S7e12: Dorothy Holden – Let Somatic Knowing Guide Your Life
Dorothy Holden, beloved Hoffman teacher and coach, did the Hoffman Process in 2004 and became a teacher in 2007. In this conversation with Drew, Dorothy shares her journey from the reactive patterns she learned as a child to the wisdom she's developed over the years of serving others and teaching the Process. Growing up, Dorothy was the 3rd of 5 kids and the only girl. Her home life was stable. At the same time, there were no rules to speak of, which could be both fun and very chaotic. At a very early age, Dorothy developed a pattern of self-responsibility and learned to take care of herself. And, through this, she developed a sense of rigidity and judgment. As a deep core reactive pattern, this has both helped her and hindered her in her life. After doing the deep healing work of the Process, Dorothy's main takeaway was she fell in love with herself, without reservation. Dorothy speaks of what she's learned from teaching over 100 Processes. She helps her students release fear and anxiety-based resistance to go deeper into their Process so they can drop into their essential nature during this transformative week. Dorothy shares about how to continue practices consciously so that life doesn't get in the way. Finally, she speaks to the power of somatic knowing as an embodied sense. This knowing can guide our lives, as is often explained through the core Hoffman tool, Be-Do-Have. More about Dorothy Holden: Dorothy Holden is a Registered Clinical Counselor with a therapy practice that specializes in helping people navigate transitions and find meaning in their lives. She strives to support each person on their unique journey toward self-awareness and personal fulfillment. Dorothy has an MS in Counseling Psychology (University of Calgary), a B-Ed (Dalhousie University), and a BA in Psychology (McGill University). She lives in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. Dorothy has supported hundreds of Olympic and national athletes in Canada with personal development and career planning. She also volunteers as a counselor and support group facilitator for an integrative cancer care agency. In Dorothy's own words: I love teaching the Hoffman Process and other Hoffman programs. The Hoffman vision is creating world peace, one person at a time.” I live in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia with my husband, who is a retired lawyer and a Hoffman graduate. We have 2 adult children and 4 grandchildren. Our daughter’s family lives near us, so I get lots of opportunities to chase those rascals around. Our son has just moved his family to Switzerland, and so we are learning how to stay connected while living on different continents. I am an active hiker, swimmer, reader, and traveler, and still have a small private practice as a therapist. My passion is supporting people in navigating the transitions in their lives…including health, relationship, and career issues. As mentioned in this episode: White Sulphur Springs: For over two decades, the Hoffman Process was held in St. Helena at White Sulphur Springs. The retreat site burned in the Glass fire of 2020. The Hoffman Process retreat site was relocated to our current home in Petaluma, CA. Read a love letter from White Sulphur Springs written in the early days of the pandemic. Calgary, Alberta, Canada • University of Calgary Right Livelihood: "According to the Buddha’s teachings, Right Livelihood is a way to earn a living that doesn’t harm others or oneself. In defining Right Livelihood, the Buddha named five types of businesses that lay people should not engage in." Read more Shifting perspective Canadian Olympic and national athletes. The San Juan Islands Hoffman terminology mentioned in this episode: