About this training

SE™ is designed to work with overwhelming life experiences. The aim is to support the self-regulating capacity of the nervous system. As a result of a traumatic situation, our nervous system can get stuck in a state of alarm. SE™ enables us to find a state of relaxation from the permanent inner state of alertness. Attention at SE™ is not so much focused on the event, but primarily on the body's reaction to this traumatic experience. Through holistic sensing it is possible to release the energy bound in the nervous system without remembering the cause. Repeated reactivation and re-experiencing of traumatic memories is not necessary.

The Somatic Experiencing® Professional Training provides a comprehensive and in-depth understanding and appreciation of the neurophysiology of trauma theory and the principles of trauma healing. It is an intensive part-time training that takes place over three years. Each year of training consists of two 6-day modules, for a total of 36 days of face-to-face training.

More information about the SE™ and the professional training:

https://traumahealing.org/professional-training/

The topics of the training

Beginner's Year:

Understanding the physiological basis of trauma.
The function of the nervous system.
Identifying signals and signs in the body and nervous system
Teaching the basic SE™ techniques
SE™ exercises for grounding, boundaries and containment
Practicing establishing defensive orienting responses
Working with sensation, impressions, behaviour, affects, meaning
Working with fight, flight and freeze
Resources
Symptoms
Acquiring skills to avoid re-traumatisation and false memories
Somatic first aid

Intermediate Year:

Brief review of first year topics and integration
Examination of the different categories and causes of traumatic shock and approaches to treating each case:
Global high intensity trauma (early trauma, fever, drowning, foetal distress, traumatic birth...).
Inescapable attack (rape, physical abuse, assault, incest...)
Physical injury (surgery, anaesthesia, burns, poisoning...)
High impact accidents, head injuries
Emotional trauma, e.g. severe neglect and abandonment, severe loss, persistent abuse
Natural disasters (earthquakes, fires, floods...)
Horror, e.g. witnessing an accident, witnessing someone else being abused, raped, killed or tortured the difference between shock trauma and developmental trauma

Advanced Year:

Short repetition of the topics from the first two years and integration
Working with coherence
Polyvagal theory and SE
Work with syndromes (chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, asthma, migraine)
Deepening of practical work and techniques
Working with the eyes
Working with touch
Working with joints, diaphragms, viscera

Course schedule

Module I:

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Module II:

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Module III:

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Module IV:

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Module V:

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Module VI:

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Teachers

Dr. Abi Blakeslee
Dr. Glyndie Nickerson

Prerequisites for participation

Participants must either have completed training in any psychotherapeutic modality or bodywork or belong to one of the professions that help people, such as a doctor, psychiatrist, social worker etc.

Participants must have attended a two-day introduction before starting the course. Click here to learn more about the introductory seminar.

Language

Only English

Teachers

Dr. Abi Blakeslee

Dr. Abi Blakeslee combines Somatic Experiencing with clinical research, the psychobiological principles of attachment, psychodynamic therapy, and somatic bodywork in her practice and teaching. She has conducted original research on the role of implicit memory in Somatic Experiencing with a committee that included Dr. Daniel Siegel. Dr. Blakeslee holds a Masters of Arts in Counseling and Depth Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Clinical and Somatic Psychology. She is interested in the intersection of neuroscience, current trauma research, and the psychobiological principles of Somatic Experiencing. She works with individuals, couples, children, and families and treats a wide range of issues. She teaches SE trainings and somatic workshops and speaks at professional conferences.

Dr. Glyndie Nickerson

Glyndie Nickerson is a faculty member at Somatic Experiencing International and teaches the Beginning and Intermediate years of the SE training. She supports SE students and graduates through group and individual consultations. Glyndie also teaches workshops on SE and spiritual practise, co-regulation and grief. Glyndie teaches SE based on current neuropsychological research, the biopsychosocial model, object relations, attachment theory, family systems, Jungian and relational psychoanalysis, and creative and spiritual flourishing, which strangely often accompanies post-traumatic growth.

Course schedule

The training consists of three training years - beginner, intermediate and advanced. There are two 6-day modules in the training year.

Beginner's Year (Dr. Glyndie Nickerson)

Module I

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Module II

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Intermediate Year (Dr. Glyndie Nickerson)

Module III

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Module IV

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Advanced Year (Dr. Abi Blakeslee)

Module V

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Module VI

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Each module begins at 10 a.m. on the first day. Please come at 9.00 a.m. at the latest, because of the registration.