Although Lior and I together created the phrase Transformation through Peak Experience through the experiences we give ourselves, we found our concept to be pleasantly substantiated in Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's well-written book, "FLOW, the Psychology of Optimal Experience."
I share his view on happiness. Csikszentmihalyi states that happiness is not something that is acquired, i.e. well-paying job, beautiful home, vacations, etc., but rather, happiness is a state of being. He describes this state of being as a flow state where we are completely absorbed, encompassed, and blissed out by what it is that we are doing. To give an example from my own life, when I snowboard, I have no thoughts in my mind. Everything is the wind, the air, my friends, the rush.
Csikszentmihalyi's book also speaks to the value of structuring your life to have an abundance of these moments. By adding small, achievable, and measurable challenges into one's flow practices, you create a habit of happiness while building confidence. I apply this concept to much of the homework I assign to my clients.
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Transformation Through Peak Experience During the course of my own healing work I have exposed myself to many, many modes of therapy. I have found value in everything from trans-personal psychology, to Hakomi, to cutting edge energy medicine to somatic based trauma release work. I have always found healing work to be fun; I love the process of self-exploration and obtaining new insights and clarity. What I noticed was that in the course of doing other things that are also fun, such as snowboarding, rollerblading, kayaking, and surfing, I found that insights and clarity often came to me during or directly after challenging myself physically in a fun way. I learned that I instinctively guide myself towards transformation through peak experience.
 Peak experience is an experience in which you feel the most alive, nourished, juicy, and full of life itself. This looks different for every one of my clients. It can be mountain biking, creating the best strawberry jam yet, becoming a grandparent for the first time, or snorkeling Fiji with your partner. My practice aims to create clarity around what is peak experience for you, and with that clarity, create structures so that life becomes more and more fulfilling. I advocate for your pleasure and fulfillment as much as I do for emotional balance and psychological breakthrough.
 Physical Challenge. Also, physical activity helps your body integrate the work you receive from me. Our biological imperative is to stay safe, survive, and procreate. Having intentional good times helps support you while your consciousness adjusts to the mentality of fulfillment and joy. Finally, I believe in the concept of the “three foot toss” – that is, obtaining success in small, measurable increments. Through the exploration of new arenas of living, and successfully mastering big and small challenges, a deep-seated confidence will be constructed. This confidence transfers to other parts of your life. |
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