Liberation Begins in the Body
Our Founder
D. Denise Temal is a seeker and incessant learner, following her deep curiosity about the human experience since the age of 14. She is also a somatic practitioner (integrating skills through various trainings, including those taught by Richard Schwartz), and certified Tension & Trauma Release (TRE) provider. Denise is trained in mindfulness practice through the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hhan, holds a B.A. in English from UCLA, and a 3-year M.S. in non-clinical counseling. Through her practice, Denise has gained substantial experience disrupting conventional counseling and coaching frameworks by integrating body-based and culturally-relevant approaches. As the eldest daughter of immigrants (raised in a transborder family), she was inspired to create Somatics & TRE as a result of heightened systemic injustice. Through Somatics & TRE, Denise specializes in delivering innovative body-based modalities aimed at fostering holistic wellness and intergenerational joy.
INFLUENCES
- Carol Gilligan: Emphasis on relational ethics and the importance of connection in the healing process.
- Clarissa Pinkola Estés: A deep respect for the psyche, the power of myth and story, and the wisdom of the "wild woman."
- Deb Dana: Expertise in polyvagal theory, cultivating nervous system flexibility and building capacity to feel and process sensation.
- Peter Levine & Bessel van der Kolk: Somatic healing practices and trauma insights for profound healing.
- Robert Kegan: Developmental lens, fostering deeper self-understanding and evolution of meaning-making.
- Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems): Exploration of your inner world, healing internal wounds, and cultivating self-leadership.
- Resmaa Menakem & Jennifer Mullan: Cultural consciousness, acknowledging systemic forces and their impact on your experience.
- Eugene Gendlin & Ron Kurtz: Grounding in the body's innate intelligence and experiential learning.
- Byron Katie: Transformative inquiries, questioning limiting beliefs, and fostering self-awareness.
- Paulo Freire: Critical consciousness, fostering liberation through dialogue and transformative education.
- Thich Nhat Hanh & Pema Chodron: Compassionate mindfulness, cultivating self-acceptance and presence.
- and more.
Our Values
Intergenerational Healing
We inherit the environmental and relational traumas of our ancestors, yet we also possess their gifts and resilience. We recognize our ancestors as guardians of sacred space and sources for our healing. We pay tribute to their past and the significance they hold in our present.
Somatic Liberation
Incorporating the body into our healing journey helps us re-establishes a connection with ourselves, countering the teachings of self-abandonment and isolation instilled in us by detrimental systems. By engaging in somatic liberation work, we rediscover our humanity.
Community
Community plays a vital role in our lives, and many individuals pursue nervous system healing to address the effects of unresolved tension and trauma on their relationships. Healing the nervous system activates physiological social-engagement processes and fosters healthier connections, enabling us to thrive collectively.
Joy
When we harbor chronic stress, tension, and trauma in the body, we trap survival energy that leads us to contract, becoming fearful and defensive rather than embracing connection and the fullness of life. No about of rumination will resolve this. We must engage with the body to create space for ease and joy to flourish in our lives. It is our profound belief that the conditions for a life where joy is accessible is an inherent right for all of us. When we can access that joy internally, we have the energy to create externally.
Let's Connect
Our consultation is a 30-min mindful container where I'll hold space for you to share your current needs and consider how somatic coaching and TRE might be a part of your healing journey.