What is Compassionate Inquiry?
Compassionate Inquiry® is a psychotherapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Maté that reveals what lies beneath the surface, what’s at the root of our patterns and coping mechanisms.
Compassionate Inquiry is a process of exploration, not unlike an archeological excavation through which therapist and client together unveil core beliefs, subconscious, implicit memories, defense mechanisms and traumas stored in the body.
Through Compassionate Inquiry, the client can recognize the unconscious dynamics that run their lives and how to liberate themselves from them.
“The purpose of Compassionate Inquiry is to drill down to the core stories people tell themselves – to get them to see what story they are telling themselves unconsciously; what those beliefs are, where they came from; and guide them to the possibility of letting go of those stories, or letting go of the hold those stories have on them …
That’s what Compassionate Inquiry is.”
~ Dr. Gabor Maté
My journey in working with people has been meandering, covering a lot of aspects from the physical to mental-emotional and social aspects of health and wellbeing. I unpredictably ended up working with Sat Dharam Kaur, my naturopath colleague in her yoga and process work immersion program, Beyond Addiction. I attended the first 2-day Compassionate Inquiry workshop with Gabor in 2016.
I started out as a medical doctor, later became a naturopathic doctor. I have also been working in the social work field with people with addiction and mental health challenges. Learning and using Compassionate Inquiry in my work feels like “coming home”. This approach taught me and it continues to teach me to let go of the need to know, and follow the client with my intuition as it shows up in an attuned connection with the person. Having confidence, complete trust in the client’s process is liberating. This journey has taken me from my mind to my heart and brought me to honour the connection between the two. My spiritual name Manjeet reflects that: “Man” meaning mindheart, as one.
If you would like to know more before booking an appointment, please email me and we can book a 15-minute introductory meeting.
drmariaegervari@gmail.com