Mary Siegel

Practice for Unitive Psychotherapy, Coaching and Marriage Counselling in Rotterdam center

We all want to be happy.

Unfortunately it's not always easy.

Our happiness can be blocked by our present life experiences, by our past, by unconscious behavior and blind spots. It is possible to become aware of our behavior by going into therapy. Awareness is the first step to freedom. If we don't know what we're doing, we can't change our behavior. Bringing awareness into behavioral change can be a long journey.

We are all born with natural abilities and talents, good qualities and limitations. The family that we come from has a profound influence on us. That influence is often a mixture of positive things and ways of behaving that result in unrealistic expectations. We all bring from our family ways of thinking and expectations that don't always translate well in the outside world, or in fact, suit us an the individual that we are. Therefore we long for our own Authentic Life. This demands courage, attention and energy.

My training was in Unitive Psychotherapy, which was developed by Jacob Stattman, who was an American from Chicago. The techniques I employ are body oriented therapy, guided fantasy, gestallt therapy, humor, Buddhist meditation and healing storytelling. The problems that my clients come to me with vary from relationship problems, psychosomatic complaints, depression, grief and bereavement, body-mind split and the stresses of everyday life. Underneath all of this is a deep longing to live an authentic life.

I support people to open up to the reality of pain and loss, the beginning and ending of experiences and relationships. Together we search for a creative approach that fits your life situation and character. An important part of this is developing compassion for yourself and for others.

I was born in the US in 1950 on the prairie near the Missouri river in Sioux City, Iowa. My ancestors came from five European countries: Romania, Greece, Sweden, Ireland and Germany. When I was 24 years old I had a dream that sent me to Europe. Since 1981 I've been in private practice in the centers of Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

After experiencing several serious illnesses and after suffering profound losses, I have experience with deep transformation in my own life. This makes it possible for me to have a greater understanding of suffering and be able to be with it and work with it.

My practice is comprised of work with adults and couples. I also offer groups in creating rituals for you own life and healing storytelling.

I offer individual therapy, couple counseling, coaching in business and I work as a consultant. As a storyteller I tell stories over the great themes in life; love, transformation, life, death, adventure and the naked truth. These stories I have shared all over the world from Sweden to Iran, from the US to Hong Kong.

We don't always have control over what happens to us in life but we can work on our reactions to the things we've experienced. Ultimately, if we are fortunate, we develop more harmony and acceptance in our relationships and in our own heart.

Member of European Association of Body Psychotherapy
www.eabp.org

Contact

tel. 06 41472093

email mary@marysiegel.com

Eendrachtsstraat 17
3012 XH Rotterdam