Naomi Painter
Psychological Counsellor & Somatic Counsellor
I work with English-speakers in Germany who feel trauma corroding their health, work, relationships, and well-being, and are struggling with a vicious inner critic, social anxiety, and out-of-control emotions.
I specialise in:
About me
I am from Oregon, and I now live in Hamburg, Germany. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice providing somatic-based individual and relationship counseling to English-speakers in Germany. I offer individual and couples counseling for adults age 18+. I welcome folks of all genders, sexual orientations, cultures, races, faiths, and abilities who are ready to do the work. I am LGBTQI+ and polyam-friendly.
I am a somatic therapist who loves, LOVES, to help people connect with their actual selves. My favorite folks to work with are the Helpers. Now, that may very well mean folks in a helping profession: case managers, healthcare providers, social workers, educators, and absolutely therapists (I get extra excited about working with CBT therapists. Really, email me!). But I’m also talking about the ones who were always the helpers, taking care of somebody or many somebodies since childhood, maybe siblings, parents, people in the community, whoever. If you feel a sense of obligation to the world, if you feel like you’ve been a servant to your family or your job, if you’re not really sure what YOU want or even if you should be wanting things, I’m so very ready for you to have a place where you get to be taken care of for once.
I speak:
Location:
Media Gallery
Approach
The Hakomi Method: Mindful, Somatic, Experiential Therapy
Hakomi is a form of sensorimotor psychotherapy (also called somatic therapy), consisting of guided self-study that uses mindfulness to access traumatic memories and harmful beliefs encoded in the body - those places in your body where you feel restless, uncomfortable, ill, or just plain “don’t go there.” Together, we will harness the power of mindfulness, creativity, curiosity, and presence to courageously dive in, unearth your pain, and reshape your experience of the world. Hakomi brings together the wisdom of Buddhist and Taoist teachings with modern scientific findings on how the brain changes itself through experience, not just talking about it.
What is somatic therapy like? I start every session with a “check in,” 3-5 minutes of guided mindfulness exercises to get us into the present moment and have you checking in with your body to see what we’ll be working with today. During sessions, we may do “little experiments” to study how your thoughts and bodily sensations work together to keep you stuck. I strive to create a nonjudgmental, supportive, caring atmosphere, and there will be stretches of silent reflection, scary moments of grief and sadness, and times of laughter and surprise in our work together. At the end of each session, I give homework so you can put what you are learning into practice each week and come in prepared for new experiences in session. The point is not to spend years in therapy wondering what you’re doing there - my goal for you is to see transformative and lasting change appear in your life as a result of our work together.
Experience
SPECIALIZED TRAINING Certificate Program, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy The Embody Lab
Experiential Training in Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy Hakomi Institute International
Advanced Master Program on the Treatment of Trauma National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine
Professional Training Program in Mind Body Medicine Dr. James S. Gordon, Center for Mind-Body Medicine
Relational Life Therapy Training Program Terry Real, Relational Life Institute
Polyamory in Therapy Martha Kauppi, Institute for Relational Intimacy
In my pre-private practice days, I have been: a family support worker and program manager for a home visiting program serving first-time parents, a special education paraeducator, a school counselor at the elementary, middle, and high school level, a case manager and program manager for a grant serving veterans experiencing homelessness, and an Aging and Disability case manager.
Education
2400 Direct Supervised Hours, LPC Associate, 2022 Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists
Graduate Certificate, Adult Education, 2015 Portland State University, Oregon
Master of Education, Guidance and Counseling, 2008 Loyola University, Maryland
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, 2004 University of Maryland Baltimore County, Maryland
Services
Intro Call
Individual Session
Individual
Couples Session
Couples
Insurances
