The Radix Institute
www.radix.org
2015 Radix Conference
Thursday, August 13 - Sunday, August 16, 2015
at the beautiful Franciscan Life Process Center
Lowell, Michigan
We believe in the sacredness of all life and therefore in the inherent value of each individual human
life. We acknowledge in each person a fundamental desire and potential for personal growth and
accept the development of each person as a unique organic process. - FLPC
This year’s pre-conference workshop on Thursday presents the cutting edge of
research and application of trauma theory from a body-psychotherapy perspective.
Our main conference oﬀers member presentations that range from theory to
science to experiential, all designed to provoke thought, heighten awareness and
develop therapeutic skill and knowledge. As always we hold as central our attention
to pulsation and the energetic process.
Please join us! Re-charge your work. Connect with colleagues. Expand and
breathe in the atmosphere of this lovely retreat center devoted to healthy
development and cultural enrichment. See full brochure with program and
registration information.
Note! Next Radix conference will be in 2017, as USABP holds their conference in 2016.
PRE-CONFERENCE
Thursday, August 13, 9:00 am - 4:00 PM
WORKING WITH TRAUMA, INFORMED BY NEUROSCIENCE
Presenter: Narelle McKenzie
Recent developments and research in neuroscience have indicated that direct attention to
work with the energetic physical body and with emotions is necessary for eﬀective work with
trauma clients. More particularly, that aﬀective embodied experiences are central for change
to occur. As Radix practitioners we have known this experientially for a long time though we
may not have thought about it in relation to trauma.
In this theoretical and experiential workshop we will review the Radix theory of trauma
based on our current theories and practice. Then the perspectives of Allan Schore, MD
(integration of neuroscience with attachment theory), Dan Siegel, MD (interpersonal
neurobiology and the power of the mind to integrate the brain), Stephen Porges, PhD
(Polyvagal Theory and regulation of the autonomic nervous system), and Ed Tronick, PhD
(child social emotional development) will be examined to reflect on how they aﬃrm,
embellish or challenge our approach.
This workshop is open to the psychotherapy and body-psychotherapy community.
Narelle McKenzie is a registered psychologist and somatic
psychotherapist in Melbourne, Australia, with over thirty five years
experience of working in private practice with adults, adolescents,
families, couples and groups. She has a Masters degree in
developmental psychology and extensive experience and training in
psychotherapy.
As part of her private consultancy, Narelle has led experiential and
training workshops in somatic psychotherapy throughout Australia
and in the USA and has taught courses in these areas at undergraduate
and graduate level at universities in Australia.
She is the Director and a Senior Trainer of the Australian Radix
Training Centre and The Radix Institute, USA, which oﬀer national
training programs in Radix body-centered psychotherapy.
For those arriving on Wednesday and staying at the retreat
center, please join us for a relaxing evening, casual supper
and wine. Unwind after your travels and catch up with old
friends…
CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Thursday, Thursday 13, 2015
Thursday, August 13, 6:00 - 9:00 pm: Opening session on Thursday evening gives us the opportunity to
reconnect as a group, catch up personally and professionally, and set intentions for the conference.
Friday, August 14, 2015
(Session times subject to change)
9:00 - 10:45 am: Colorism and the Art and Science of Somatic Therapy with People of
Color
Presenter: Nola Butler-Byrd
Not addressing Colorism as a part of the therapeutic process can leave a client feeling
invisible and unsafe about discussing this significant area of discrimination based on
skin shade. Nola will discuss issues and theories about colorism that relate to body
psychotherapy and the challenges that people of color face in this society related to
colorism and their resilience. This interactive, experiential session will provide you with
opportunities for dialogue and for developing awareness, skills and knowledge to help
address these issues with clients.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm: Embodying the Concept of Self-Image
Presenter: John Weiks
We have multiple self-images - including that image based in shame, and the
compensatory image we show to the public. How does one embody a more true,
healthy image of ourself? Through demonstration and discussion, John will share an
approach that he uses with his clients to help them let go of those self images that do
not serve, and move toward a wholesome picture of themselves. Discussion and
sharing of other methods and techniques to follow.
12:00-12:30 pm:
Presenter: Jim Ross
Jim will present an exercise he calls “the scissor-legs” exercise that quickly brings people back to their body. He
will discuss various applications and targeted use of this versatile intervention.
2:00 - 3:30 pm: When all the theories fail you what do you do?
Presenter: Narelle McKenzie
Using a case study of a young woman with multiple trauma, Narelle will describe challenges of working with
her and how many of the trauma theories just didn’t fit in practice. We will then open up to discussion with
participants about how they have worked with multiple trauma or some other issue when the theories just
haven’t fit their experience of what is happening with the client. And what they actually did that proved
eﬀective.
3:30 - 5:00 pm: Personal Development and Our Character
Facilitator: Melissa Lindsay
What, in addition to your own personal Radix work, has enabled your growth in an ongoing way in your current
life. How does this fit with your current understanding of your character structure? How do these activities serve
you? Are there any aspects of your personal growth that are not being addressed?
7:30 pm: Viewing of A Kind of Hush, a film written and directed by Brian Stirner
Saturday, August 15, 2015
BIOSYNTHESIS – FROM SOURCE TO INTEGRATION OF LIFE
Presenter: Brian Stirner
The body-oriented psychotherapies of Biosynthesis and Radix developed independently on opposite
sides of the Atlantic in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Both systems come out of the lineage of Wilhelm
Reich and share a foundational focus on the body. They also have in common the goal of healthy
pulsation, though there are distinctions in theory and practice as to how this might best be brought
about.
As practitioners know, the term Radix comes from the Latin for ‘root’ or ‘source’, indicating the life
force that gives rise to all movement, feeling and growth. Biosynthesis, on the other hand, comes from the
Greek and interprets as the ‘integration of life’, referring to the embryonic principles of self-formation
which guide organic growth, personal development and spiritual emergence.
The parallels and polarities between the two modalities continue to be reflected today in the distinct
parts of the world where each of them has flourished – in the case of Radix, North America and Australia,
and for Biosynthesis, Europe and Latin America.
In this presentation, I will outline the concepts central to Biosynthesis and with the help of experiential
work attempt to give an embodied sense of the principles involved. It is my hope that by seeing
something of the Biosynthesis approach from a contemporary Radix perspective a new dialogue may
emerge with implications and benefits for both systems.
Concepts explored during the day will include:
• Life Streams – the three germinal layers of the body – endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm – centering,
grounding and facing.
• Life Fields of Experience – closed and open systems, both intrapersonal and interpersonal, and the
significance of essence in relation to growth.
• Polarity - ‘one person’s meat is another person’s poison’, working with opposites, particularly through the
Motoric Fields
• Resources – progression over regression, the ‘landscape of the soul’.
Brian Stirner trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in
London, and worked as an actor in theatre, television and film before
turning to direction. Subsequently, he became Artistic Director of the
Bush Theatre, one of London’s leading new writing venues. It was then
that he began the Radix training, originally with the intention of using it
to expand the emotional resources of actors. On certification in 1992, he
started to work with individuals and small groups as a Radix practitioner. In the late 90s, having written a script about the eﬀects of sexual
abuse on teenage boys abused as children, he was given the opportunity
to direct the film. This required the running down of his Radix practice in
order to give the project his full attention. A Kind of Hush went on to win
three awards at European film festivals. Other film, television and theatre
work followed and - although he was continuing to use his Radix
experience with actors - it was not until 2010 that he returned to his Radix practice. Today he has a small practice in London and runs groups with fellow UK Radix practitioner
Michael Gavin. Since 2011, Brian has been training in Biosynthesis with David Boadella and Silvia
Specht-Boadella in Switzerland.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Sunday 9:00 - 11:00 am: Peer consultation. Thinking about your clients, in what ways was your Radix approach
valuable in progressing the work with the client well, and when, or in what ways, did your Radix orientation
appeared to be ineﬀective. Bring your notes about 1 or 2 clients and be prepared to share in the group. How have
the workshops in this conference assisted you to make sense of some of this?
Sunday 11:00 am - noon: Where do we each go from here? ...and Goodbyes.
The Franciscan Life Process Center
The Franciscan Life Process Center, Lowell Campus, is located at 11650 Downes Street NE Lowell,
Michigan, about 1/2 hour from the Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Transportation to
the retreat center will be by taxi, auto rental or local shuttle services. The retreat center does not have
a shuttle service.
We will be staying and having most meals on the grounds of the retreat center. Room reservations will
be done through The Radix Institute as you register for the conference itself. There are a variety of
meeting rooms, accommodations (single or double rooms), and kitchen facilities. Room arrangements
and meal planning will depend on the number of conference attendees and availability. A drawing
feature of this facility is it’s low room fee of $50 per person per night. To this, we are adding a $15 per
day charge for food (Saturday dinner on your own). There are several of restaurants a short distance
from the retreat center.
Feel free to peruse the Retreat Center’s website at www.lifeprocesscenter.org. You’ll be able to see
some of the rooming options on the “Lodging” option under the “Visual Arts” tab. We’ll be sending
detailed information about the practicalities and logistics in July.
To facilitate planning, we have an Early-Bird Special: reduced rates until May 31st!
Registrations must be received via PayPal or postmarked by May 31st, 2015.
REGISTRATION
Register online: Go directly to www.PayPal.com and email your fee for the
conference and room/meals to [email protected]. Be sure to include the
information requested on the form below, or send the registration in a separate email
or by mail.
Register by Mail: Send your check, payable to The Radix Institute, with the form
below to:
Melissa Lindsay
981 Aalapapa Drive
Kailua, HI 96734
Early-Bird registration deadline: May 31st
Deadline to mail registrations is July 25th.
Questions? Email Melissa at [email protected], or call her at 808-256-3347.
Name:
Address:
Phone: (cell)
Email:
Dietary requests
Room requests
Fees: (US$)
Early Bird
RI Members
❒ Pre-conference +
Main conference
❒ Pre-conference only
❒ Main conference only
❒ Room/Meals
Early Bird
Non-Members
After May 31
Non-members
350
425
425
500
75
100
100
125
275
325
325
375
65/night
65/night
65/night
65/night
Total amount $ ___________
After May 31
RI Members
❒ Check enclosed
❒ Send by PayPal