Psychology
The Psychology section is to explain the different areas of study that Brian has participated in.  He has put a high priority on integrating all of these areas of study into working therapy models.  Each of these links gives a brief introduction to the subject area and how it is related to Brian's work.

Somatic Psychology
Somatic Psychology is the study of how one relates to their own life through their own body.  It works with the theory that the mind and body are completely connected and how they affect each other. The nervous system seems to be the link between information connecting the mind and body.  Somatic Psychology is the coming together of bodywork and talk therapies.  It allows the whole client to be treated.  There is a large emphasis on psychosomatic illness. Currently, Brian Malis is attending the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute and completing his Ph.D. in Somatic Psychology. He specializes in doing three hour sessions using craniosacral therapy and talk therapy together.

...back to top

Transpersonal Psychology Transpersonal Psychology wants to understand how the spiritual life is related to ones psychology. One aspect of Transpersonal Psychology is to be able to recognize when a client is going through a temporary spiritual emergency, rather than a long term mental breakdown. The other side of Transpersonal Psychology is related to Humanistic Psychology, because part of doing therapy is to access ones highest potential.

There is a special emphasis on holding a strong and nurturing space so the clients will have a better chance to be able to connect with their own larger field of experience.  In other words, Transpersonal Psychology is to move out of the ego defense posture and look for deeper truths about ones self and ones life experience.  This work is a great service when one is experiencing some stress or overwhelm from a sense of being initiated to a new change in life or a set of new understandings. 

Brian Malis graduated from Prescott College with a BA in Transpersonal Psychology. In the final two years of the program he was studying with his professors one on one. Brian uses Transpersonal Psychology techniques in his practice to attempt to create a safe space for a client to be able to expand and see life from new or multiple perspectives.  His work often assists healing and the patching of relationships within one's own self.  In the transpersonal realm of healing there is only a need to return to center.  This will benefit someone who is in a highly stressed state, in a disassociative state, or if the client is wanting to discover more about themselves.  Either way the answer is to become resourced within one's own center.

...back to top

Jungian Archetypes
Jungian Psychology was Brians love in the field of Psychology.  This is based on the ground breaking work of Carl Jung in the first half of the 20th century.  The concepts of Archetypes and dualities in consciousness was first explored by Brian Malis, just after his 18th birthday, when he read the Secret of the Golden Flower.  This is when he first began his love of Astrology, spiritual maps, and other archetypal models such as animal totems and other unique personality trait systems.  Brian began to notice patterns in all areas of life.

Today, Brian is one of the leading thinkers in the field of dealing with Archetypal awareness.  He is most proud of his ability to connect with his own witness archetype.  Often times, it is the witness self that needs to be available in order for one to consciously relate to ones own inner-archetypal make up.

In his practice, Brian invites his clients to explore their own inner world and inner patterns.  The goal of much of this work is to discover and then resolve the deeply hidden splits, which exist within one's self.  These splits are usually also splits in the collective consciousness for many other people.  When existing in the world of Archetypes, one attempts to see the connections and similarities in all events and situations.  The archetypal world is a great way to use metaphor and language to share insights with a client.  This appears to have the most success when a client's nervous system drops into a state of stillness or neutrality.

...back to top

Eco-Psychology Eco-Psychology is a somewhat new field within Psychology.  It explores what the relationship between our psychological state and our environment is, and how they effect each other.  There is an attempt to link a certain amount of our world's stress and madness to our relationship with the congested environment and our disconnection from nature.

There is an aspect of Eco-psychology which looks at how returning to nature quickens most people's healing process.  The key is to learn how to regulate our own nervous system to be able to slow down to the pace of the natural world. 

Brian Malis did most of his studies in this field at his farm at Windspirit Community and at Prescott College.  Brian learned to be able to have more meaningful and connecting moments with animals and nature while living close to the land for many years during his 20's.  One of Brian's greatest hobbies is to study and do permaculture projects that allow him time to work with beautifying land.

Brian also uses his understanding of Eco-Psychology to work with environmental stress in his Biodyanmic Craniosacral practice.  Another feature of this work is expressed in his understanding of zone '0' in permaculture.  This involves connecting our bodies to the natural world.  The goal of both practices is to slow down the fluids if they are moving too fast, so more can be absorbed.  When the fluids in the body slow down, it is a direct expression of the overall state of ones nervous system slowing down, and most likely the outer environment is slowing down as well.

...back to top

Pre and Parinatal Psychology This is an exciting new field in psychology, which explores how the nervous system is formed and learns to relate in the world.  It begins with the relationship of the child to their primary care giver during the period from conception till two years old.  The latest research is showing that major aspects of nervous system and limbic development regulate our emotions, food relationships, sexual tendencies,anxiety and stress, and how we relate to love and acceptance.

It is important to understand how we began our first set of programs in life while all our bodily parts and functions were in their creation process. 

What research is showing is that many left brain talk therapy models do not work out or touch the pre and parinatal level.  This is because as an infant, and during the embryo period, we are operating at a much slower nervous system state and we are primarily developing the right hemisphere of our brain first.  This is why using a somatic approach that includes a deep level of stillness and body contact (right brain functions) is crucial to being able to get back to the point of origin or conception of an early wounding experience.  This work often involves reestablishing a sense of safety within ones body, so that they are either able to rest safely and/or safely express their own needs, thoughts, and opinions.

...back to top

NLP and Core Belief Material

Many of our core beliefs are created and also held in these early experiences. Brian has attended many workshops and conferences using NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) to have greater awareness, confidence, and presence in each moment. He has found it to be very enlightening work and often times a necessary aspect of a short or long term treatment plan.  Once again, core beliefs must be approached with a lot of safety, in order to not awaken the armoring defenses of the ego structure.
...back to top

Trauma Recovery

For seven years, Brian has been thoroughly studying the effects of trauma on the mind and body and has had much success assisting clients in resolving the effects of trauma from abuse, accidents, and sudden life changes.  He assists clients with the emotional aspects of accepting new changes in life. Brian is able to do physical body work to assist in recovery.  Finally, Brian will, at times, explore the relationship of trust one has with their life and sense of their creator. 

He has many skills in being able to hold a strong space with no agendas, while keeping a state of loving compassion for his clients.  He is excellent with slowing down a process, while not suppressing the experience.  This creates a better chance to regain ones center, which is what was missing during the moment of the original trauma.

...back to top

Four-Step Healing System
The Four Step Healing System is Brian's own integrative system combining the wisdom of many of the modalities listed above. For more on this system, please click here...

...back to top