NARM Training Institute

In this NARM demonstration session, Dr. Heller supports Client L through an exploration of gender identity, cultural dislocation, and familial conflict. Client L reflects on a journey of evolving self-understanding—from early struggles around their gender and sexuality while living within a conservative Muslim family, to a deeper inquiry into their authentic identity. The session reveals significant effects of trauma stemming from a childhood move to another country, which led to a deep sense of emotional shutdown, disconnection, and a loss of vitality. Client L reports that their relationship with their mother and estranged brother, along with feelings of not being accepted or seen, contribute to ongoing internal conflict and shame.

As Dr. Heller guides Client L, they access powerful memories and emotional truths, particularly from their nine-year-old self who endured abuse and cultural alienation. Through somatic awareness and emotional reflection, Client L begins to reconnect with a sense of inner aliveness and clarity. They find deeper meaning in their spiritual identity through their Sufi community, feeling resonance with their spiritual name, which symbolizes power and beauty. By the session’s end, Client L reports experiencing relief, renewed self-compassion, and an empowered connection to their authentic self, signaling a significant moment of healing and integration.