Carolyn Zantis

A conversation with Carolyn Zantis

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  The perception from a young age that human beings live on the surface of themselves and so suffer from their own unconsciousness. I wanted to reach inside to soothe the hurt, and help people to see their beautiful selves.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  Early influences were the Eastern spiritual philosophies, particularly Buddhism. I learned from the Buddhists that how we think and behave have influence in the world. That we can effect change through our own individual efforts. As simple as a smile making a difference to a stranger's day. How powerful we can be in our intentions.
  I had the modelling of both parents being people who cared about others. They looked after people in need and suffering and thinking of other's wellbeing was a guiding value in our family, My mother was a seeker of spiritual truth, exploring way beyond the bounds of her religious inheritance. She was a powerful example of the human drive to authenticity and wholeness which I later encountered in the Jungian philosophy.
  The humanistic and transpersonal psychologies resonated with my urging towards an holistic appreciation of the human being. Anthroposophy presented a spiritual foundation for the experience of being human and this complimented the perspective of the Process Oriented approach of Arnold Mindell which acknowledges different levels of reality, doesn't pathologize peoples experience and works to find the meaning inherent in the disturbance. That disturbance is purposeful is central to this approach,
  More recently I have encountered a method of working with trauma called TRTP that incorporates many of the learnings that are working to support people in their quest for wholeness, as well as drawing on the ground breaking contributions towards our understanding of being human offered by neuroscience and epigenetics. What stands this method apart is how it has been structured by the wisdom of it's founder Judith Richards.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  After working as a therapist for many years I came to the realisation that no matter how much inner work a person does to bring insight into their disturbances and profound change to their lives, they can still be triggered by life events that can send them hurtling backwards into their pain patterns.
  Progress made can be impeded by trauma. I learned from the trauma theorists Bessel van der Kolk and Peter Levine that trauma lives in the body, so the body has to know that the trauma is over. Also that one of the keys to healing trauma is for the person to regain power and control over the traumatic event. The Richards Trauma Process is a deceptively simple yet very powerful method for sustainable change.
  
  
  

• What methods do you use?

  Specifically, Process Oriented Psychology and TRTP - The Richard's Trauma Process.
  Both these methods incorporate various evidence-based modalities as well as introducing innovative techniques that stand them apart.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

  With Process Oriented Psychology while it does depend on what the client is working with, a connection with the deeper processes of their disturbance is very likely to happen early in the work, often in the first session. The therapists close observation of the client's signals leads them to these deeper processes fairly quickly so that these can then be addressed with different approaches. Typically the clients I work with using Process Oriented Psychology achieve some level of significant shift and expanded awareness by the 6th session.
  With TRTP significant change can be achieved in 3 to 4 sessions. This is one of the key values of this method - that profound shifts in the trauma experience can be made by following this comprehensive, step-by-step process which resolves extreme trauma and trauma-related issues - anxiety, depression, fears and phobias. It achieves results quickly, effectively and safely.

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Learning to be present to my own process (through working in a Process Oriented way), and to respect it's message is a powerful tool for working with life's challenges. I don't waste much time in the victim mode since learning how to work this way.
  This also means I can be available to understanding and not reacting to others in my life when they become destabilised by life events and act in ways that can create conflict. This way I can contribute to a different way of seeing that can help to navigate through seemingly overwhelming circumstances.
  Perhaps biggest of all wise learnings for me has been to accept every aspect of who I am, and to consciously work with the parts I dislike because they have important messages for how I can live my authentic self.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  I love walking with people who are choosing to grow themselves. It is those clients who come with the intention to do the work towards changing unhelpful patterns who make this work exciting and rewarding. I feel honoured to accompany them in this way.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Oh yes!!
  And if I'm following my process and realise I need to pull back and be quiet, or go within, I make that happen.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

  Trauma. Its everywhere in so many peoples histories and current lives.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  Sooo many inspirations.
  I gravitate to books and films that celebrate the individual's courage to stand for justice and humane values, even at the risk of social or personal ostracism. Where faithfulness in the inherent goodness that is within human beings is explored. Music draws us into connection with our deeper selves, our joys, our wildness and our despair, and I love too many musical genres to name any in particular. Having said that, the poetic wisdom of rock poets of my youth have had big influence - Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stephens, Lennon & Macartney, Joni Mitchell.
  Various writings of Buddhist wise people, 'In an Unspoken Voice' by Peter Levine, 'The Body Keeps the Score' by Bessel van de Kolk, 'A Path Made By Walking' by Julie Diamond are influential books in my learning towards becoming a therapist.