Among the trees
Entering our emotional landscape feels a lot like walking into the woods:
…there can be uncertainty and confusion, but also excitement and a feeling of calm once we understand that all paths lead to where we need to be. Among the trees you will find that you already have within you everything you need. You know more about yourself than I do. You are the heroine/hero of your own story, but I will be there by your side if you wish me to be listening, cheering you on, holding your hand.
I have three modalities of working
Among the trees:
We go into the Woods where we can play, sit, dance, and talk. You can express yourself and your imagination in whatever way makes you feel comfortable. Me and the surrounding environment will accompany you.
If you need support when words falter we can make use of tales, myths and/or tarot. The imagery of these will provide you with different perspectives and encouragement for the stories you want to tell or rewrite.
I do not know more about you than you do, I am here to walk alongside you and hold your hand if needed.
Moving through the stars
Our starting point is the tarot, where you would choose a major arcana either intuitively or after spending some time in contemplation. We will work, online or in person, with what the card symbolises or represents for you. We will move and talk in order to embody those card attributes you feel you need to bring into your life.
(Working with the outcome of a two card reading is possible but this will be reviewed on a case by case basis.)
Workshops:
During workshops we work face to face as a group with a specific theme throughout. The basis of these themes would come from tarot cards, folktales or myths. First we will look at the story itself and then with how it impacts us personally, taking from the work whatever serves us in order to incorporate it into our lives.
Groups will not be larger than 8 people and you are welcome to make specific enquiries about workshops if you have a theme or a group of people in mind.
About the Work (location, fees, the practical bits)
Location
I’m based in North London so for Among the Trees I have a number of options for woods and parks in this area as I have already vetted them for safety. We can discuss which one of these is most suitable for your needs before we begin. However, I am open to working in other areas of London so feel free to enquire, especially if you have concerns about mobility issues.
For Moving Through the Stars we could work in person, online or in a hybrid manner.
For Workshops it will depend on the subject matter, but these will mainly be carried out in open spaces and, once again we will work in those woods or parks I have already vetted.
Fees
These are on a sliding scale, individually assessed and between £30 to £70, depending on the manner of the session. I do not want payments for the sessions to be a stressful thing. Contact me to discuss it.
Cost for workshops will vary depending on the duration of the sessions and length in time.
Duration and frequency of the sessions
The sessions last 45 minutes, both for online or in person. Although if we are working in the woods we will need a whole hour, to give us enough time to travel from our meeting point to our working area and back.
Book your session
To arrange a meeting or for any other questions please do not hesitate to get in touch. Details in the contact page.
About Me
My name is Monica Osorio Malfitano. I grew up as an only child surrounded by books and my own imagination. During those seemingly unending periods that were part of my early childhood, I occupied myself by playing with the characters of films and stories: I was so immersed in the worlds I created that to me those characters were as real as you and me.
When I grew older the same love for storytelling took me to find alternative ways of expressing myself through dance and theatre.
My childhood was very special but not without its difficulties as I went through many things no one should have to deal with at a young age. When later on in life I was battling with depression I realised that imagination and play had always supported me through my experiences. I had learnt from all of those stories to understand different scenarios and perspectives which became part of my emotional toolkit.
For a number of years now I have been walking in order to improve my mental health. This, along with my background in Dance Movement Psychotherapy, has led me to create this project.
MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy, Goldsmiths University London
“Go out in the woods, go out. If you don’t go out in the woods nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin.”
― Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves