Trauma-Informed Plant Medicine Facilitation with Atira Tan
Atira Tan is currently a PhD candidate in Expressive Arts Research at the European Graduate School in Switzerland. She possesses an MA in Art Therapy, has a background in Transpersonal Art Therapy and Holistic Counseling, and is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner with decades of training in various somatic trauma-informed approaches. Atira worked as a trauma-informed integration specialist in retreat centers such as the Temple of the Way of Light, and she is currently the head of Ayahuasca integration at AYA Healing Retreats.
In this episode, Atira discusses the concept of trauma-informed therapy, and how facilitators can respect and support participants in healing circles. As everyone experiences traumas in their lives differently, Atira discusses how trauma can impact an individual’s experience in healing circles. She also establishes the importance of communication between the facilitator and participants.
Atira’s upcoming workshop covers several important topics to help teach facilitators how to integrate trauma-informed principles into their ceremonies. There will be a large focus on the core of the essentials of trauma and how to intervene. Some other topics that will be discussed include boundaries, safety, and consent during ceremonies, how trauma shows up in the body, identifying trauma and trauma recovery, and the cross overs of shamanism and mental health.
In this episode:
Explaining the definition and principles of trauma-informed therapy
The importance of a facilitator to prepare and have a medical intake in healing circles.
What may trigger people in a plant circle and how to support them
Tips on how we can soften the collective trauma of Covid-19
Quotes:
“Trauma happens when there is a boundary violation.” [10:07]
“As part of the trauma-informed lens, facilitators need to kind of think about what's important to be communicated first.” [19:59]
“Part of giving people's choice and agency is really about consent.” [22:10]