Somatic Trauma Certificate – Antioch University

Earn a certificate in Somatic Trauma Therapy

September 13, 20,27 and October 4, 2024 ONLINE

20 Continuing Education Credits
Antioch University Online

If you work with trauma and emotional overwhelm and feel something is lacking in your professional and self-work outcomes, this Somatic Trauma Healing certificate program may be the vital missing piece.

• You are a therapist, psychotherapy student, wellness/health provider, yoga instructor, educator, body worker, healer, or medical professional seeking practical somatic tools to support clients as well as your own self-regulation?
• You want to go beyond survey courses and truly gain a solid understanding of how trauma is stored in the body and can be released permanently?
• You want to learn practical somatic tools to significantly bolster your professional outcomes when dealing with traumatized and overwhelmed clients?

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Supported learning and experience  – Learn the latest interventions and acquire valuable information invaluable to your practice and personal growth. Presented in an easy to understand format, you will walk away with tools you can use right away. Not only will you become well educated in what somatic therapy is, but also highly effective in supporting others through difficult emotions. This is not simply a survey course. It will prepare you to enter the field of somatic therapy and leap ahead of many in your field. This is a must for any therapist, healer, medical professional, or coach in the growing world of somatics.

Learn at your own pace – If you cannot take all 4 classes, take as many as you can. This course is offered multiple times a year. It sells out quickly so always make sure to reserve your spot in advance.

Easy to understand – All lessons are presented with ample explanation, practical examples and experiential practice. Difficult concepts are taught in ways participants can easily follow and integrate into their practice.

Practical lesson materials – Each participant will have access to resources and guides designed to further and deepen their knowledge. Clear guides help participants deepen their knowledge and gain practice.

20 Continuing Education Credits – Participants will receive 5 CE credits per class for a total of 20 to be used for CE credit for existing practice requirements.

Register for all 4 Modules – 20 CEU credit hours

Part One –   Applied Somatic Therapy (AST)

• You are a therapist, psychotherapy student, wellness/health provider, yoga instructor, educator, body worker, healer, or medical professional seeking practical somatic tools to support clients as well as your own self-regulation?
• You want to go beyond survey courses and truly gain a solid understanding of how trauma is stored in the body and can be released permanently?
• You want to learn practical somatic tools to significantly bolster your professional outcomes when dealing with traumatized and overwhelmed clients?

In this Certificate workshop participants will learn why trauma is primarily a body-based experience that overtakes moods and thoughts, challenging the common perception that trauma is just “something inside our minds”. 
The role of the primitive nervous system, responsible for storing traumatic experiences within the body, will be amply explored. In learning that emotional overwhelm resides primarily within the body, participants will gain a solid understanding of how trauma disrupts normal biological function, often resulting in syndromes and disease. Building on knowledge of the nervous system, participants will gain practical somatic tools to counter anxiety, depression, and disconnection emerging from trauma. Participants will apply techniques that can be used daily to help clients and practitioners gain self-regulation and grounding quickly and with ease. Further clinical somatic approaches will be explored that will build towards more advanced levels of practice. This course is highly recommended for anyone seeking to work somatically with emotional overwhelm and trauma recovery both in professional practice and individually.

Daily Session Breakdown

Session One – 90 Minutes

• Explain how the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) creates experiences of overwhelm and trauma in the body and mind through its connection to the HPA/Emotional axis.
• Identify the parts of the body affected by trauma stored in the nervous system. Connection is drawn to overwhelming emotional experiences and how body sensations intensify emotions.
• Classify the different parts of the nervous system involved in the experience of trauma and the corresponding emotional and physical effects.

Session Two – 90 Minutes

• Experience the effects of grounding and orienting by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and the Vagal complex.
• Explain the process of self-regulation in the nervous system as mediated by the PNS and the Vagal complex associated with trauma and emotional overwhelm.
• Identify practical somatic tools to help the nervous system soothe and return to emotional stability by recruiting parts of the body support safety while containing overwhelm.

Session Three – 90 Minutes

• Explain body based somatic interventions used to bring self regulation related to specific nervous system physiology.
• Apply small group work to practice basic tools of somatic therapy to encourage settling/self-regulation and possible deactivation of patterns of emotional discomfort.
• Participate in discussion to further understand the purpose and application of somatic therapy tools to specific and general applications.

Session Four – 30 Minutes

Expand and discuss through participant’s questions and/or deepening into practice and application of practical tools and principles presented.

Part Two –  Applied Polyvagal Therapy (AST)

• Are you eager to develop advanced professional skills in working directly with the Vagus nerve, empowering yourself and your clients?
• Do you want to join transformative course that uncovers powerful ways of working with the Vagus nerve to help alleviate trauma and emotional overwhelm?
• Are you in search of a Vagus course that strikes the perfect balance between theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice?

In this Certificate program participants will discover hidden functions of the Vagus nerve which are closely tied to emotional self-regulation, social engagement and deep body trauma responses. From the latest science to well practiced interventions, participants will acquire techniques to harness the Vagus nerve complex to help resolve emotional overwhelm. The Vagal Nerve Complex is responsible for fundamental body functions, emotional engagement, and deeper traumatic experiences. When this system becomes affected by trauma or emotional overwhelm, debilitating physical and mental disorders can arise. Participants will learn how the Vagus both serves to help regulate and contain the emotional nervous system while simultaneously, holding trauma immobile in the body. Participants will walk away from this badge program with powerful tools to navigate an often misunderstood system that significantly impacts emotional trauma and overwhelming experiences. This course is highly recommended for anyone engaged with individuals challenged by trauma and experiencing emotional overwhelm. AST is an essential for clinicians and healers.

Daily Session Breakdown

Session One – 90 Minutes

• Explain the importance of the Vagal Nerve Complex, its evolution and function in emotional self-regulation, social engagement and nonfunctional shut-down (emotionally and physically).
• Identify parts of the body innervated and influenced by the Vagal complex and the significance of its pervasive wiring that helps support social engagement and normal organ function.
• Learn the function of the Vagus nerve in the freeze/immobility response and the signs and symptoms of its activity as can be witnessed by an observer and felt subjectively.

 Session Two – 90 Minutes

• Explain specific tools used to lower vagal tone (activation) and how these help the nervous system enter a state of coherence and a sense of safety.
• Practice in a group setting Vagal interventions to help reduce emotional charge and the sense of disconnection or overwhelm associates with trauma.
• Explain the connection between trauma and the Vagal complex and how practical tools help return individuals to embodiment and a sense of internal coherence.

Session Three – 90 Minutes

• Explore the different expressions of the Vagus nerve: social engagement, shutdown, tonic immobility and blended states.
• Acquire skills to practice recognizing the different states of the Vagus nerve and their relationship to emotional states, immobility, and trauma.
• Expand on lessons learned during practice session to further deepen an understanding of the appropriate application of Vagal interventions.

Session Four – 30 Minutes

• Expand and discuss through participant’s questions and/or deepening into practice and application of practical tools and principles presented.

Part Three – Trauma First Aid

• Could you benefit from an easy to learn tools to help you settle during stressful or overwhelming situations?
• Do you experience overwhelm or negotiate difficult emotional experiences in yourself or others?
• Are you in search of ways to support traumatized clients experience safety and grounding during the course of healing?

In this Certificate program participants will learn highly effective and simple to master process to help settle from emotional overwhelm and traumatic events.  For clinicians, medical personnel, healers, emergency responders, or anyone working in high stress situations, this course is essential in providing powerful tools to help bring safety and settling during trauma and catastrophe. For clinicians and healing professionals, Trauma First Aid is impactful in helping clients find relaxation and regain the ability to engage in therapeutic processes.

Grounded in the latest science of psychophysiology, participants will gain expertise in how the fight, flight, or freeze system along with the Vagus nerve complex can be harnessed to significantly resolve emotional overwhelm. Equipped with accessible techniques firmly rooted in a comprehensive understanding of the emotional nervous system, participants will gain the confidence to effectively navigate overwhelming and traumatic experiences in any given situation.

There will be time dedicated to hands-on practice of straightforward techniques and interventions that can be readily applied to professional practice as well as emergency situations.

Daily Session Breakdown

Session One – 90 Minutes

• Explain the detailed process of nervous system activation during overwhelming and/or traumatic experiences.
• Explore examples of nervous system overwhelm as can occur during natural disasters, impact trauma, emotional abuse, psychical attack, childhood trauma etc.
• Identify parts of the nervous system and regions of the body most affected by trauma and overwhelm and how these can be supported through self touch.

Session Two – 90 Minutes

• Explain how the process of overwhelm in the nervous system can be interrupted using Trauma First Aid tools to return a state of awareness and connection to the environment and self. 
• Demonstrate the tools of Trauma First Aid in the group setting to acquire an objective experience of how settling arrives in a person’s experience.
• Participate in a group exchange to witness the effects of down-regulation in the nervous system while observing the bodily signs of emotional settling.

 Session Three – 90 Minutes

• Explain the specific steps involved in Trauma First Aid in an easy-to-understand format.
• Practice specific exercises of Trauma First Aid while allowing self reporting as a group to further ground each step and their appropriate application.
• Participate in small groups the tools of Trauma First Aid while receiving feedback from fellow group Member.

Session Four – 30 Minutes

• Expand and discuss through participant’s questions and/or deepening into practice and application of practical tools and principles presented.

Part Four – Clinicians Trauma Experiential Somatic Tool Kit (CTEST Kit)

• Do you want to go to take you practice to the next level using the latest somatic tools? 
• Are you seeking a comprehensive, easy to learn tool kit to work confidently with trauma and overwhelm?
• Are you in search of a course that expands your knowledge of how trauma and can be definitively resolved?

CTEST Kit is where it all comes together

In this fourth and most popular in the Certificate badge program, participants will learn how to apply the latest core tools and techniques used in Somatic therapy based on clinical and scientific practice. Participants will arrive at an experiential understanding of how the body heals trauma while engaging in a deep learning experience. (participants are strongly encouraged to attend parts 1-3 before initiating this part)

The latest interventions and approaches will be introduced reflecting the leading age in the world of Somatic healing. Up to date information and the latest findings will always be updated in all course offerings.

The Clinicians Trauma Experiential Somatic Took (CTEST) kit is designed to support practitioners and students who want to be more effective in working with trauma and emotional overwhelm. Emphasis will be given to individual and group practice of easy to use tools accessing nervous system shortcuts to quickly achieve self-regulation. Insights into how CTEST tools work will greatly support a strong knowledge base that can be applied to both professional and personal experiences.

This course is an essential addition to anyone seeking optimal outcomes in effectively working with trauma and emotional overwhelm. 

Daily Session Breakdown

Session One – 90 Minute

• Explain the importance of body awareness, memory fragmentation, and unconscious incomplete defensive responses. 
• Introduce the practical core approaches to de-activate the nervous system during difficult emotional experiences rooted in trauma.
• Demonstrate core tools and approaches in a group setting to help participants further understand how the body can deactivate and settle from overwhelm.
• Expand on demonstrated core tools to help participants gain a larger understanding how the self-regulatory system of the body can be supported and expanded.
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Session Two – 90 Minutes

• Explain how charge in the nervous system can be tracked and supported through self awareness and self-touch.
• Identify specific somatic tools used in CTEST to help support deactivating overwhelm in the body and the emotions.
• Practice learned somatic tools in the group as an experiential application towards a personal felt sense experience of their effectiveness.
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Session Three – 90 Minutes

• Explore experiences from the practice sessions to ground subjective experiences in practical knowledge of how trauma affects the nervous system.
• Practice in small groups core somatic tools of CTEST to help gain grounding and a deeper somatic sense of how the body can be supported in deactivating overwhelm.
• Integrate experiences from the session towards future work and professional development.
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Session Four – 30 Minutes

• Expand and discuss through participant’s questions and/or deepening into practice and application of practical tools and principles presented.