How to Choose the Right Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner for Your Healing Journey

Choosing a somatic therapy practitioner is one of the most personal decisions you can make. The quality of the relationship matters enormously — more, in many cases, than any particular technique or method. This guide walks you through exactly what to look for when choosing a Compassionate Inquiry practitioner, what questions to ask, and how to know if someone is the right fit for you.

What Is Compassionate Inquiry?

Compassionate Inquiry (CI) is a somatic psychotherapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Maté, the Hungarian-Canadian physician, author, and trauma expert. It is designed to help people uncover the unconscious beliefs, emotional patterns, and bodily held stories that drive their behaviour — often formed in early childhood — and to do so with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment or force.

CI works at the intersection of:

• Somatic awareness — tuning into sensations, tension, and breath in the body

• Psychological inquiry — gently exploring what beliefs and stories are held beneath the surface

• Compassion — both for yourself and the parts of you that formed protective patterns long ago

It is particularly effective for people who have found talk therapy helpful but insufficient — those who sense that the real work is happening below the level of words.

7 Things to Look for in a Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner

1. Verified Certification Through the Official Programme

Compassionate Inquiry is a specific, trademarked method. There is one official training programme: the Compassionate Inquiry Professional Training, developed by Dr. Gabor Maté and Sat Dharam Kaur ND. Certified practitioners have completed this training and passed assessment requirements. Ask directly whether the practitioner is certified through the official CI programme.

2. Experience Working With Your Specific Challenges

CI is effective across a wide range of issues, but practitioners often develop particular experience with certain areas — trauma, addiction, relationship patterns, burnout, grief, or identity. Ask about their experience with what you are bringing.

3. Personal Therapeutic Work

The best practitioners in any somatic modality are those who have done — and continue to do — their own healing work. Ask whether your potential practitioner works with their own therapist or supervisor. This is a sign of ethical practice and personal integrity.

4. A Free Discovery Call

Most reputable CI practitioners offer a free discovery or consultation call before you commit to a session. This is your opportunity to ask questions and — crucially — to notice how you feel in their presence. The therapeutic relationship is everything in somatic work.

5. Clarity About Their Approach and Boundaries

A good practitioner is clear about what CI can and cannot address, their boundaries around session content, their cancellation policies, and confidentiality.

6. A Trauma-Informed Approach

CI is inherently trauma-informed, but it is worth asking how the practitioner holds trauma in their work. Do they move at your pace? Do they check in regularly? Do they understand the importance of regulation?

7. The Right Fit for You

After a discovery call or first session, ask yourself: Do I feel safe? Do I feel seen? Do I feel like I can be honest with this person? If the answer is yes, you are in the right place.

Questions to Ask a Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner

Before booking, consider asking:

• Are you certified through the official Compassionate Inquiry Professional Training?

• What experience do you have with [your specific challenge]?

• Do you work with a supervisor or your own therapist?

• How do you structure sessions?

• Do you offer a discovery call before committing?

• How many sessions do you typically recommend to start?

• What is your cancellation policy?

Online vs. In-Person CI: Which Is Better?

Both formats are effective. Online CI via Zoom is best for ongoing work, accessibility, and flexibility — you can work from anywhere with more practitioner options. In-person is ideal for intensive work, a first experience, or when deeper somatic presence is wanted. Many people begin online and continue long-term; others prefer to begin in person. There is no wrong answer.

Why Work With Jessi Galvin?

Jessi Galvin is a certified Compassionate Inquiry practitioner offering online sessions worldwide. Her approach combines the rigour of CI training with intuitive awareness and genuine warmth.

She works with clients who are:

• Healing childhood trauma and early relational wounds

• Navigating recurring patterns in relationships or self-worth

• Feeling disconnected, lost, or like something is missing

• Ready to go deeper than talk therapy has taken them

• Drawn to an approach that works with the whole person — body, mind, and spirit

What distinguishes working with Jessi:

• Certified CI practitioner trained through the official Dr. Gabor Maté programme

• Online sessions — available to clients worldwide via Zoom

• Complementary energy healing — for clients in Ericeira, Portugal, sessions can be combined with in-person energy healing work

• Somatic and spiritual integration — Jessi holds both the psychological and the energetic dimensions of healing

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if Compassionate Inquiry is right for me?
CI tends to resonate with people who feel that something important is happening beneath the surface — that their patterns, reactions, or feelings are being driven by something they cannot quite access through thinking or talking alone.

How is CI different from CBT or other therapies?
CBT works primarily at the level of thoughts and behaviours. CI works at the level of the body, emotions, and unconscious beliefs — often reaching material that cognitive approaches miss. It is slower, more somatic, and often more deeply transformative.

How many sessions do I need?
This varies. Some people experience meaningful shifts in a handful of sessions. For deeper or longer-standing patterns, a longer series is usually more effective. Jessi will discuss this with you in your discovery call.

Can I do CI alongside other therapy?
Yes. Many clients work with Jessi alongside other therapeutic support. CI often complements rather than replaces other work.

How do I book a session with Jessi Galvin?
Visit jessigalvin.com/compassionate-inquiry to learn more and book a free discovery call.