Noah Karrasch - Getting Better at Getting People Better: Creating Successful Therapeutic Relationships

Understanding healing at its many levels, the physical, psychological, spiritual, and experiential, is Noahs lifes work. With this book, he hopes to coax and challenge caregivers to take a deeper look into their own lives and practice styles so that they may more readily create an extraordinary healing environment and presence that prompts and supports their patients transition to better health.

M. Chris Link, M.D., Integrative Medicine Practitioner, Jefferson City, MO

Noah asks the question, Can we make the client feel safe? The creation of the therapeutic space is perhaps one of the greatest skills necessary in the bodyworkers repertoire but, bizarrely, it is also one so very rarely taught. This text is dense with information but written with accessibility in mindmirroring Noahs own approach to his therapyapproachable, supportive and clear, but with a depth of understanding at its core. It will open the door to many explorations and give the mindful therapist the necessary tools to feel comfortable in creating that opportunity, the beautiful but so rare space, in which we can all feel contained, secure and free to explore the deeper relationship with our experiences, our bodies, and our minds (or our bodymindcore). I thoroughly recommend Noahs informed intuitive approach to anyone wishing to hone their skills in working with their clients in resolving issues with safety and integrity.

James Earls, KMI instructor and author of Fascial Release for Structural Balance , Ireland

This book challenges us to shift our thinking about the traditional, paternal model of the healing relationship, moving to a deeper and more interconnected perspective. Noah acknowledges the complex personal and interpersonal dynamics involved and guides us to the realization that true healing is only possible in a relationship of collaboration and mutuality. This is an important work that should be considered required reading for any healing profession.

Jeff Tarrant, Ph.D., BCN, licensed psychologist, national speaker and qigong instructor, Columbia, MO

Getting Better at Getting People Better is a graceful conversation that expands the notions: practitioner/patron; clinician/client; doctor/patient. Using threads of awareness, Noah weaves a tapestry illuminating trauma and resilience as well as our role as we interact with others. It encourages us to mirror health and breathe.

Patricia Pike, speech pathologist, biofeedback/guided imagery practitioner, Springfield, MO

I could perceive and feel the authors well-expressed courage and passion when bringing his critical perception of the interrelationship between practitionerclient. I really like the idea of the two-way system of health, involving both practitioner and client/patron/patient. This book conveys the whole concept very well, with plenty of arguments to make one think or even re-think!

Valeria Ferriera, D.O., London

The author gives readers THE tooltheir own self!and explains how to manage, balance and move the energy within. This was a pleasant read for me, inspiring and uplifting too. There is a certain ease to the flow, I did not feel stuck or have to ponder on what was meant, everything was so clear. Clarity in sharing knowledge is such a gleaming quality.

Dr. Rupali Jeswal, Healthcare, Rehabilitation and Reintegration, Mumbai, India

This book is refreshing, and its making me look hard at myself as a bodyworker. It has a lot of information that is pertinent for people who give their life to help others but want more than just a how-to book, and want to ponder how perhaps our connection to something more than ourselves is part of the process.

Brenda Messling, licensed massage therapist, massage instructor, Fayetteville, AR

A must-read for healing professionals interested in creating ethical and reflexive partnerships with their patients. It focuses on the importance of compassionate relationships and self-awareness in providing alternative therapies.

Stephanie Norander, Ph.D., Communication, Springfield, MO

There is a real call for therapists and counselors to understand the relationship between the emotional body and the physical body, and Noah Karrasch has written a book to help us do just that. Based on his clinical experience and his commitment to helping his clients heal and his students become more effective practitioners, Karrasch has produced an invaluable book, full of practical and enlightening guidance for therapists wanting to learn more about the mind/body connection.

Elizabeth Heren, psychotherapist and well-being specialist, London

Karrasch invites us to go inside and examine the integrity of the four templeshead, heart, gut and groin, of both healing partners. He challenges us to return to the fundamental breath; to complete the inspiration and be aware of the intention of both in and out breaths, looking for that continuous space where health resides. He also suggests how changing words can be pertinent and relevantToo Much Information Syndrome as a substitute for Trauma, and Emotion seen as energy in motion.

Miriam Pessoa Braga, psychotherapist, advanced certified Rolfer, Pilates instructor, Brasilia, Brazil

The perspective Noah brings in this book is fascinating as it comes from the heart and combines practical exercises, contemporary theoretical references and a genuine spirit to try to help those who help. Reading this book and applying the suggested approaches in practice brings the healing process to another level.

Pedro Prado, Ph.D., psychotherapist and Somatic Experiencing, Advanced Rolfing and Rolf Movement Instructor, Brazil

by the same author

Freeing Emotions and Energy Through Myofascial Release

Foreword by C. Norman Shealy

ISBN 978 1 84819 085 6

eISBN 978 0 85701 065 0

Meet Your Body

CORE Bodywork and Rolfing Tools to Release Bodymindcore Trauma

Illustrated by Lovella Lindsey Norrell

ISBN 978 1 84819 016 0

eISBN 978 0 85701 000 1

GETTING BETTER AT GETTING PEOPLE BETTER

Creating Successful Therapeutic Relationships

Noah Karrasch

LONDON AND PHILADELPHIA

from Porges, reprinted by kind permission of Stephen Porges.

Quote on p. from Haines 2013, reprinted by kind permission of Steve Haines.

Quotes on p. from Tolle 2006, reprinted by kind permission of Sounds True.

Quotes on p. from Taylor 1995, reprinted by kind permission of Kylea Taylor.

Quotes on p. from Listening to Inner Wisdom by Shakti Gawain, from Healers on Healing , edited by Richard Carlson and Benjamin Shield, copyright 1989 by Richard Carlson and Benjamin Shield. Used by permission of Jeremy P. Tarcher, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

Quote on p. Books, copyright 2010 by Peter A. Levine. Reprinted by permission of publisher.

Quotes on p. from Care of the Soul in Medicine by Thomas Moore, copyright 2010. Reprinted by permission of Hay House, Inc., Carlsbad, CA.

Quote on p. permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

Quote on p. from Buckner 2014, reprinted by kind permission of Rod Buckner.

Quote on p. from Forni 2002, reprinted by kind permission of Pier Forni.

Quote on p. from Steenkamp 2002, reprinted by kind permission of Jo Steenkamp.

First published in 2015

by Singing Dragon

an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers

73 Collier Street

London N1 9BE, UK

and

400 Market Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.singingdragon.com

Copyright Noah Karrasch 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owners written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.