WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Stan Grof
Mill Valley, California, August 2010
I have known Sonia since 1996, when she enrolled in our training program for holotropic breathwork and transpersonal psychology (Grof Transpersonal Training). The format of this training allows us to get to know participants in a way that would not be possible in a more superficial form of academic contact. The program involves weeks of intense learning and interpersonal interaction and combines didactic input, deep personal experiential work that often includes somatic approaches to address and release past emotional traumas stored in the body, discussions, facilitation of the emotional process of others, and group dynamics.
During the training, Sonia showed from the beginning deep motivation and interest in the program. She had an impressive knowledge of literature on modern consciousness research, transpersonal psychology, and new paradigm thinking and showed unusual capacity to absorb new information and synthesize it in a creative way. In her self-exploration, she displayed courage, honesty, and integrity. In the role of facilitator of the sessions of her peers, she was warm, sensitive, and intuitive in her work and deeply committed to helping others.
In addition, I have also been in frequent contact with Sonia when she studied at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where I teach psychology. She has assisted me on a number of occasions in Holotropic Breathwork workshops with CIIS students, in our training modules in Mexico and Spain (in the role of facilitator and translator), and also in large breathwork workshops in other places.
As a result of her rich professional history, Sonia has become an excellent facilitator of Holotropic Breathwork and has a profound knowledge of transpersonal psychology. I particularly appreciate the work that she did as translator of my book, Psychology of the Future: Lessons from Modern Consciousness Research. Her excellent translation of this book from English into Spanish shows not only her unusual linguistic skills, but also her fine understanding of the scientific, clinical and cross cultural aspects of this work.
In conclusion, in my opinion, Sonia is a very talented and experienced Holotropic Breathwork facilitator and transpersonal psychologist. Participants in her practice will greatly benefit from a unique combination of her practical somatic skills, theoretical knowledge, intuitive intelligence, and emotional warmth.
Sincerely,
Stanislav Grof, M.D.
I have known Sonia since 1996, when she enrolled in our training program for holotropic breathwork and transpersonal psychology (Grof Transpersonal Training). The format of this training allows us to get to know participants in a way that would not be possible in a more superficial form of academic contact. The program involves weeks of intense learning and interpersonal interaction and combines didactic input, deep personal experiential work that often includes somatic approaches to address and release past emotional traumas stored in the body, discussions, facilitation of the emotional process of others, and group dynamics.
During the training, Sonia showed from the beginning deep motivation and interest in the program. She had an impressive knowledge of literature on modern consciousness research, transpersonal psychology, and new paradigm thinking and showed unusual capacity to absorb new information and synthesize it in a creative way. In her self-exploration, she displayed courage, honesty, and integrity. In the role of facilitator of the sessions of her peers, she was warm, sensitive, and intuitive in her work and deeply committed to helping others.
In addition, I have also been in frequent contact with Sonia when she studied at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where I teach psychology. She has assisted me on a number of occasions in Holotropic Breathwork workshops with CIIS students, in our training modules in Mexico and Spain (in the role of facilitator and translator), and also in large breathwork workshops in other places.
As a result of her rich professional history, Sonia has become an excellent facilitator of Holotropic Breathwork and has a profound knowledge of transpersonal psychology. I particularly appreciate the work that she did as translator of my book, Psychology of the Future: Lessons from Modern Consciousness Research. Her excellent translation of this book from English into Spanish shows not only her unusual linguistic skills, but also her fine understanding of the scientific, clinical and cross cultural aspects of this work.
In conclusion, in my opinion, Sonia is a very talented and experienced Holotropic Breathwork facilitator and transpersonal psychologist. Participants in her practice will greatly benefit from a unique combination of her practical somatic skills, theoretical knowledge, intuitive intelligence, and emotional warmth.
Sincerely,
Stanislav Grof, M.D.
Breathwork participants
"Holotropic Breathwork has been profoundly healing for me. I have started to meet my emotional body in a new way that is deep and thorough. I have found and experienced stagnate emotions that have been locked in my physical body. Some I have carried my whole life, and some seem ancient. By experiencing these emotions, I have started to release them, and the places where they were stuck are healing. My chronically sore knee is well. The back of my head and neck feel great for the first time in years. Along with this physical healing, the awakening of my emotional body is so new to my adult manhood that I lack the words to describe how powerful the movement towards wholeness is that Holotropic Breathwork has started in me. I am ready for my next session" Peter
'My experiences with Holotropic Breathwork, both during, and after the sessions have been generally positive... I have experienced pure bliss consciousness, fish consciousness, I saw through the eyes of a wolf, that of a protector. Waves of sorrow, both biographical and universal gave rise to streams of tears and vocal wails. Insights into the realm of male and female nature.Lots of chipping away at something, I'm not sure what. During my last breathwork I felt as though I was giving birth to my inner-healer. Back home I have a general feeling of well being and my creative endeavors are rewarding..." Anonymous
"What a gift it is to breathe unhindered. I felt like the magic of life that I have been searching for my whole life, has been with me all along in the treasure of breathing" shelley.
I found my body feeling the need to move; dancing on my back, shaking, arching, stretching, and bending. All seemed to be happening to my body without my conscious intention of their occurring. At one point I felt an intense constriction around my entire body, followed by what I can only describe as a melting into vastness around me, an oceanic feeling of being dissolved in a void. In addition to the physical sensations, I felt tremendous waves of emotions moving through my being. The emotiona were indeterminable in nature. It felt like joy, sorrow, anger, and relief all wrapped into one. I currently feel that this emotional release may not have been tied to any particular incident or activity, rather it was simply stored emotional energy that took advantage of this opportunity to find release. C.P
About being a sitter:
I sat first during the workshop. I was immediately in awe of the power running through my partner. I was deeply humbled, grateful and honored to be caring for my friend going through such a transformational process. Shelley
Also, being in the same room with other people who all tap into their own journeys make this work sacred. The energies, the rising voices in the room, having a chance to support and sit for a partner and being of help to someone who is healing herself is incredibly amazing. I can't wait for my next time!" Anonymous
'My experiences with Holotropic Breathwork, both during, and after the sessions have been generally positive... I have experienced pure bliss consciousness, fish consciousness, I saw through the eyes of a wolf, that of a protector. Waves of sorrow, both biographical and universal gave rise to streams of tears and vocal wails. Insights into the realm of male and female nature.Lots of chipping away at something, I'm not sure what. During my last breathwork I felt as though I was giving birth to my inner-healer. Back home I have a general feeling of well being and my creative endeavors are rewarding..." Anonymous
"What a gift it is to breathe unhindered. I felt like the magic of life that I have been searching for my whole life, has been with me all along in the treasure of breathing" shelley.
I found my body feeling the need to move; dancing on my back, shaking, arching, stretching, and bending. All seemed to be happening to my body without my conscious intention of their occurring. At one point I felt an intense constriction around my entire body, followed by what I can only describe as a melting into vastness around me, an oceanic feeling of being dissolved in a void. In addition to the physical sensations, I felt tremendous waves of emotions moving through my being. The emotiona were indeterminable in nature. It felt like joy, sorrow, anger, and relief all wrapped into one. I currently feel that this emotional release may not have been tied to any particular incident or activity, rather it was simply stored emotional energy that took advantage of this opportunity to find release. C.P
About being a sitter:
I sat first during the workshop. I was immediately in awe of the power running through my partner. I was deeply humbled, grateful and honored to be caring for my friend going through such a transformational process. Shelley
Also, being in the same room with other people who all tap into their own journeys make this work sacred. The energies, the rising voices in the room, having a chance to support and sit for a partner and being of help to someone who is healing herself is incredibly amazing. I can't wait for my next time!" Anonymous