Joseph Nicholas Mach is an accomplished musician, visual artist, Gestalt coach and meditation enthusiast based in Austin, TX. He studied for 5 years with Steve Flynn, MA/CMT, training in Gestalt therapy, bio-energetics, Reichian therapy and qi gong. In 2023 he founded InnerWork ATX, an organization dedicated to sharing and teaching these profound tools through private sessions, group workshops and retreats.
April Update - All Work And No Play...
|
APRIL 2026 Hello Reader, One practice I’ve implemented for many years comes from Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way.” It’s called an “Artist’s Date,” and is, as she puts it, “a once-weekly adventure to do something fun" that is "solo, festive, and designed to fill your well" with inspiration.” I found that a weekly date wasn’t sustainable with my schedule, so I’ve found that a monthly cadence is do-able. And, even at that pace, it’s a monthly struggle to make time for my inner artist, placing it as important among the many external demands of life. Last week was just such a case. I was planning to go to the HOPE Outdoor Graffiti gallery - something I’ve been excited to explore for quite some time. When it came to embark on the Artist Date, I looked it up on Google Maps, 23 minutes away!—and quickly started to pivot and make excuses. Maybe I could just swing by somewhere close and just keep it short. My wife and son needed my support, and that would give me time to help out at the house. Besides, I had a long to-do list, a newsletter to write, etc. I felt my spirit slump in driver seat. The “be productive” part in me was winning the argument. And then I felt a quiet voice whisper ‘GO’ - and I just committed. 23 minutes, who cares! Five minutes down the road, the joyous sense of ADVENTURE kicked in. I still felt all the demands, the excuses, the “better” uses of my time - but I also felt an immediate ping of celebration as my inner artist got the message - I am worth 23 minutes of inconvenience! I am important! Play is important! Yay! For my inner artist and I to have a strong, harmonious relationship—I have to show up. Which brings me to... Saturday, May 30, I am hosting an in-person retreat called “Make Friends With Your Mind.” I will lead us through several tools and exercises all designed to explore and get to know your inner world. We live in a busy world, with many demands on our time. And we all have parts of us that have been neglected, and are just waiting for the validation of saying YES, YOU ARE WORTH MY TIME. Sometimes, just the act of committing creates drastic change. If you hear a little voice stirring in you with these words, I invite you to say YES and see what happens when you start committing to your inner world. Registration is available here. Now Accepting New ClientsI love this work. I love sharing the tools I have learned; helping my clients navigate their inner world and then watching that ripple out into their external world in remarkable ways. And I also remember feeling SO NERVOUS to begin my inner exploration. It might not be time. But if you are feeling that call - what the Gurdjieff work calls "magnetic center" pulling you towards working on yourself - then I would love to explore with you.
Virtual or In-Person. For details on package rates and special trainings, visit www.tenoxcoaching.com. Upcoming Workshops & TalksWednesday, May 6 - Integration Circle, Kuya Wellness 6-8pm Saturday, May 30 - Make Friends With Your Mind Retreat 10am-3pm Joseph's MusicJoseph's Art
I'm so glad we get to stay connected in this way and I'm grateful that you are in my life. Feel free to share this with anyone in your life, and I would love to hear how you are doing. |
Joseph Mach
Joseph Nicholas Mach is an accomplished musician, visual artist, Gestalt coach and meditation enthusiast based in Austin, TX. He studied for 5 years with Steve Flynn, MA/CMT, training in Gestalt therapy, bio-energetics, Reichian therapy and qi gong. In 2023 he founded InnerWork ATX, an organization dedicated to sharing and teaching these profound tools through private sessions, group workshops and retreats.
NEWSLETTER - MARCH 2026 Hello Reader, Attending group workshops used to terrify me. I would spend the whole time ‘in my head’ - constantly monitoring my appearance, pre-rehearsing what I would share, second-guessing my every move. Sound familiar? (Reminds me of the Ram Dass quote - “In most of our human relationships, we spend much of our time reassuring one another that our costumes of identity are on straight”) I felt judged, out of place, an impostor of a human. I spent so much of my focus...
NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2026 Hello Reader, A few days ago I came across this quote while dropping my son off at his daycare/art school (Habibi’s Hutch): “Love is an action word Art is a contact sport Thus, all the band-aids” And it seemed like the perfect summation of this season of life and of my year 2026 so far. That is to say, I feel banged up. Like I am in some sort of testing phase - where the Universe says, “okay, now do it with one hand tied behind your back." Then, “okay, now...
NEWSLETTER - DEC 2025 Hello Reader, A few days ago, despite my best attempts to keep the holiday season EASY, I found myself getting caught up in the hustle bustle. I was multi-tasking getting dressed for Christmas Eve church service and trying to entertain and dress an overtired toddler. Internally, I was trudging along and just trying to keep my head above water. Not drowning, but not exactly thriving. Our church has a tradition of making Christmas Eve a bit dressier than usual Sundays, so...