Mark
read-smith
he/him/his
Mark is somatic counsellor and coach in Aotearoa New Zealand. Mark is from a long line of farmers and helping professionals in the eastern part of the United States. He is closely tied to the people of western North Carolina, Grey Eagle mountain, the Swannanoa River of North Carolina and the Machias River of Maine.
Mark has a masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian State University with a certificate in Expressive Arts. His certification in bodywork comes from the Ida Rolf Institute of Structural Integration. Mark is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner through the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute.
Mark is assistant faculty for Somatic Experiencing International and provides personal sessions and consults for students of the SE training.
Spending time with family and friends, creating, laughing, being in water, writing poetry, being among and listening to birds in the forest, running, hiking, practicing yoga, watching sports, and movies are just a few things Mark enjoys most.
My Coaching Philosophy
My work is rooted in the tenets of therapy through expressives arts, somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, continuum movement, and experiences of the natural world.
Creative expression, nervous system health, mindfulness, daily practice, spirit, meaning making, and experience of the natural world are all elements drawn upon with the therapeutic context.
personal artistic practice
My personal practice relies on understanding through creativity. My most active practices at the moment include an intermodal practice of drawing and poetry.
A practice of artistic response is also something important to my experience of myself and the world around me. My focus on process, inquiry, and embodiment are tenets of my personal practice.
Where I Work
I offer online session work and consultation in a variety of locations around the world. The range for this type of work extends from the Eastern Time Zone of the United States, moving towards the Western Time Zone of Australia. All time zones that fall between these areas allow for easy scheduling.