Uri Bookman

A conversation with Uri Bookman

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  In the 1990s, I began exploring healing work, and later, life led me into founding an IT business. Though I found success there, something essential was missing. A quieter, deeper calling drew me back—toward extensive training in trauma-informed and experiential therapies, including Process-Oriented Psychology, inner-child healing, Nonviolent Communication, and shadow work.
  
  Since then, I’ve dedicated my life to guiding others—supporting clients in their healing, training fellow therapists, and facilitating men’s work weekends. I believe in transformation that ripples through individuals, their relationships, and the wider community.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  My approach draws deeply from earth-centred Indigenous wisdom, Taoist flow, and Buddhist psychology—each holding profound relevance for healing and therapy. Indigenous worldviews (like kin-centric ecology) emphasise relational health and connection with the land, grounding my work in reciprocity and belonging.
  
  Taoism teaches that much suffering stems from resisting what is—and invites therapists and clients to move with the natural flow instead of against it. Buddhist psychology—with its clarity on mindfulness, impermanence, and compassionate awareness—informs how I support clients in becoming present, compassionate selves within therapy.
  
  Together, these traditions shape my therapeutic stance: grounded, aware, relational, and anchored in deeper presence.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  I support a holistic path to healing, rooted in three interwoven flows of time: healing the past, co-creating the future, and being present in this moment. Research underscores that well-being reflects an integrated balance of physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual health, each contributing to how we live and relate to ourselves and others.
  
  • Physical health forms the foundation—prioritising sleep, nourishing foods, movement, and grounding routines.
  • Emotional health involves healing wounds, building resilience, and cultivating emotional intelligence.
  • Mental health is about overcoming the inner critic, procrastination, and limiting beliefs that hold us back.
  • Spiritual health nurtures purpose, presence, and meaningful connection—often through rites, nature, or reflective practices.
  
  Integrating all dimensions supports a resilient, rich life that reflects your deepest values and the healing rippling through your relationships and community.

• What methods do you use?

  My approach is integrative and trauma-informed, adapting from moment to moment. I draw upon:
  • Process-Oriented Psychology (Process Work): A holistic awareness-based method that tracks psychological and somatic signals to reveal inner and relational patterns, facilitating integration and change.
  • Nonviolent Communication (NVC): A compassionate communication model focusing on observation, feelings, needs, and requests to foster empathy, reduce conflict, and deepen relational connection.
  • Shadow Work & Jungian Archetypes: Exploration of repressed or disowned parts of ourselves—bringing often unconscious themes into consciousness to cultivate wholeness and self-authority.
  
  I also incorporate therapeutic coaching techniques, psychodrama, trauma-informed practices, nature-based healing, Buddhist psychology, and mindfulness inquiry. These methods are blended flexibly to support embodied insight and sustainable progress toward your goals.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

  Taking the step to begin therapy is itself meaningful progress. Many clients report initial shifts—like relief, new clarity, or emotional ease—within just a few sessions.
  
  As we build trust and agreement on goals, noticeable improvements often emerge within 6 to 12 weekly sessions—especially when supported by dedicated effort both in and between sessions. For deeper or complex issues, benefits may unfold over several months.
  
  Throughout, my commitment is to create a consistent, safe, and nurturing space where trust can grow—because trust itself often unlocks the most meaningful change.

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Engaging in therapy for several years—and continuing through supervision and ongoing learning—has profoundly shaped both my being and my work. Through this journey, I’ve healed past trauma, gained deeper self-awareness, released fears and limiting beliefs, and softened my inner critic with compassion. I continue to grow, recognising that true healing is ongoing.
  
  Research indicates that therapists who themselves engage in personal therapy often bring greater authenticity, empathy, and trustworthiness to their therapeutic relationships—factors that significantly enhance client outcomes. In fact, the therapist’s own aligned and reflective presence plays a measurable role in effective therapy. So to be honest, my work is ongoing...

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  There’s a sacred beauty in holding space where healing can blossom—like guiding a delicate flower to open in safety and trust. What I deeply cherish is the privilege of creating that intimate and safe container, where people feel free to drop their defences, be seen, and rediscover parts of themselves.
  
  This isn’t just poetic—it’s therapeutic gold. Research consistently shows that a warm, authentic therapeutic alliance—built on empathy, unconditional positive regard, and therapist authenticity—is the most reliable predictor of meaningful outcomes, often surpassing modality or technique.
  
  So what I love most is being present in those vulnerable, trust-filled moments—where clarity emerges, resilience grows, and genuine connection unfolds. That is the heartbeat of this work.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Absolutely. Like everyone, I have days when I wake up feeling sad, fearful, or lost. In the past, I would push those feelings away, hoping to return to “happy.” Now, I’ve learned through therapy and mindfulness that facing these emotions head?on—naming them honestly and meeting them with kindness—is how they begin to shift.
  
  This approach aligns with research showing that embracing vulnerability strengthens trust and connection in therapy—not as a weakness, but as a courageous act that deepens the therapeutic alliance.
  
  So yes—sometimes I bring my “bad hair” day into the room, and it becomes part of the authentic container we share for healing.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

  The most urgent challenge we face is emotional disconnection—loneliness, fear-driven behaviour, and the erosion of empathy. According to the World Health Organisation, loneliness contributes to over 871,000 deaths each year—similar in impact to major risk factors like tobacco or obesity. ? ?
  
  Research shows that strong social bonds and community cohesion directly boost mental health, resilience, and well-being. ? ?
  
  To create meaningful change, we must start within: do our own healing work, act with greater kindness, take responsibility, and actively strengthen our communities. Raising emotionally resilient young people and nourishing collective care helps cultivate a culture where respect, compassion, and interconnected well-being can flourish.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  One timeless inspiration has been Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, a poetic novel tracing a seeker’s path to wisdom through self-discovery and unity with nature—a reflection of my own ongoing journey for deeper presence and meaning.
  
  Another favourite is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, a clear and profound guide rooted in ancient Toltec wisdom. Its four principles—be impeccable with your word, don’t take things personally, don’t make assumptions, always do your best—continually remind me of the power of honesty, clarity, and integrity in healing and relationships.
  
  And, I still love the first Matrix film for its exploration of reality, choice, and the courage required to awaken. It reminds me that transformation begins the moment we question our assumptions—and choose to see the world more truthfully.