What a remarkable coincidence that the theme of our issue is “Transformation” and it is our first time to publish in blog format! Our Repatterning Practitioners Association Journal is continually transforming. These changes in its form brought us face to face with the question Sally Herr so wisely asked, “Where does the Journal live?”
Our answer? The Journal lives in the hearts and minds of its readers; us; our community of Resonance Repatterning Practitioners. And who better to ask about transformation than this community? And what could be a more fitting area of interest than our very own transformation into Certified Practitioners?
And perhaps best of all, what could be a better way to encourage our community to participate in our new blog journal than to gather input from its members?
So…using the online list of practitioners, I sent an email with three questions to those in the United States that listed a website (there are close to fifty). I received eight email replies. I also called the first half of the list and did spontaneous interviews with another seven. (If I do something like this again, I’ll call the second half of the list, to keep it balanced.)
Connecting with you (the practitioners) has been a delightful and rejuvenating experience for me in so many ways! I love hearing and sharing what you have to say and I hope you enjoy what your community has to say about their transformation experiences.
1. “Was there a moment when you knew that you had achieved the skill and confidence needed to be a practitioner?”
Responses that related to certification:
- “At my final observation, I knew nothing about my client, who arrived in a wheelchair with advanced muscular dystrophy for his first session. He was unable to use his arm for the muscle check. I got out of my process and my only concern became his successful experience. We discovered his fingertips worked for the mc. I knew then that I had enough skill to be a creative problem solver on my clients’ behalf. It was a beautiful to be part of his first experience of his energy moving. And I discovered myself as ‘Presence.’ ” Patti Towhill
- “The moment I was certified – it was like going to see the Wizard of Oz. Even my husband remarked that I was a different woman than the one that walked out the door that morning. I might have had the confidence all along, but the stamp of approval gave me a real boost.” Elizabeth Tobin
- “I knew during/just after my last supervision. I had not passed four supervisions and was feeling very discouraged. This client was not a “difficult man”– which was the type of client that in those times were preferred for supervision. She was a career woman who had just lost her professional license. The entire session consisted of energy constriction work. The entire room was riveted. It was a powerful session and she left smiling.” Sally Herr
- “I remember feeling how much fun this process was. Like each session was a journey of discovery that seemed so easy to me compared to other processes I had done. Doing sessions with my fellow students every week helped a great deal.” Bobbie Martin
- “My first session–when I charged money–felt like a christening. It was proof that it was something valuable. Feedback on how helpful it was confirmed to me that I was a practitioner. There were lots of stellar moments between transforming from student to practitioner, but the defining moment was the money.” Cynthia Paul
- “At my observation Ardis said I smoothly facilitated the session and moved skillfully with the client while “holding the healing space” – helping to lead the person to a higher state of coherence. Later that day I felt major shifts, I felt grounded, happy, confident, and at times exhilarated.” Ray Iasiello
- “I distinctly felt a new energy welling through me during my observation. It was a warm honey-like energy, a flowing inner smile of calm and assurance. This inner aspect still comes forth for sessions, it feels different than my normal self.” Laura Frisbie
About gaining mastery over time:
- “I knew when I obtained a flow because I knew the material and also when my clients started sending their loved ones and friends to me for sessions.” Victoria Benoit
- “I don’t recall a particular moment. My confidence increased as I received more and more positive feedback from clients.” Jennifer Foster
About trusting self and the process:
- “The defining moments all had one thing in common – learning to trust myself. I had to trust it always, no matter what, or else I could not possibly do this work. So I made the decision to trust it consciously and that was a turning point. Many times I heard a small voice in my head saying “this can’t be right” but I ignored it and the voice got softer and softer and disappeared. Trusting my instincts has helped tremendously with doing proxy sessions and working with animals. The more I trust myself, the more successful I am. Learning to trust myself has been a journey for me and one I am still on.” Leah MacLeod
- “Learning the repatterning process enabled me to learn to trust it and myself (something I had in very limited supply—witness the dependence on cookbooks and sewing patterns.) I learned to trust especially as I started to see results with my clients even when it seemed to me that nothing ‘spectacular’ had happened in a session.” Kathie Joblin
- “My mentor Bobbi Martin spoke to my early concern about not being good enough. She said to set an intention to only attract clients that match my level. After that I had no worry and it never happened! I learned the material and became a good technician, confident that when I follow the process exactly I can’t make a mistake because I’m muscle checking.” Wendie Theus
- “Everything I ever learned in my life helped shape me into a practitioner. I’ve always been in the field of communication and have always had the confidence to know I can achieve what I want. In the first hour of the first seminar, I knew.” Michael Fischer
- “I chose to be a practitioner almost immediately. I had been to two sessions and a class and I got so excited that I went to more classes in New York and then just kept on going. I had a degree in psychology and a master’s in early childhood education. I was surprised at how well I had prepared for something I had never heard of! It was just what I had been looking for, it offered all the pieces that nothing else offered in the same way. “ Lynn Morgan
2. “Was/is there a specific skill, talent, or quality that you possess (or that you gained in the process) that helped transform you into a confident practitioner?”
- “Now, many years later, I can see that transformation is going on all the time. It’s either a slow evolutionary process, or sometimes it’s a ‘whack on the side of the head’ ! But it is inevitable. The work I do has shaped my thinking, perceptions and attitudes around the subject of transformation.” Kathie Joblin
- “Transformation is what I love most in life, whether it is mine or those whom I support. Because I spend so much of my energy on my own transformation work, I bring lots of tools to support others.” Sally Herr
- “I would say that my specific quality/skill is the ability to hold a space of complete acceptance, love, and compassion for my clients. This makes it easier to go deep with them and create profound shifts.” Jennifer Foster
- “My ability to create a sacred space and to “be with” the client rather than focusing on the books, so they have an experience of being gotten.” Victoria Benoit
- “My willingness is to transform, to be in the process, continually. Transformation is on-going.” Elizabeth Tobin
- “Intuition is one of the strongest things that has developed in my practice. I am able to feel in my body what is going on. Even if the client is not aware, I would put it out and often they would become aware that it was the blocks that needed to be cleared.” Lynn Morgan
- “I was fully present with the material, which then allowed me to become fully present with myself, with myself as Presence.” Patti Towhill
- “I seem to be a born confidant and spiritual cheerleader. I practice “beginner’s mind” and remember that I do not and can not know what is best for another along with a commitment to the higher purpose in all experiences.” Laura Frisbie
- “I am very sensitive to Energy Constrictions. There are always at least one in every session, it is a given. I do long sessions and sometimes there are three or four energy constriction releases; I’d say at least one or two per hour.” Lindis-Chloe Guinness
- “My skill, which I honed more and more with Repatterning, was connecting the dots for myself and others. I think it was innate for me and became even more apparent as I did the work.” Bobbie Martin
- “I am detail oriented versus the more feeling oriented, which I think most practitioners are. I can’t make a mistake because I follow the process exactly.” Wendi Theus
“One can talk about being present, but it’s not a command performance. This was the most difficult thing for me to acquire. I can’t even say how I learned to contain enough safety to simply BE with another except that I practiced (by offering dozens of sessions). And I asked for help.
I know that rhythmic breathing is required as well as feeling my body in the chair, my feet on the floor. I feel my attention diffused throughout my being rather than concentrated in my head. My eyes feel soft and I can move my awareness into my heart. From the heart space, I can fill the room with loving presence and effectively entrain with my client.
I have also learned the value of asking for help. Before every session, I connect with ancestors and friends who are no longer in physical life but come readily into my awareness when asked. I breathe their presence into my energy field. This is deeply comforting and fills me with confidence that I can meet whatever challenges arise. When a difficult moment comes, I slow down and consciously focus on my breath and the connection to spiritual support. I do what it takes to be present because there is no other way I can hold a healing space for them. As a result, I serve my highest good because I want to serve others.” Tina Beneman
3. “Is there a particular skill or quality that, in your opinion, is crucial for transforming one into a confident practitioner?”
- “Being intuitively tuned into the client.” Michael Fischer
- “Not staring at books but engaging the client, going beyond the mechanical to a quantum leap of professional healing.” Patti Towhill
- “Aside from mastering basic technique, the most vital skill is the ability to be present.” Tina Beneman
- “Comfort with mystery and paradox in general.” Laura Frisbie
- “If I had to name one quality, I would say trust—trust in oneself and trust in the repatterning process to take us where we need to go.” Kathie Joblin
- The most important quality is willingness to show up.” Sally Herr
- “I tell my students that practice, practice, practice does it.” Bobbie Martin
- “My ability to create a sacred space and to “be with” the client rather than focusing on the books, so they have an experience of being gotten.” Victoria Benoit
- “Being able to easily navigate the manuals and to bring clients successfully through the process, and also to truly hear what a client is saying beyond the words they are speaking.” Jennifer Foster
- “Desire, commitment, and perseverance.” Elizabeth Tobin
- “Intuition” Lynn Morgan
Laura Frisbie, M.Ed., http://www.beat-depression-naturally.com
Repatterning Journal 