Seleni Spotlight: Allison Peck, LMSW, MA, BBA, RYT
August 2020 - Allison Peck, LMSW, MA, BBA, RYT, has been working with pregnant women and new parents since 2012, after receiving her Masters of Arts in General Psychology from The New School for Social Research, and gaining experience at the Brief Psychotherapy Research Program at Beth Israel Hospital, New York City.
What excites you most about being part of the Seleni family?
Human life and developing relationships throughout the lifespan are founded on the attachment bond between parent and child, from birth. What could be more fulfilling than to work in this area with new parents, with the opportunity to support the most important foundational relationships of our planet’s next generation? There is an incredible reciprocity in this work that nourishes me, allows incredible healing, and a forward movement from this present moment that is filled with potential.
What is your favorite podcast, movie, book, or magazine, related to the field of mental health?
I have too many favorites, but I came to study Psychology from an international business career, after reading Dan Siegel’s Parenting From The Inside Out, when I had my first child in 2006. Every book he has written has been inspirational for me, and I really enjoy his deep, rich knowledge of attachment theory and neuroscience, and his love of a broad interdisciplinary approach.
How do you practice self-care?
Self-care is an important part of maintaining equilibrium, and allowing space for energy to re-balance. Even just taking a conscious breath is helpful, many times throughout the day. I dedicate 30-60 minutes on a daily basis to move my body, for an inversion, yoga, barre, pilates, meditation or, in COVID, a bike ride, or an Isaac Boots insta session, to breathe, allow the heart to pump blood, and shift tension. It is so necessary! Also, endorphins are a natural mood elevator, so I take advantage of that. Equanimity is too far away from the daily adrenaline and cortisol in NYC without a minimum daily dose of self-care. I learned that as a parent, because the entire household relies on your ability to create a safe, relaxed atmosphere, for everyone’s well-being.
What’s a quote that inspires you?
Einstein acknowledged what ancient Eastern philosophers and spiritual leaders have written about for millenniums. He wrote, ‘A human being is a part of the whole, called by us “Universe”, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures, and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.’
This is much like the simpler yoga chant (translated), “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may our thoughts, words and actions, contribute to that happiness and freedom for all.”
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For more information about Allison Peck, learn more here.
