Core Development - Donald Marmara

29/11/2025

THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER
AN IMPORTANT LESSON IN PSYCHOTHERAPY EDUCATION AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING.

The story goes like this. A student goes to the teacher and asks a question.
The teacher answers by pointing to the road ahead. The student grabs the teacher's finger!

This is exactly what is happening very often in psychology, psychotherapy and education today.

The symptoms of emotional distress are like the teacher's finger. They are pointing the student towards the journey they need to undertake to regain emotional balance and enrich the quality of their lives.

Just as in the story above, the majority of therapists and educators are attempting to resolve the anxiety, depression or whatever other symptoms are in play.

Instead of helping the student by joining them on a journey of exploration and discovery, they are trying to "fix or cut off the pointed finger"! - as if the finger is the problem!!

They are trying to eliminate the symptoms instead of appreciating them as healthy reactions to an unhealthy situation.

By labeling these people as mentally ill, we are not understanding their condition. We are refusing to accept responsibility as a society, as a nation, indeed as a human race, for our part in creating these “disorders”.

20/11/2025

"DEPRESSION IS NOT A DISEASE BUT AN INDICATION THAT HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS NEEDS TO CHANGE" C.Shaw

Absolutely. I also question whether it is helpful to call depression a disease. I think it is a symptom or group of symptoms that need to be considered and understood in a wider context.

The fact that a person has these symptoms often indicates that they are healthy enough to recognize and be affected by the lack of understanding of human needs and values
I wonder also whether it is useful to continue to use the term mental illness at all because of the unfortunate connotations that it has acquired. In many cases it stands in the way of a healthy response to emotional distress because it has become associated with shame.

Whilst in some cases depression may benefit from clinical treatment, I find that in many cases the person is aware of the lack of authenticity in our society, and depression can be the doorway to a healthier, authentic and more fulfilling life.

Donald Marmara

ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND CORE DEVELOPMENT This is what my work in experiential and emotional learning is about. Restoring our capacity to give and receive

12/11/2025

Looking for some positive content?
I'm asking those who love our mother nature to post a picture. A picture that you took. Just a pic. No description. The goal is to regain some peace and harmony on this platform without negativity. Ultimately changing the algorithms. Please copy the text, put a picture on YOUR page, and let's simply appreciate these beautiful abundance and majesty of our precious planet. Thank you. (my adapted tweek of another's post)

27/03/2025

THE TASK OF A THERAPIST IS TO START WITH NOT KNOWING
What works for one person does not necessarily work for another.

Our tasks as therapists is first of all to put aside all our knowledge and theories and to listen. To embark on a journey of discovery. To discover what the person we are working with needs.

Then to discover, step by step, how we can use our skills and knowledge to help our clients progress in their therapeutic journey.

To be willing to let go of whatever we may think works or should work but doesn't.

To encourage whatever increases feelings of safety, acceptance and contact with ourselves and each other.

And most important of all to remember that WE ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST HUMAN BEINGS, then therapist and client. 🙏

This is why I believe that BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT AND INDEED ESSENTIAL part of counselling and psychotherapy training is the therapist's own personal therapy.

https://www.coredevelopment.com.au/
+61 412 178 234
donald@coredevelopment.com.au

24/03/2025

How I overcame traumatic experiences and how this led me to the work I do today in hashtag , Somatic hashtag and Emotional Learning.
4-minute video.
Please note my phone number is now +61 412 178 234

https://youtu.be/SeZRdvw8j5E

24/03/2025

ACCEPTING DIFFERENCES
Here's a quote from one of my teachers, Native American healer and author Sun Bear:

"It is easy for meat eaters to share a kitchen.
It is also easy for vegetarians to share a kitchen.
The challenge is for meat eaters and vegetarians to share a kitchen"

And I would like to add : "WITHOUT TRYING TO CONVERT EACH OTHER!"

22/03/2025

26/01/2025

THE TRUE PURPOSE OF PSYCHOTHERAPY:
WORTH REMEMBERING DURING THESE TURBULENT TIMES?

“We live in a community of people not so that we can suppress or dominate each other or make each other miserable,
but so that we can better and more reliably satisfy all life’s healthy needs”.
Wilhelm Reich, M.D.

And this is the TRUE PURPOSE OF PSYCHOTHERAPY:
To Respect. Value, Deepen and Enrich our experiences, our relationships and our lives.

11/06/2024

Are you experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties or other emotional challenges?
What is core development and how can it help you?

Core Development can help you discover for yourself, in your own unique way, the root cause of your emotional challenges and how you can deal with them effectively.

It can take you further than problem solving, further than overcoming your anxiety, depression, stress or whatever is stopping you from living your life more fully. It can help you create a healthier and more fulfilling life.

Core Development – Counselling, Psychotherapy or Emotional Learning? Read on to find out!