Spotlight on: Elijah Cavanagh – Inner Expression (on camera)
Introducing Elijah as our newest member to the team of practitioners who use UniMed Brisbane as their part-time base to offer sessions.
We thought you might like to know a little about Elijah and how he has come to work in this way. Question: Tell us about these sessions Elijah and why someone might want to come along? Elijah: The sessions offer a space to experience being at ease in-front of a camera. For most people this is a very nerve-wracking experience in which expression generally becomes very stilted and constrained. These sessions offer the opportunity to break through what is in the way and connect with themselves and their body and through this, be able to express from a greater depth within them. The camera represents the world stage and the power of our expression to reach a wider audience. It is amazing to be on the receiving end of the gold that is shared by those who have attended a session. Q: What has been your experience and what have your learnt about people and expression through this medium? Elijah: I have worked as a filmmaker for over five years, helping businesses, entrepreneurs and public figures share their stories, experiences and knowledge. I have facilitated over a hundred interviews for a range of different purposes. What I have learnt is that everybody has a depth to them just waiting to come out and be expressed. So my part is to support people to connect to this within the time we have and feel able to share what it is they want to express. |
Q: How do you go about supporting your clients to loosen up and feel able to share at this level?
Elijah: My approach is to first offer the space for someone to express without placing any pressure on them. This means no time frame or expectation of how it will unfold. This allows them to feel safe and the permission or space to go deeper as they continue to explore what is there to say. I find if I listen and ask questions that will give me more understanding of what they are sharing, this is all that’s needed to open up the space even further for more to come out. I think clients often surprise themselves with what is actually there to say. Q: What might a typical session look like? Elijah: I am well used to each session being different and this helps I think as I don’t have an expectation that someone should deliver in a particular way. The sessions adapt to the person and what is needed for them. For example, one client may need support in dealing with feeling nervous, while another may feel difficulty connecting with their deeper wisdom. I have exercises that support some of the difficulties people can have that support the body to surrender and be more at ease. This is actually a key part of a session… developing that ease while being in front of the camera, is what allows what comes out to be from our lived experience, and not just what our heads calculate is the right or good thing to say. Q: Is there anything further you'd like to add? Elijah: It is rare to be given the floor to express the real depth of what we know and these sessions are here to support making this a more normal experience for those who would like it. The flow on affect into feeling more confident to express in other aspects of life is significant and something clients feed back about the impact of sessions on a regular basis. |
