Lia Feraren
I am a Somatic Experiencing trauma therapist and mindfulness practitioner. I coach companies in crisis and offer therapy to individual adults, couples, children and teens.
Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, it was the tech wave of the ’90s that brought me to the United States and Europe. Involved in pastoral group work with communities since my teen years, I took formal psychology classes and retrained as a therapist after my children were born.
I offer therapy and coaching sessions in English and German and have a good listening fluency in French, Spanish and Tagalog. My mindfulness practice and my background in Buddhist psychology are from the zen tradition of Plum Village and Thich Nhat Hanh.
I live in Munich with my two children. My resources are the sea, the mountains, my meditation practice, and the humor of my family. I enjoy modern art and science-fiction and like to ski, write and dance.
Engagements
Alongside my coaching and therapy practice, I give workshops on mindfulness, stress and crises and hold the following engagements:
Community Advisor
We Rise Together
Munich English-speaking Trauma Support Group
Munich Project Head
Expressive Sandwork for Refugee Children
International Association for Expressive Sandwork
Projects 2017 and 2018. Do contact me if you would like to start a new project.
Certifications
Somatic Experiencing (Dr. Peter Levine), cert. 2017, European Association for Somatic Experiencing. Member, Somatic Experiencing Deutschland e.V.
Sandplay Therapy (Dora Kalff and C. G. Jung), certification ongoing with the Deutsche Gesselschaft für Sandspieltherapie and International Society for Sandplay Therapy
Attachment-based Psychotherapy in pre-natal development and for children, adolescents and adults (Bowlby et al), cert. 2016, Dr. Karl-Heinz Brisch, Ludwig-Maximillians-University, München
Grief, Joy and The True Self, Somatic Experiencing post-advanced workshop with Dr. Peter Levine on grief, trauma and meaning, 2024, Dr. Peter Levine, Bad Herrenalb
Tune In To Children – Self-Regulation, Resilience and Somatic Experiencing for Children (Alé Duarte), cert. 2019, Alé Duarte
Somatic Experiencing For Children (Maggie Kline and Dr. Peter Levine), cert. 2016, Maggie Kline
Couples Therapy with Somatic Experiencing, 2021 under Beat and Nelli Eichl-Goetschel
Integrative Coaching and Humanistic Therapy, cert. 2013
State License to practice psychotherapy – Heilpraktikerin auf dem Gebiet der Psychotherapie, May 2013, Referat für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Landeshauptstadt München
I hold a B.S. Computer Science honors degree from Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines and an MBA from INSEAD, France. My previous work experience includes IT and business consulting, tech start-ups, the United Nations and the academe.
Intention
My goal is to help you find clarity, heal patterns, mourn loss, facilitate transformation and cultivate goodness.
I am specialized in trauma, stress, and nervous system regulation. My work is resource-based and focused on the integration of transformation. I work with individuals and companies to prevent burn-out and foster stability and nervous system health.
The therapy methods that I use are Somatic Experiencing, Sandplay Therapy, humanistic counseling, Attachment Therapy, and Buddhist psychology.
This combination helps me understand you as a whole across verbal narrative, body language, personal imagery, mental concepts, emotional expression, systemic structures and awareness.
This methods toolkit is unique. My personal background too.
Ultimately, my wish for these methods is that they and my person provide a safe and skilled place for you and your process.