INQUIRE WITHIN COUNS E L ING is grounded in modern psychology's valuable knowledge of ego development as well as the inner wisdom of many spiritual traditions.

The emphasis of this work is to become fully present to one’s experience. Presence leads naturally to the unfoldment of our innate potential. In this work, the obstacles and veils to this unfoldment become clear. Typically we might notice a desire
to keep an arm’s length away from what we are actually feeling, perhaps because it is painful or seems inappropriate. Or we may want to hold onto a pleasant or gratifying experience and not want it to change. Out of such preferences, we gradually develop many ways to keep from having a direct, unmediated experience of our life. These may include habitual patterns of behavior and automatic thoughts and reactions which can result in our feeling limited, constricted, stressed, critical, and out of touch with ourselves.

On the contrary, when we actually show up for the experience we are having, we feel authentic and in touch with ourselves. We are aware of more options in our life and we are on the path to revealing our wholeness.

This work is ideal for people who:

• long for deeper meaning in their lives.
  
• want to bring mindfulness and present-centered awareness to their experience.
  
• want to deepen their psychological understanding while realizing their deepest nature.
  want to embrace their life as a journey of awakening while dealing with life’s many transitions including relationships, illness, career choices and parenting issues with children or aging parents.

PARVATI GRAIS IS SKILLED AT DEVELOPING AND SUPPORTING YOUR CAPCITY TO:
ALLOW your experience to be just as it is and OPEN to it more fully
DISCOVER a larger perspective in which to view your experience
MAKE CHOICES that reflect your inner resources and wisdom

Parvati Maggie Grais, MA and CAGS
(Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study)
brings to her work thirty years as a student of contemplative and spiritual disciplines. In 1975, she was an original member of the Sufi community, The Abode of the Message in New Lebanon, NY. founded by Pir Vilayat Khan.

Since 1998, Parvati has been a student of the Diamond Approach, as taught by A.H. Almaas. This study of the development of the ego and personality integrated with the knowledge of consciousness and practice of mindfulness informs Parvati's work as a psychotherapist.

As an educator, Parvati has many years of experience working with children, parents and teachers. She was Director and Teacher at Mt. Road School, an elementary school for preschool through grade six. She has also worked as an Educational Therapist, Therapeutic Teacher and Guidance Counselor.

Parvati is a certified Psychosynthesis Counselor since 1986. She is also a 1996 graduate of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Internship Program formerly located at UMass Medical Center.

In additon to her private practice, Parvati teaches Awaken in Life/Sufi Retreats, an going retreat group in New Lebanon, NY.