Modalities

Over the last two decades, I have trained in multiple therapeutic and healing modalities that have influenced who I am as a therapist and healer.

I am a certified Relational Life Therapist (RLT) having studied with Terry Real, the founder of RLT, for over six years. Relational Life Therapy is a proactive form of counseling that empowers clients to engage in healthy, generous, and non-violent relationships. The practices of Relational Life Therapy support individuals and couples in skillfully resolving conflicts, developing personal accountability, and deepening love and respect in all aspects of one’s relationship and life. The guiding principles of Relational Life Therapy form a foundation for my work with couples as well as with individual clients dealing with relational issues.

Relationships are central to a meaningful and joyful life, a wonderful relationship opens our heart and keeps us alive and vibrant. Learning to live well in relationship can bring us true healing. ~ Andrea Quast-Mortello

I am a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), a body-oriented approach created by Dr. Peter A. Levine for healing trauma and other stress disorders. Somatic Experiencing offers a framework for accessing the trauma reactions of fight, flight or freeze, and provides clinical tools for resolving these painful, recurring, and debilitating states. The approach of Somatic Experiencing is gentle, supporting clients in developing tolerance for difficult feelings and emotions and experiencing coherence and balance through freeing energy in the nervous system. Through unlocking thwarted energy, Somatic Experiencing can bring a sense of ease, flexibility, and resilience to our lives.

SE Touch (Body Work) is one aspect of Somatic Experiencing that allows the client to lie down on the massage table, while the practitioner works to reduce trauma and balance the autonomic nervous system. The goal is to support the body in becoming more fluid and regulated.

Complementing my expertise in embodied trauma work is my training in Pia Mellody’s Post Induction Therapy Model (PIT), which I received from one of Pia’s top students, Jan Bergstrum. The goal of Post Induction Therapy is to heal patterns of co-dependence and recover lost and wounded parts of the self resulting from childhood trauma. In essence, this approach involves discharging the emotions left from painful childhood experiences and supporting clients in the process of developing a functional adult and learning to re-parent oneself.

Sound Healing is based on the principle that all matter, and most importantly, the cells in our bodies, vibrates to a precise frequency when healthy. When the body lacks harmony and balance, resonant vibration, rhythms, and tones can help balance the nervous system to bring body and mind into alignment. Using crystal bowls and other vibrational instruments during a healing session can support a sense of well-being, vibrancy, and balance. I typically combine this modality with SE Touch.