Pre and Perinatal Therapy
A space of accompaniment in situations of physical or emotional pain or discomfort, attending to the somatic memory of prenatal and birth experiences. A one-to-one process for adults, and a possibility for families, children, teenagers and couples.
Pre and Perinatal Therapy, developed by Ray Castellino, is a therapeutic approach that focuses on our early life experiences, which still shape our everyday lives today
There are times in life when we notice that we carry emotions, reactions or patterns without really knowing where they come from. We may feel disconnected, find it hard to bond, or carry a subtle sadness or an inner tension that has no words. In these cases, looking back (a long way back) can open paths to deep understanding. Pre and Perinatal Therapy, developed by Ray Castellino, invites us to do exactly that: to return to our first moments of life to understand how these earliest experiences may have left an imprint on us.
Castellino started from a simple idea: our story begins before we are born. The experience of being conceived, of growing in the womb, of going through birth and arriving in the world is fundamental. Even if we have no conscious memories of it, the body, the nervous system and the heart remember everything. And this memory can influence how we breathe, how we relate, and how we feel about ourselves and others.
How does pre and perinatal biodynamic therapy work?
The therapy is based on listening to these bodily and emotional memories within a deeply safe and respectful container. Through individual or group sessions, in very small and welcoming settings, a context is created that allows us to slow down and pay attention to what emerges. Physical sensations, images, emotions or intuitions may arise that are rooted in very early moments of our lives.
One of the cornerstones of Castellino’s work is empathic presence: the therapist does not “do” things to the person, but accompanies through listening, emotional co-regulation and deep respect for inner boundaries and rhythms. This allows the person to symbolically relive early experiences, but this time with the support and holding they may not have had back then.
Pre and Perinatal Therapy can also be offered to babies, children and families, creating spaces that give voice to what the bodies and hearts of the youngest express, even before they can speak, helping them integrate what they have lived through and supporting more secure and harmonious bonding.
Ultimately, this approach offers us a compassionate view of our origins, and a way back into what shaped us, not through the rational mind, but through deep listening to the body, the soul and relationship.