Interview with Livia Frischer
I help people connect to their soul.
Short Biography
I encountered Psychosynthesis – a psycho-spiritual psychology in 1989, this encounter has deeply transformed me and changed my life in remarkable ways that are still unfolding.
I was part of the founding group of the Swedish Psychosynthesis Institute in Gothenburg Sweden in 1990. Since then my professional life has been dedicated to support people to expand and develop their psychological and spiritual consciousness.
Through out the years I have guided hundreds of people through healing and life transforming processes towards a life of meaning and purpose.
Movement Medicine is a body based practice for consciousness development, entered my life 9 years ago and brought deep healing and spiritual expansion. It helped me bring my work to new soulful heights in a safe and grounded way.
Experience
Working as Psychosynthesis practitioner since 1994
27 years – as Psychosynthesis Therapist
18 years – as a trainer in Psychosynthesis institutes in: Sweden, Holland , Norway
10 years – as a workshops leader of my own transformative workshops
14 years – as a supervisor to Psychosynthesis therapists
7 years – managing integration programs and teaching personal and carrier development for immigrants.
11 years – practicing movement with The School of Movement Medicine in England
3 years – working as a Movement Medicine facilitator integrating it into my practice of Psychosynthesis
My unique integrative method draws on three different approaches to personal and spiritual growth:
Knowledge of psychology and the wisdom of the soul: I am a professional therapist and educator in Psychosynthesis, a psycho-spiritual psychology.
Expertise in the archetypical forces at work in the process of liberation sharpened by years of study and extensive experience in guiding people with the help of these forces.
Understanding and passion for the practice of movement as a way to tap into the wisdom of the body:
I am a trained Movement Medicine facilitator.
How are you different from other therapists and workshop leaders?
First, the psycho-spiritual approach that I bring sets me apart from other therapists. I hold deeply to the idea that all human beings are, in their essence, spiritual beings. Years of working with many people on their path to healing have taught me that true healing is more likely to come from the soul rather than from the understanding mind. I believe that everything we need is already inside us: we just need to tap into those deep inner resources– the soul’s healing power, the wisdom of the heart, the intelligence of the body, and the creative capacity of the mind.
I know from experience that body, heart, mind and soul are strongly interconnected and we cannot discount or ignore the body in psychological and spiritual work. This is why my workshops and retreats include deep work on expanding our consciousness to integrate these four aspects. Deep healing takes place when we begin to restore the interconnectedness of these aspects. I also believe that each and every one of us is connected to a greater, vast, universal consciousness. This “transpersonal” connection, as practitioners call it, is a source of insight, meaning, and boundless energy. Second, as you might expect given my approach, I work with clients differently. I have developed throughout the years a unique integrative method which I call Keys to Liberation
How would you describe what you do?
I work as a psycho-spiritual therapist and workshop leader with people who want to find a deeper meaning in their lives. Through my retreats, workshops, and individual therapy work, I guide and support clients psychologically and spiritually to connect to the soul as they do the work of inner liberation.
I guide them to recognize, release and heal old, unfulfilling patterns from their past; to tap into soulful inner resources and connect to their unique personal gifts and talents as well as the consciousness that binds us all; and to receive and embrace the deep meaning of their personal growth and life’s purpose. I work both psychologically and spiritually, but my students often describe me as “a soul midwife” because of the loving support I provide for the birth of a new spiritual consciousness.
What does it mean to be a ‘soul midwife’?
Based on my years of experience, I deeply believe that the soul’s presence within the psyche is the true healer we all seek. My passion is guiding people to safely expand and deepen their consciousness so they can connect to the healing presence of the soul within.
There is nothing more moving and rewarding for me than helping people connect to the soulful essence of who they truly are and witnessing the profound healing that takes place through this connection. It is like being a midwife who delivers a new life into the world: I feel like ‘a soul midwife’ bringing this new soulful consciousness into people’s own experience and into their hearts.
What kinds of people come to your retreats and workshops?
My clients are seekers on life’s path. They recognize that there is a spiritual aspect to life and inside every human, and they are looking for personal and spiritual growth and development. They have a sense that there is more to them and to life, and they are committed to finding it.
They come because they are determined to no longer stay a slave to old wounds and inhibiting patterns of behavior from the past. They want to free themselves and long to heal and transform the issues that hold them back.
They yearn to restore a sense of wholeness, to feel at home inside and find a life of meaning and purpose.
What are the typical issues they bring up that you can help them with?
My clients often have a tendency to judge themselves too harshly, even though they are often high achievers. In both their professional and private lives, they often put others’ needs before their own until they almost forget what their needs are. As a result, they frequently end up feeling drained of energy, exhausted, and longing for support.
Some feel a certain sense of disconnection from others and they long to experience real belonging and connection. The sense of disconnection comes when old wounds disrupted the internal connecting flow of body- heart- mind- soul.
Others experience unsettling loss of meaning in their life and they look to find a new sense of direction.
How would your clients describe you?
“Livia’s style of communicating is very clear, very involving—she walks the talk, or better yet, she dances the talk and invites you to join in.”
I don’t believe in talking at people: as a trained educator, I have developed ways of explaining even the most complex concepts in ways people with no training in psychology can understand. And my love of storytelling keeps the conversation interesting and full of humor.
“Under Livia’s loving leadership, I could finally break free of very old and persistent patterns in my life.”
I have the deep compassion and patience to meet my clients where they are and lead them to where they want to be. I am willing to go with them to the deep dark places and show them where their light is.
“Livia’s special connection to soul and spirit enabled me to find my own soul connection.”
I am known for creating and holding a very strong energetic space, the kind of space that makes people feel held and safe, which allows for deep inner work to take place. With this support, people can come to realize that they are more than their pasts and more than their thoughts. They see their own light and beauty, and that is a wonder to behold.
Can you say a bit more about the archetypal forces in the process of liberation?
Archetypes and mythology are ancient stories that speak, in a symbolic way, to the collective experiences of humanity, experiences that have existed throughout time. Mythologies and archetypes help us to find meaning and make sense of our own personal story.
I work with the ancient story of liberation – the biblical narrative of the Exodus, which depicts the journey from slavery to freedom. But I frame this story within a psycho-spiritual perspective and an archetypal symbolic approach, not a religious one.
The rich symbolism in this story supports and helps us to make sense of our own past experiences and wounds. It supports us to find more meaning in our own life’s journey. This narrative of liberation helps us understand the struggles, challenges, and opportunities we face as we work with our own inner liberation.
Does your method and retreat really work?
What results can I expect?
In my workshops, I provide clear guidance, empowerment, and inspiration. My integrated method links body, heart, mind, and soul. I create and hold a space that allows for the deep work of healing and self-discovery.
It’s hard to predict what will happen when you heal old wounds, find a connection to your resources and gifts, and embrace your life’s meaning and purpose.
My clients have gone on to experience a sense of greater freedom and light, as they shed and heal old wounds. Many have reported finally finding their purpose and feeling empowered to pursue it.
Most experience more of life’s beauty and connection. For all participants, the result is a more vibrant life, and who wouldn’t want that?
How will it work if I’m not comfortable with the idea of dancing in the retreat?
Life is a dance! Not in the sense of a waltz to be performed, but the sense that we move, we flow, we evolve.
Some of my clients have been at first as reluctant as you might be, but after the first day in the retreat their concerns subside and they enjoy the grounding, the flow that comes from movement, and the liberating experience movement brings.
The Movement Medicine practice we do is a meditative and mindful form of movement, and it comes from within. Your movements are the unique expression of the intelligence of your body as you become more aware of your inner world.
When we can bring movement to the frozen places within our body and psyche, we can melt and release the old and bring new freedom into our inner system. When we move, we ground, and the more grounded we are, the more our spirituality can expand beyond what we thought possible. The movement practices help us become present to ourselves and make more room inside for the consciousness of the soul to land more deeply within. As my Movement Medicine teachers like to say, “If we can move it, we can heal it!”
When you talk about Soul it sounds a bit religious to me, is it?
Spiritual yes, religious no!
This work is both psychological and deeply spiritual, but it is not religious, it is not tied to or stems from any organized religion.
The need for spirituality is a natural human need, it as important as the need for belonging that we all seek to satisfy. As I see it, spirituality is transpersonal, and it exists beyond the confines of religions.
Soul is the spiritual aspect in our psyche; it is the source of healing and nurturing we all long to be connected with. The deep healing that takes place in the retreats is mainly because every participant establishes a direct contact with her/his own soul.
People who reject the notion of spirituality in their life will find that my retreats are probably not for them. But if you are open to the idea that we are all part of something bigger than we are, that we are all connected to what we call the “web of life,” then you will find the retreats fascinating and deeply healing.
I’ve never invested in myself like this before. How can I justify this expense?
If you help other people and invest your energy in them every day, how can you afford not to? When your work is very demanding and often drains you of energy, it is essential that you have a source of inner energy and strength. Simply put, you need to take care of yourself. Can you really say “no” to learning how to replenish your energy?
As a professional, when you work with others, you almost certainly counsel them to invest in themselves to feel healthier and stronger. Investing in your own growth is part of being congruent, having integrity, and walking your talk.
For all of us who seek more in life, the expense of investing in yourself is small compared both to the bitter cost of staying drained and stuck and to the many possibilities that can open before you.
What kind of personality or client do you NOT work well with?
I don’t work well with people who are not open to the idea that there is more to life than what we can see. If someone believes that we are nothing more than just flesh and blood, then it will be very difficult for us to work together. I work deeply and slowly to allow participants to listen deep inside. I know that profound, transformative work requires time and depth. The deeper we go, the higher we can reach.
So if you are looking for a magic pill or a quick fix, then I’m probably not the guide you seek. If people are more interested in staying stuck in the past or insisting that all is negative, then the retreat might be a waste of their time and money.
But if you are interested in loving support to heal issues from the past while moving forward to embrace your gifts and future, then we can do great things together.