Beth St Claire : Emergence Therapy

15/09/2025

Very pleased to be interviewed and featured on Radio New Zealand's 'Checkpoint' show with Lisa Owen, and reflecting on some of the possibly similar dynamics between cult-type situations, and the Tom Phillips situation with his three children.
Only my second time being interviewed on radio, and it was a very tight time-frame, so felt a little anxious, but I was pleased that I was able to give some useful considerations, and, to some degree, 'counter' some of the hysteria about the children that's been in the headlines.
I certainly understand the fears that the children will be badly affected by their time away with their father, and they certainly may struggle to adjust back into so-called 'normal life', but, with skilled care and support, my hope would be that they find a positive path forward, reclaiming what they want to of their old lives, without lasting difficulties.

A psychotherapist says she believes there are potentially cult-like characteristics to the life Tom Phillips created on the run with his children.

21/07/2025

It's happening, at last! My first Auckland-based in-person Cult Recovery Support group should be starting in August. This first run will have a maximum of 10 participants and will just run for 6 or 8 sessions, with further group runs in the future, so a great opportunity to dip into the experience and try it out.
Please feel free to spread the word! (and if you know people who are interested in knowing more, but are not in a position to sign up to anything right now, do not have personal lived-experience themselves, or are not in Auckland... drop me a note as I will probably run an online interest-group alongside this).

31/03/2025

On this year's Transgender Visibility Day, I reflect on all the trans, non-binary and gender-diverse clients I have currently, and have had in the past... as well as in my social networks. I am so grateful that I see so much support and care in my communities, that allow, accept and celebrate diversity and acknowledge how it enriches our world and our humanity.
It costs SO little to be kind and welcoming.

09/12/2024

*Unravelling Your Spiritual or Religious Path* - an online support and information group.
Do you, or some people you know, seem to continue to be affected by past experiences in religion, fundamentalist groups, high-demand groups, spiritual practices or cults? Whether it was basically 'mainstream', but troubling in some specific aspects; or demanding and manipulative; or outright criminally abusive, if can be very useful to work through it.
Getting some understanding and support with unravelling these past experiences, can help get more perspective and allow reflection and healing to start.
Beth is an experienced registered Psychotherapist with speciality experience in trauma and abuse; life transitions; recovery from cults and fundamentalist groups, and dissociation. She has recently done training in Gillie Jenkinson's 'Walking Free' course for recovery from high-demand groups, and attended the DeCult conference in Christchurch. Beth has run online support groups in the past as well as providing in-person support. She is currently listed in Psychology Today, and the Religious Trauma Collective websites.
The online group sessions combine education on recognising 'cultic' or *high demand* features; practices in relaxation, grounding and resourcing; connection-building in the group; and 'sharing space'.
This will be a trial run at a discounted rate to invite feedback and input, in preparation for running a longer group in 2025, which may include options of in-person sessions, Initial registration $15. Online group sessions $15. (Funding may be available).
Current planned Session Dates: December 23rd; January 13th, 20th; and February 7th and 21st. 7pm start.
Expressions of interest - Please email Beth St Claire, with *Unravelling* in the Subject line, at: stclaire.nz@xtra.co.nz

16/10/2024

05/10/2024

Special Areas of Interest or Experience:
> Recovery from involvement in Cults / cultic groups; Fundamentalist groups, and religious or spiritual trauma
> Life transitions - including recovery after major life disruptions, cancer treatment etc
> Identity, including support for those who are gender diverse / non-binary or part of the rainbow community (or may be also be neurodivergent)
> Trauma treatment - using EMDR, PSI, 'parts' work, creative / experiential work, and body-based / somatic approaches
> Building presence and grounding, especially for those with a history of trauma or dissociation (can include body work / movement etc)
> Pelvic health / Base chakra grounding

02/10/2024

I love these as a meditative / mindfulness experience... just taking turns gazing at one constellation of three and tracking each part's cycle while breathing slowly.... then moving to the next.
I notice how different ones create different responses in me - I find there's a difference between smooth, predictable, repetitive movements versus ones that dance in a syncopated way, looping around and changing direction, or changing pace, spinning around faster when encountering another...
Why not share here what you notice when looking at these, and maybe what other things you find soothing to focus on?

For those interested in the science of it all, there are some very intelligent points, critiques and additions in the Comments on the original post (as well as a bunch of people talking about threesomes!).

https://www.facebook.com/OmniCoreTM/videos/1162156064871930

29/09/2024

Similar to the 'Love Languages' concept, everyone has their own ways of 'resting' that work best for them.
As someone with a tendency to be an 'active relaxer', I can get restless or flat if I spend too long 'doing nothing'... so the 'Creative Relaxer' mode in George Stern's '7 Types of Rest' works best for me - time in nature, reading, dancing, singing and being creative are things that 'chill me out' and 'top me up :)
What about you - what works well for you?

11/09/2024

One of my speciality areas in my therapy practice is working with people who have come out of cults and fundamentalist groups, including those experiencing religious or spiritual trauma.
I was recently interviewed about my work in this area on 'The Nutters Club', a local radio programme featuring Kyle MacDonald that focuses on mental health, and includes a combination of interview and 'talkback'.
It was my first experience of a 'live' interview like this, but I hope it will be of some value to people to get a glimpse of some of the complexity and variety of cult-type groups, and know that there are psychotherapists available to talk to who will be bringing some relevant experience and knowledge.
https://www.facebook.com/THENUTTERSCLUB/posts/pfbid02Sv3b9yGwJmEbK7p5u78HXx1y1zudZpFxfVrA5tjwDWcogCzW4mT5UzQ5GMKsjh6tl?notif_id=1726026828217722¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic_tagged&ref=notif

08 September 2024: What are cults? How do we known we're in one? How we get out and what happens when one of our loved ones gets mixed up in one? Psychothe

08/09/2024

Welcome to my page for my business: Emergence Therapy.
Please feel free to post here or Private / Direct Message me in regards to my speciality areas or enquiries about engaging in therapy.
Here is a blurb about my work from the Psychotherapy Association website: https://nzap.org.nz/member-directory #!biz/id/648a381a0f36ad3356141221