Two basic tenets of Core Evoloution are breathing and grounding. The deepening of the breath and increasing of one's ground make a significant difference in an individual. In taking care of these two principles, it is easier to address the defensive structure in an individual because the person's system is more relaxed and not in a "fight or flight" state of being.

The first stage of Core Evolution work is to penetrate the mask we create to protect ourselves. Its impetus comes from the desire to relieve the pain that prompted the person to come for treatment in the first place. The work confronts the mask for what it is: a counterfeit of inner reality. Self observation with the help of the therapist uncovers the obvious distortions in body structure and functioning. The physical work involved in this work increases the energy level that activates the tensions and blocks and makes their existence and location visible. A practitioner can understand the meaning of the energy blocks and their role in limiting the flow of feeling by observing what is expressed in the patient’s body as she/he speaks, breathes, and moves voluntarily and involuntarily during these rigorous exercises.

The second stage of treatment emphasizes evoking the primal negativities undistorted. It is the job of our defense mechanisms to keep these under cover. These mechanisms, or strategies, are what helped us to survive our childhood. These strategies are what also get in our way of being vulnerable, or available for love, intimacy, tenderness and joy. How can we allow ourselves to feel if we are defended or are strategizing? While we may long for deeper connection, we may simultaneously be defended against that for which we long.

The third phase of the work is opening the core energy. Here we can unify the dualities that appear to be conflicts, whether they appear mainly as habitual distortions, or only passive acceptance of received ideas. This unification of the mental, emotional, physical, will and spiritual aspects gives one the ability to then make choices rather than continuing to operate from the reaction (where one reacts to the environment rather than acts in response to the environment) pattern which would then result in the same outcome as one has obtained throuhgout one's life.