer a respectful, compassionate space to talk and unburden ourselves.

Study and practice of attachment-based, psychodynamic and relational psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and other approaches to human development have enriched this somatic foundation. Together, these traditions offer a way of understanding the whole person: the developmental history that shaped us, the relationships in which we learned to be ourselves, the protective strategies we developed, the strengths and capacities we have cultivated, and the possibilities for connection and freedom that remain available.

Alongside this formal training, many years of personal and contemplative practice, including yoga, Enlightenment Intensives, Vipassana retreats and other experiential approaches, have given me direct, embodied experience of how we encounter ourselves: our emotions, bodily experience, sense of self, protective adaptations and deeper capacities for presence.

My training and experience in psychedelic-assisted therapy, including psilocybin- and MDMA-assisted therapy training through Therapsil, have added another dimension to my work. This field brings together many of my interests in consciousness, developmental conditioning, healing and transformation, and it reinforces the importance of preparation, relationship, grounding and thoughtful integration when people encounter profound or difficult inner experience in an expanded state.

Some people find that psychedelic substances allow work that might otherwise unfold over a much longer period to be approached with greater immediacy and depth. I do not prescribe or provide substances; however, I do offer therapeutic support to people who are considering a psychedelic experience and to those who want help processing and integrating experiences they have already had. This work has deepened my appreciation of skilled therapeutic presence, careful preparation and integration, and respect for each person's pace and capacity.

What has emerged from these influences is an integrated orientation that values embodiment, relational safety, developmental understanding, emotional depth and genuine attunement.

In my years of private practice, I have accompanied hundreds of people as they have come to know and embody themselves more authentically. I listen not only to what is said but to what is communicated through the body, the pauses, the emotions and the ways a person has learned to navigate their world. I have come to see that even our most difficult or confusing responses often have a purpose: they are attempts to regulate ourselves, resolve an inner conflict or maintain attachment to another.

I bring this understanding with humility and curiosity, alongside the knowledge developed through many years of therapeutic practice, and continue to be curious about what each person can teach me about their own experience. At the centre of my work is respect for each person's unique history, inner world and capacity for growth.