Connecting The Dots: Kaiut Yoga, NARM®, And The Wisdom Of The Body

This weekend, while attending Kaiut Yoga sessions in Austin with Ravi Kaiut (and with gratitude to Renae!), I was powerfully reminded of the core principles of NARM® that I use every day in my practice. As I folded my body into the poses and listened to Ravi’s words, a clear connection emerged between moving beyond physical restriction and working with emotional restriction in the nervous system.

The Body Remembers: An Insight from Kaiut Yoga

Ravi remarked on a fundamental human tendency: we move away from discomfort and pain. This avoidance, over time, narrows and restricts our range of motion and capacity in the body.

Ravi noted that even after the original source of pain is gone—say, a replaced hip—the body remembers the adaptive, restricted pattern and perpetuates it, rather than resuming its full, natural range. Ravi encouraged us to feel what was happening in the body, and to work with the sensations elicited while holding positions that both respect the structural design of the joints and challenge its learned restrictions, in support of greater mobility and function.

During the workshop, I encountered sensations in my body that I absolutely would not have experienced otherwise; some moments were painful. I worked with what was happening in my body, trusting Ravi’s guidance of what my joints were designed to handle, and listened to my body’s response. After the sessions, expansion and greater flow were palpable. Moving through the discomfort was purposeful and generated greater mobility, as well as a calm state of connection with my body.

In Kaiut yoga, "Each asana has a specific purpose, all serving as a powerful anchor for a meditative state. With safety, these joint stimuli foster a neurological reconnection between the brain and body, reestablishing lost paths due to injuries and trauma, restoring the body’s mobility.” This emphasis on working within the design and intended function of the body, and re-establishing neurological connections, perfectly parallels the work I do while using NARM® therapy with clients.

Disconnection: The NARM® Perspective

The NARM® approach honors that, as children, we also move away from or disconnect from what is emotionally painful or overwhelming. This adaptation happens so fluidly that there is often limited or no conscious awareness of the disconnection occurring, nor what we are disconnecting from. Similar to how we physically restrict movement to stay within what is comfortable, we initially restrict our emotional experience and awareness. Over time, this narrows our emotional range and sets the stage for more limiting patterns of life experience.

In childhood, restricting or disconnecting from authentic internal experience happens in favor of preserving the essential attachment to our caregivers and/or community. This is a brilliant, adaptive survival strategy—disconnecting from the 'pain' is often the wiser path when expressing an authentic response threatens attachment, acceptance, or belonging.

However, just like the hip that stays restricted after the injury heals, this emotional disconnection becomes a deeply ingrained, automatic pattern. Over time, the movement away from what is emotionally uncomfortable or overwhelming narrows our emotional range and restricts our full connection to our somatic (body) experience.

Restoration and Vitality: The NARM® Invitation

In my work with clients, the therapeutic relationship serves a specific purpose: it creates a secure container that, together with the NARM® framework, provides a powerful invitation to reconnect with what is authentic internally.

Similar to Ravi, I invite clients to be in relationship with what is happening internally. We focus on connecting with authentic sensations experienced in the body (rather than just narratives about what we think we're feeling) and becoming aware of how you relate to those sensations. This process supports reconnection with emotions and increases your capacity for regulation.

Holding the NARM® framework within a secure, non-judgemental relationship allows us to foster connection with deeper emotional states and disrupts the patterns of disconnection that are otherwise perpetuated. This work reinforces your inherent agency and supports increasing possibilities for how you relate to your emotions and yourself. Over time, this practice and self-investment restores access to the vitality, spontaneity, and more expansive range of experience that lies within you.

NARM® therapy is a powerful tool for anyone interested in re-connecting with authentic internal experience and greater emotional capacity—allowing for a deeper relationship with self and others.

If you're ready to explore these entrenched patterns and expand your capacity for life, contact me to schedule a consultation.

Laurie Berson: Sitting With Sensations @ 821 W 11th St

What Makes NARM® Different from Other Therapies

When most people think of therapy, they imagine talking about the past, analyzing childhood memories, or learning coping skills to manage symptoms. While these approaches can be helpful, many find themselves repeating the same patterns despite years of effort. This is where the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM®) offers something profoundly different.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, NARM® doesn’t just revisit the past—it focuses on the here and now, exploring how old survival strategies are still shaping your present experience. It works relationally, which means healing unfolds within a safe, supportive connection, rather than through analysis alone. NARM® is less about fixing and more about uncovering—the hidden ways trauma disconnects us from our authentic self—and gently restoring that connection.

Through this process, clients often experience greater clarity, emotional regulation, and freedom from long-standing patterns. Instead of simply coping, NARM® helps people reconnect with their inner vitality and the ability to live fully. It’s not about re-living the pain of the past—it’s about reclaiming the life that’s possible now.

How to Identify and Change Relationship Patterns

Have you ever wondered why the same frustrations keep showing up in your relationships—whether with a partner, family member, or even a colleague? These recurring experiences aren’t random; they’re often rooted in unconscious patterns formed early in life.

The first step to changing these patterns is noticing them. Pay attention to the situations where you feel stuck or reactive. Do you tend to withdraw when conflict arises? Do you find yourself seeking approval at the expense of your own needs? These repetitive responses are signals of deeper survival strategies developed long ago.

Changing patterns begins with awareness and compassion, not judgment. When we bring curiosity to these moments, we create space to choose something different. This is where therapy, especially NARM®, can be life-changing—because it provides a safe relationship to explore these dynamics and gently experiment with new ways of relating.

Over time, what once felt automatic can shift. You may find yourself setting healthier boundaries, communicating more openly, or feeling less triggered. Healing is not about being “perfect” in relationships—it’s about creating the freedom to respond with more authenticity and connection.

Breaking the Cycle of Generational Trauma

Many of the challenges we face in our lives don’t begin with us. Patterns of disconnection, emotional pain, and survival strategies often stretch back through generations. This is the essence of generational trauma—the invisible inheritance of wounds carried forward in families.

Breaking the cycle starts with awareness. You may notice how your struggles resemble those of your parents or grandparents—whether it’s patterns of silence, anger, self-sacrifice, or unresolved grief. These patterns aren’t signs of weakness; they are survival strategies that helped previous generations endure.

The good news is that cycles can shift. By choosing to engage in healing, you create the possibility of something new—not only for yourself but also for future generations. Therapy becomes a way of honoring the past while no longer being bound by it.

At Heart Minding Therapy, we hold the belief that by tending to your own healing, you ripple change outward. As you reconnect with yourself, you model new ways of relating, opening the door to healthier, more loving relationships—for you, your family, and the generations yet to come.