The Sensing Mind Podcast

Healing Trauma, Completing Learning, Making Space for Spirituality - Interview with Mar Barroso

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In this episode, I speak with Mar Barroso, a clinical psychologist, international trainer in somatic psychotherapy, and founder of the Escola de Psicoterapias Corporais Integradas in Portugal. Mar teaches both Bodynamic Analysis and Somatic Experiencing, and is known for her deeply integrative approach to therapy—bridging developmental psychology, somatic awareness, and spirituality.
I met Mar at the First International Conference of Bodynamic in Istanbul (2024), where her clarity and depth left a lasting impression. In this conversation, she shares her insights from over 20 years of experience working with therapists and clients across modalities and cultures.
Together, we explore:
Developmental trauma as missed learning – How therapy can help us complete ego functions that were never fully developed
The role of the body in change – Why working with muscles and posture helps shift emotional, behavioural, and cognitive patterns in a sustainable way
Equal space for body, mind, emotion, and behaviour – Why transformation depends on engaging the whole person, not just insight or sensation
Bodynamic’s unique map of human development – The curriculum of the school of life, which we all go through in the first 12 years of life, even if we do not "graduate" all courses
Spirituality in daily life – How pain and challenges comes from the push of our spirituality
Therapists as teachers – Why developmental repair requires not just love, connection and presence, but also guidance, repetition, and new learning
Mar brings a rare blend of clinical precision, warmth, and spiritual insight to the conversation. Her work is especially relevant for therapists, coaches, and practitioners interested in body-based developmental models, integrated healing, and the relationship between trauma, embodiment, and spiritual growth.
Learn more
📌 Learn More About Mar Barroso: 🔗 https://www.instagram.com/mar_barroso_
📌 Learn More About Bodynamic: 🔗 https://www.bodynamic.com/
💬 If you enjoyed this trailer don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share in your preferred podcast platform!
#MarBarroso #SomaticTherapy #Embodiment #Spirituality #Therapy #SensingMindPodcast #Bodynamic #SensingMindInstitute #ClausSpringborg #SomaticPsychotherapy #DevelopmentalTrauma #EgoFunctions #Embodiment #BodyOrientedTherapy #SomaticExperiencing #PsychologyAndSpirituality #TraumaHealing #BodyMemory #DevelopmentalPsychology #EmotionalRegulation #SpiritualIntegration #SomaticCoaching #EmbodiedSpirituality #TherapeuticPresence #InnerDevelopment #TherapistTraining´#HealingThroughTheBody #NeuroscienceAndTherapy #MuscleMemory #HolisticTherapy #PersonalGrowth

You’re Doing Emotions Wrong – A conversation with Raja Selvam on the Key to Emotional Healing (full interview)

In this episode of The Sensing Mind Podcast, I sit down with Raja Selvam, PhD, a clinical psychologist, researcher, and founder of Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP).
Raja has trained in multiple body-oriented modalities, including Somatic Experiencing and Bodynamic and has over 30 years of experience teaching worldwide. He is also the author of the bestselling book The Practice of Embodying Emotions: A Method for Improving Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes, now available in 12 languages.
I met Raja at the First International Conference of Bodynamic in Istanbul (2024), where he presented his groundbreaking work on embodiment, emotional processing, and expanded models of consciousness. A special thanks to my friend Hadi Mercher for connecting us and making this conversation possible!
In our conversation, we explored:
🔹 What is Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP)? – A method for deepening emotional embodiment to improve cognitive and behavioural outcomes 🔹 The power of expanding awareness of emotions through the body – Why we defend against emotions and how sensing them in more of our body helps processing the information they contain 🔹 The ‘One Body Problem’ – Why Western psychology limits our understanding of the body and how Eastern traditions offer a broader model 🔹 Beyond the Gross Body – Working with subtle bodies, energetic fields, and awareness in therapeutic practice 🔹 Science, phenomenology, and consciousness – Can awareness be studied scientifically? And what can it tell us about the nature of the self? 🔹 The Four Paths to Self-Realization – How different traditions approach deep self-knowledge and spiritual growth
This is an eye-opening conversation for therapists, coaches, researchers, and anyone curious about the intersection of therapy, psychology, somatics, neuroscience, and spirituality.
📌 Learn More About Raja Selvam & Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP): 🔗 https://integralsomaticpsychology.com/
📌 Learn More About Bodynamic: 🔗 https://www.bodynamic.com/
📩 Stay Updated! Sign up for the Sensing Mind Institute Newsletter to be notified when the full interview is released: https://sensingmind.simplero.com/funnel/64129/Sensing_Mind_Podcast
💬 If you enjoyed this trailer, let us know in the comments – and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to support the podcast!
#RajaSelvam #SomaticTherapy #IntegralSomaticPsychology #Embodiment #Neuroscience #Spirituality #Therapy #SensingMindPodcast #Bodynamic #SensingMindInstitute #ClausSpringborg

You’re Doing Emotions Wrong – A conversation with Raja Selvam on the Key to Emotional Healing (preview)

In this episode of The Sensing Mind Podcast, I sit down with Raja Selvam, PhD, a clinical psychologist, researcher, and founder of Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP).
Raja has trained in multiple body-oriented modalities, including Somatic Experiencing and Bodynamic and has over 30 years of experience teaching worldwide. He is also the author of the bestselling book The Practice of Embodying Emotions: A Method for Improving Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes, now available in 12 languages.
I met Raja at the First International Conference of Bodynamic in Istanbul (2024), where he presented his groundbreaking work on embodiment, emotional processing, and expanded models of consciousness. A special thanks to my friend Hadi Mercher for connecting us and making this conversation possible!
In our conversation, we explored:
🔹 What is Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP)? – A method for deepening emotional embodiment to improve cognitive and behavioural outcomes 🔹 The power of expanding awareness of emotions through the body – Why we defend against emotions and how sensing them in more of our body helps processing the information they contain 🔹 The ‘One Body Problem’ – Why Western psychology limits our understanding of the body and how Eastern traditions offer a broader model 🔹 Beyond the Gross Body – Working with subtle bodies, energetic fields, and awareness in therapeutic practice 🔹 Science, phenomenology, and consciousness – Can awareness be studied scientifically? And what can it tell us about the nature of the self? 🔹 The Four Paths to Self-Realization – How different traditions approach deep self-knowledge and spiritual growth
This is an eye-opening conversation for therapists, coaches, researchers, and anyone curious about the intersection of therapy, psychology, somatics, neuroscience, and spirituality.
📌 Learn More About Raja Selvam & Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP): 🔗 https://integralsomaticpsychology.com/
📌 Learn More About Bodynamic: 🔗 https://www.bodynamic.com/
📩 Stay Updated! Sign up for the Sensing Mind Institute Newsletter to be notified when the full interview is released: https://sensingmind.simplero.com/funnel/64129/Sensing_Mind_Podcast
💬 If you enjoyed this trailer, let us know in the comments – and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to support the podcast!
#RajaSelvam #SomaticTherapy #IntegralSomaticPsychology #Embodiment #Neuroscience #Spirituality #Therapy #SensingMindPodcast #Bodynamic #SensingMindInstitute #ClausSpringborg