We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dee Wagner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dee, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I started my own therapeutic journey at 19 years old. When I was 30, I trained to be an expressive arts therapist. In 2013, I discovered new understanding of nervous system functioning. With this view of how our nervous systems work, I was able to see anatomically how therapy had helped me. I was able to get clearer about how to help others. It is our nervous system functioning that creates resilience, the ability to work through anxious feelings to get back into a state, which is called Play/Dance.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In 2017, I originated a trauma healing method called Chi for Two® – The Energetic Dance of Healthy Relationship. The method provides 35 practices that clinicians can do with their clients to help them shift their nervous system functioning. There are 5 practices for romantic partners to help them use what gets stirred in the romantic dance to shift nervous system functioning.
My tai chi teacher son, Stephen Wagner, along with somatic therapist Caroline Gebhardt and a massage therapist Mary Lou Davidson helped me develop the method and create a training program. Recently the training program was approved by the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association indicating that our program fulfills core competencies for training embodiment coaches.
Seven Chi for Two Embodiment Coaches now work with me out of our expressive arts business in Stone Mountain. They are Fred Shelton, Cas Pryor, Carly Sackellares, Trecia Lyon, Stephen, Caroline and Mary Lou (the co-developers). My husband is the artist who creates all the Chi for Two art and who does the administration for the Chi for Two program.
My therapeutic work that shifted my nervous system functioning developed my resilience. Anxiety comes with anything new as our bodies express the Fight/Flight questioning, “Is it safe to move this way?!” As I moved with my therapist, drew with my therapist, I felt, “Yes, it is safe…and fun.” It is Play/Dance.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I reached for help at 19. I discovered that expressive arts therapy could help me. Then, I learned the nervous system functioning that explained how expressive arts therapy had helped me so I could better help others. I wish everyone could experience Chi for Two. On our Instagram @chifortwotraumahealing, we say a lot about what Chi for Two can do for you.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We are looking for people who could benefit from Chi for Two. We feel so lucky to know about the nervous system functioning that develops resilience by shifting anxiety into Play/Dance. We are sharing it with teachers who are sharing it with their students and businesses that are bringing it to their employees. Couples gain skills that make being together more fun. Families can use it to help with big feelings. Because it deals with our basic nervous system functioning, it can apply to any area of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chifortwo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chifortwotraumahealing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=chifortwotraumahealing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dee-wagner-3aa52648/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chifortwo8614
Image Credits
Bob Mahoney did outdoor photos and the massage photo. John Cargile did the others.
