The ICM Blog
Redefine Therapy

Our work and our mission is to redefine therapy and our conversations are about the art and practice of healing. This blog was launched in May 2018 by Dr. Jamie Marich, affiliates, and friends.

  Originally published on the Dancing Mindfulness Expressive Arts Therapy Blog, 5/4/2017 If you’ve followed Dancing Mindfulness and other projects connected to my Institute for Creative Mindfulness work, you’ve likely encountered the hashtag #redefinetherapy. What started as a book chapter and a hashtag is quickly turning into a movement that you

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Experiences with EMDR as a survivor of ritual abuse.

I did not start EMDR as a survivor of RAMCOA (ritual abuse, mind control and organised abuse). Rather, EMDR was an intervention that facilitated the exposure of a shocking truth. I had been in therapy for some time when I began to have suspicions that sexual abuse was part of

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Out From Hiding

(CONTENT WARNING: This contains personal recollections of childhood sexual abuse, fat shaming, and eating disorders.) A few years ago, I decided it was time for a new therapist.  Naturally, that led to the painful experience of retelling my story of abuse, neglect, addiction, and poor decisions.  The more I spoke,

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As Is

Hey you.  Yes you. I see you.   It’s ok if you’re not ready to talk.  I hope it’s ok for me to share a few thoughts… I see that beautiful soul of yours, and I want you to know that you are SO incredibly loved. You were born enough. And I am

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A Message About Our Special Course with Dr. Lalich

Taking a stand against Donald Trump as a public facing therapist and therapeutic trainer is not new to me and to my company, The Institute for Creative Mindfulness. As someone who grew up very conservative (with one parent even espousing many of the talking points of Christian nationalism during our

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A Lullaby for Jason

I’ve written several pieces inspired by my friend Jason Fair on this blog. You can check out Merry Christmas, Jason, published just two weeks after his death by suicide in 2019. As Jason fuels so much of my passion for advocacy, I also penned An Open Letter to Therapists on

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Imaginary Friends

When we are called imaginary, we reappear. When we are called real, we disappear. When no one arrives, we appear. When no one calls, a lonely tear. When one cannot see us, we can only stare. When not heard, we become the bear. When intoxicated, we can drive. When in

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Dear Christian Therapists

In a spiritual abuse course that I taught last week online, many survivors poured out their hearts and souls about how much their respective churches traumatize them. Many of these folks identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise queer. They shared how much hearing a definition of spiritual abuse

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Freedom is What You Do With What Has Been Done To You

As I share this reflection with the world on my twenty-second sobriety birthday, I recognize that many folks in the trauma recovery movement may take issue with it. I’ve/we’ve been delighted to see increasing attention paid to trauma in the mental health and addiction fields. And in many circumstances the

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