NARM Training Institute

In this NARM demonstration session, Megan reflects on a powerful moment of self-kindness during a yoga class, marking a shift from her usual self-disgust toward a more compassionate self-view. Dr. Heller supports her in exploring how this emerging gentleness is rooted in their therapeutic work, which centers on developmental trauma and the embodied experience of authenticity. Megan recalls feeling empowered when expressing herself authentically in a prior session, even though she struggled to remember it cognitively—highlighting the importance of embodied cognition in healing.

As the session deepens, Megan unpacks long-standing fears around vulnerability, rejection, and anger—tracing these to childhood experiences of emotional abuse by her father. She identifies a pattern of distancing from others, particularly her boyfriend, as a way to protect herself from potential hurt. With Dr. Heller’s support, Megan begins to recognize her own inner safety and emotional resilience, allowing her to access feelings of love and care without defensiveness. The session concludes with a profound shift as Megan feels untethered from shame-based narratives, grounded in her body, and connected to a more authentic, hopeful sense of self.