Organic Intelligence is a systemic, body-oriented approach. Depending on the extent to which a person’s system is affected by trauma and a dysregulated nervous system, different tools are needed. Organic Intelligence speaks of three phases: Chaos, Complexity (or Resilience), and Coherence (“Prosilience”). Different methods are required for each phase; for example, in the first phase, it can be difficult to do exercises on your own, even if you know they would be beneficial. The alarm system is too strong and instead searches for the problem, for what is wrong.
Over time, you can learn to refocus on what feels neutral in the present moment (orientation – e.g., neutrally observing one’s surroundings) and later on what is pleasant. This is because, in a traumatized system, the unconscious search for the problem can take over, leaving one stuck in freeze, fight, and/or flight responses.
The good news is that every system also contains organizing impulses – you notice how the sun shines on your skin, a positive image or memory comes to mind, etc. This means that in psychotherapy, it can sometimes be helpful not to search for or directly work with the trauma – because that, on the one hand, always reinforces the focus on the negative. However, when the focus shifts to orientation in the here and now, capacity is freed up – until there is actually capacity to process the trauma.
In an Organic Intelligence session, we have a free-associative conversation. Whatever is currently on your mind is welcome. We follow your system—that is, the waves of activation and deactivation—and give space to the organizing impulses as they arise. Over time, your system learns and adapts. The best way to explore how I can support you with Organic Intelligence, addressing your challenges and symptoms, is together in a free discovery call.
