Deep Feeling, Deep Healing
by Andy Bernay-Roman
2001 Spectrum Healing Press
Reviewed by Sam Turton
Deep Feeling, Deep Healing: The Heart, Mind, and Soul of Getting Well is more than a book, it's a personal visit with author Andy Bernay-Roman from Jupiter, Florida. Reading this book is like sitting on the porch listening to Andy tell his experience, his ideas, and his stories. He doesn't mince words, he just calls it as he sees it—and leaves it up to us to agree or disagree. He often puts an unusual spin on familiar material, which I found interesting.
Andy's enthusiasm for what he does is palpable. He seems like the Patch Adams of Primal! He is inspired by the spontaneous, creative side of therapy and by charismatic facilitators such as Fritz Perls, Erik Erikson, Wilhelm Reich, and Arthur Janov. He reminds me of the stories I've heard of Bill Swartley and Bill Smukler. Although he speaks eloquently about client-centered safety and natural process, he takes delight in skillful interventions.
Andy's eclecticism reflects his diverse background as a nursery school teacher, intensive care nurse, hospice counselor, hypnotherapist, bodyworker, and psychotherapist. His way of being as a person and a practitioner seem identical. The many case histories and stories (especially his primal experiences with his daughter) define this better than anything else.
This book covers a lot of ground—maybe too quickly for newcomers—and includes primal theory, therapy techniques, Centropic Integration (primal acupressure), psychoneuroimmunology, developmental maps, archetypes, and even nutrition.
Andy Bernay-Roman is a member of the IPA, and is presently the Director of Psychological Support at the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach. His website is http://www.deepfeeling.com
This article appeared in the Fall 2003 IPA Newsletter.
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