#67 | Illuminating The Symphony of Self - Trevor Yelich
“In therapy, we shift from the story to the storyteller, focusing on the living story embodied in the present moment.”
My guest today is Trevor Yelich, an alternative therapist specializing in breathwork, somatic psychotherapeutics and trauma work. He is the founder of Numa Somatics and the Numa Mystery School.
This episode was recorded immediately after I completed an in-person training with Trevor in psychotherapeutics, which I very much enjoyed. Many of the principles and practices I found quite complementary to my existing experience facilitating groups, and I found Trevor to be highly intelligent, warm and compassionate.
In this episode, Trevor shares his take on navigating a transformative phase of life, characterized by shifts in work, relationships, and self-awareness. He delves into the concept of the Chiron return, its significance in astrology, and how it has impacted his journey as a healer.
Trevor also explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelic experiences, the dynamics of embodying both masculine and feminine energies, and the Hakomi principle of organicity - emphasizing the natural, self-organizing processes that guide personal and collective healing through deep, empathetic connections.
LINKS
SHOW NOTES
Trevor's Transition: Trevor describes being in a liminal period in Calgary, Alberta, experiencing significant changes and many unknowns in his life, from relationships to work.
Sense of Possibility: Despite the uncertainties, Trevor feels a strong sense of possibility and potential unfolding, trusting the process even without complete clarity.
Chiron Return: Trevor is approaching his 51st birthday, marking his Chiron return, a significant astrological event related to the wounded healer archetype, bringing energetic shifts and introspection.
Therapy as Exploration: Trevor and Ian discuss the nature of therapy, emphasizing it as a process of creating a safe and brave container to explore underlying frameworks of perception and reality, rather than just seeking to fix or soothe symptoms.
Therapy Metaphor: Trevor uses the metaphor of a house to explain therapy, involving both significant renovations and ongoing maintenance tasks to continually adjust and improve one's relationship with life.
Social Perceptions of Therapy: They discuss societal perceptions of therapy, highlighting how it is often seen as a weakness or a sign of being broken, and the importance of shifting this view towards understanding therapy as a skill for being human.
Impact of Childhood Experiences: Trevor reflects on how his upbringing, particularly the lack of emotional support and reconciliation after punishment, influenced his path into therapy and his approach to helping others build healthier relationships.
Emergence and Mindfulness: Trevor explains the concept of emergence in therapy, where by shifting focus and creating space around experiences, new possibilities and ways of relating can spontaneously arise.
Psychedelic Therapy: The discussion touches on the rise of psychedelic therapy, with Trevor highlighting the benefits of non-ordinary states of consciousness in creating deeper therapeutic relationships and transformative experiences.
Shape-shifting in Therapy: Trevor talks about the role of the therapist as a shape-shifter, adapting to the needs of the client and resonating with their experiences to facilitate deeper healing and transformation.
Unity and Differentiation: The concept of unity in therapy is explored, emphasizing the importance of differentiation and healthy relationships between different parts of oneself and others, as opposed to binary opposition.
Collective Healing: They discuss the ripple effect of individual healing on the collective, underscoring the importance of relational skills and co-regulation in fostering healthier, emotionally intelligent communities.
