NARM Training Institute

This session is the third in a five-part NARM demonstration series. In this third session with Dr. Heller, Megan reflects on a powerful moment of self-kindness she experienced during a yoga class, marking a shift from her usual pattern of 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. Even without clear recall of the moment itself, Megan discusses the somatic impact of expressing herself authentically in a previous session—emphasizing how healing often unfolds through embodied awareness.

As the session deepens, Megan explores 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 reports feeling untethered from her usual shame-based narratives, feeling grounded in her body, and experiencing connection to a more authentic, hopeful sense of self.