Bringing the Body back into Psychotherapy.
Crying
Crying. Oh, it's been maligned. And make no mistake about it, it's been genderized and pathologized. Let's see if we can find another way with it. Crying is a release of emotion that let's the person know quite clearly that their body can't hold this feeling in any more. It's a catharsis unlike any other that relieves the body of intense pressure and pain and HEALS in so many different w...
Labels
One of the fundamental qualities about language is the ability to label an event or an object with a word. There is also the dimension that the word and the thing eventually become cohabiters of the same level of importance in the mind. Assigned meanings are essential for a human to build subsets of realities and to build complex realities based on experience. Eventually, you have to become aware ...
Who is that in the mirror
The visual field for human beings is the only place where they find a relatively unfiltered reflection of themselves. Mirrors for many people are a place to connect with themselves, though it's not always a good connection and it can be hard to look in the mirror for any length of time without being accused of being a narcissist. But, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. What we think ...
What’s in your Name
Your name is a word that you've heard many times. It was imprinted and anchored to you by your parents, teachers, and friends for years and years. How it's been said throughout your life often shapes how you respond to it. There have been people in your life who may have said your name sweetly and when someone new says it that way it brings back a taste of that sugar. Think back to a time when ...
Pulling Life into You-Rows
This is part of the Somatics in the Gym blogs. A bit of context first. The back on mammals is a vulnerable place, it's the part that is exposed during an attack.  So as a result the animal is constantly trying to keep things in front of it if it senses danger. The belly is protected by the curling of the body. This is great if you walk on four legs. For us humans, because we walk on two leg...

Couples Work

Couples have a unique perspective on life. They have the opportunity to have a deep relationship with a partner while they continue to deepen their experience of themselves. The issues that emerge for couples therefore are two fold, one set of issues with the partner, and then another set with the self. I’ve seen that what a couple often needs is a moment of clarity around making the distinctions between these two areas.
The work I do with couples is about the dynamic changes that being together manifests as well as finding a common ground for clarity and how to proceed into the future. Couples often think that the love between them should be enough to sustain their relationship and that they should just be able to be comfortable with that. Many couples frequently settle for co-existing with a multitude of compromises that do not foster a deeper relating. The reality is that most people need to do some work for their relationship to thrive.
The benefits of doing couples work is that there is the therapist there who is holding the space for livable agreements to be worked out, to have a third neutral party to reflect the dynamics of the couple, and to have time set aside for the necessary integration of two lives. We can explore those issues that are fundamental to couples and to craft a deeper more loving relationship for both of you.

Contact Me

Oak Creek Counseling Center
999 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
1-888-637-7404 Ext. 55

Kurt Wagner, M.A.
Marriage Family Therapist Intern #61754
Supervised by:
Stephen Polin, M.A., MFT License #7861

Email Kurt

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