Mind. Body. Relation.
Past. Present. Possible.
A novel therapeutic approach combining somatic therapy and philosophical counselling to support re-connection to self, nervous system re-patterning and existential flourishing.
Meet our team.
Inspired by lived-experience and grounded in decades of collective professional expertise, Esther and Nate offer a unique combination of therapeutic modalities that help you navigate life with greater awareness, resilience, courage and positivity.
Our Services
Somatic therapy helps with anxiety, chronic stress, unprocessed emotions and disconnection from self.
Philosophical counselling helps with purpose, values, meaning and the beliefs that most impact your life.
Embodied Processing
Embodied processing is an evidence-based approach to somatic therapy and nervous system regulation drawing from diverse modalities including Somatic Experiencing (SE), the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), NeuroAffective Touch (NATouch), Internal Family Systems (IFS), The Diamond Approach (open ended inquiry) and Compassionate Inquiry (CI). In an EP session you will experience relational safety, attune to bodily signals, cultivate greater awareness of your unique survival physiology, progressively express unprocessed emotions, navigate the roots of underlying beliefs and fears, and integrate past experiences into a more resilient and well regulated mindbody system.
1.5h introductory session: $250 (ex GST)
1h regular session: $190 (ex GST)
In person or online
Embodied Movement
Embodied movement is a playful, dynamic framework supporting bodily connection and nervous system regulation through intuitive movement, dance and multi-modal, multi-sensory imagination.
In an EM session you will explore coordination, balance, shapes, textures, tensions, sensations, thoughts and emotions in a creative, rhythmic and light-hearted way. You will learn to cultivate more intuitive and expressive bodily movement. You will finish the session feeling lighter, more present and connected with higher emotional awareness and greater freedom for healthy self expression.
1h session: $140 (ex GST)
In person or online
Group sessions coming soon.
SMILE_PH Program
Sense-Making Interviews Looking at Elements of Philosophical Health (Miranda) is a structured, dialogue-based approach to philosophical counselling designed to assess and cultivate philosophical health across six existential dimensions: bodily sense, sense of self, sense of belonging, sense of the possible, sense of purpose, and philosophical sense. This sequence helps you construct an explicit, aligned and actionable worldview that produces greater coherence between your fundamental beliefs, thoughts, speech and actions.
8x 50 minute sessions: $1650 (ex GST)
Online
Philosophía Counselling
Through diverse approaches including Socratic Dialogue, Values Clarification, Existential Inquiry, Conceptual Analysis, Critical Reflection and Thought Experiments, you will explore your values, purpose, relationship to meaning in life, and any relevant moral dilemmas. Each session leads you through a unique process where your ideas are tested, broken down, tested again, and refined in a sequence that leads to actionable clarification. Philosophical counselling helps you navigate life’s challenges and opportunities with greater wisdom, resilience, and active hope.
50 minute session: $190 (ex GST)
Online
Why ioēs
Somatic therapy and philosophical counselling combined into one integrative practice.
Grounded in what we refer to as the ‘whole-of-organism, process relational’ perspective, ioēs works with your biology, your psychology, your sociology and your philosophy to establish a healthier, more adaptive and more creative relationship to your past, present and future possibilites.
“In our sessions, I’ve been able to gently process past trauma, reconnect with parts of my self that had been carrying suppressed emotions, and begin to soften long-held freeze responses. I feel more connected to my body, more self aware and better able to meet life’s challenges.”
— Michelle“I’m someone who lives in my head, and it rarely slows down. What Nate gave me wasn’t more thinking, it was the right questions, asked again and again until I hit something solid underneath the noise. The gap between what I believed and how I lived had been quietly costing me for years. It’s closing now, and something in me has settled.”
— Alexander“I cannot recommend Esther highly enough. If you’re looking for a therapist that combines deep expertise with genuine compassion, presence and the ability to help people feel seen, safe and supported, Esther is truly exceptional.”
— Saskia“Nate has challenged my ways of thinking in a supportive and guiding manner. I've expanded my knowledge and grown more curious about the unknown. I now engage with the world around me and the people in it with a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of the human experience. My entire worldview has fundamentally shifted.”
— TajFrequently asked questions
The process of you is complex. Here we try to keeps things simple.
If you want more detailed answers, head to our FAQs page. If this doesn’t give you what you need, please contact us.
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The number of client sessions required is entirely unique. It depends on where you start, what you’re looking for and the commitment you are willing to make. Find out more about how somatic therapy works, who its for and what you can expect here.
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Déjà vu! The number of client sessions required is entirely unique. It depends on where you start, what you’re looking for and the commitment you are willing to make. Find out more about how philosophical counselling works, who its for and what you can expect here.
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Philosophical counselling is a unique process that helps you explore some of the most important, challenging and adventurous aspects of living a human life; your values, your sense of meaning in life, a higher purpose you feel connected to, moral dilemmas, or a variety of seriously big decisions (like shifting career). Here’s more information about philosophical counselling and here’s what we mean by philosophy (it may surprise you!).
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Psychotherapy is an evidence-based approach to therapy, often called ’talk therapy’. There are many different kinds of psychotherapy that psychiatrists and psychologists use in clinical contexts. The main difference between the various forms of psychotherapy and somatic therapy is that psychotherapy works much more with the mind whereas somatic therapy works much more with the body. Find out more about the differences between these two approaches here.
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Yes! It’s the exact reason we founded ioēs in the first place. By combining the two approaches, we observe that our clients are better placed than ever before to grow from their past, ground themselves in the present, and orient towards exciting and empowering future possibilites with positivity and resilience.
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It quite possibly wasn’t. However, we each carry the wounds and conditioning from our past in different ways. Our work is not a process that fetishises trauma, it’s an invitation to explore the ways you have been shaped, the habits you have developed, the beliefs that hide under the surface. It’s an opportunity to become aware and begin evolving the being that is you on your terms.
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For individuals, a 90 minute introductory session of somatic therapy is $250 (inc GST). This includes an individualised sequence of therapeutic modalities. 1 hour sessions for regular clients are $190 (inc GST). We offer packages of 5 or 10 sessions with a discount. Please contact us to discuss.
Philosophical counselling for individuals starts at $190 (inc GST) for 50 minutes. For the SMILE_PH package that includes 8 counselling sessions and structured work activities in between each session, the cost is $1,650 (inc GST).
For organisations, we tailor workshops, training packages and corporate retreats. Please contact us for an individualised quote to suit your specific needs.
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Truthfully, we started this process with a bias towards in-person sessions. However, after years of giving and receiving both somatic therapy and philosophical counselling, we have become convinced that online works just as well in almost all cases. In fact, at times we find it works better for a few reasons: 1) People feel safe in the comfort of their own home 2) It supports more flexible scheduling and 3) It enables more people around the world to benefit from these services.
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These are the words and core concepts we use to describe the philosophical position guiding our practice. By whole-of-organism we are referring to the entire self-organising and self-making system that is you. This includes your biology, your psychology and the sociological influences that have shaped you. By process relational we are suggesting that reality itself is a dynamic process of unfolding relationships. To find out more about this, have a read of our blog that introduces this topic.
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No. You definitely don’t need to. Philosophy (from philosophía) basically means ‘love of wisdom’. Understanding the history of philosophy is not the thing that’s important to this process. What truly matters is the stance you take. By this we mean, do you believe that your conscious thoughts can eventually shape your actions? And do you believe that this process can have an effect on the world, your world? If you do, you’re ready for philosophical counselling. If you’d like to know more about what we mean by philosophy, click here. If you’d like to understand a bit more about philosophical counselling, click here.
Talk to us.
Our practice is deeply relational; a shared process. Before committing to work together, we strongly encourage you to take 15 minutes to speak to us, ask any questions you might have, and develop a sense of whether we are the right partners for this challenging, yet life-enhancing process.