Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing Conference: Clinical Tools for Healing Deep-rooted Trauma

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Speaker

Peter A. Levine, PhD Related seminars and products

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Peter A. Levine, PhD, holds doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology. The developer of Somatic Experiencing®, a body-awareness approach to healing trauma, and founder of the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, which conducts trainings in this work throughout the world and in various indigenous cultures, with 26 faculty members and over five thousand students. Dr. Levine was a stress consultant for NASA on the development of the space shuttle project and was a member of the Institute of World Affairs Task Force of Psychologists for Social Responsibility in developing responses to large-scale disasters and ethnopolitical warfare. Levine’s international best seller, Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma, has been translated into 22 languages. His recent interests include the prevention of trauma in children, and he has co-written two books, with Maggie Kline, in the area: Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes and Trauma-Proofing Your Kids. His most recent book: Trauma and Memory: Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past, was recently released to rave reviews. Levine’s original contribution to the field of body psychotherapy was honored in 2010 when he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP). Levine was also honored as the recipient of the 2020 Psychotherapy Networker Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Peter Levine is the founder and president of the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education, the president and editorial director of Ergos Institute Press, and receives a consulting fee from the Meadows Addiction Center. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Levine receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Peter Levine is a senior clinical fellow and advisor to the Meadows Addiction Treatment Center. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Humanistic Psychological Association, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Betsy Polatin, MFA, SEP Related seminars and products

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An internationally recognized breathing/movement specialist and best-selling author, Betsy Polatin, MFA, SEP, has been teaching for more than forty years and is currently a master lecturer at Boston University's College of Fine Arts. Her background includes meditation, trauma resolution, and the broader healing arts. Her work is greatly influenced by the teachings of spiritual and Meditation Masters. Betsy leads international trainings where she presents her unique and revolutionary fusion of ideas: scientific knowledge combined with ancient wisdom and intuitive human creativity. Teaching experience includes: Touch and Movement in Trauma Therapy, Kripalu, The Embodiment Conference, Psychotherapy Networker, Performing Arts Medicine Association, U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapy, Science and Nonduality Conferences, and International Trauma and Yoga Conferences in the US and abroad. Since 2016, she has been co-teaching ongoing traveling workshops, themed "Trauma and the Performing Artist" and "Trauma in the Public Eye," with Peter A. Levine, PhD. She teaches Returning to Ourselves, the Wisdom of Trauma, with Dr. Gabor Maté. Betsy is the author of HUMANUAL, an Epic Journey to your Expanded Self and The Actor's Secret. As a well-known educator, she has published numerous articles in the Huffington Post. She maintains a private practice online internationally. Please visit: www.HUMANUAL.com.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Betsy Polatin maintains a private practice. She receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Betsy Polatin has no relevant non-financial relationship to disclose.

Additional Info

Please note: There will be a lunch and two 15-minute breaks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and break times will be announced by the speaker and at their discretion. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.

Please complete the CE quiz and/or evaluation within one week after the event.

Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info

Objectives

1. Define trauma responses as defensive bodily reactions aimed at protection, and identify common manifestations in clients, such as hypervigilance, dissociation, or emotional dysregulation.
2. Explain the concept that trauma-based perceptions remain static until there is a shift in the internal bodily experience, leading to potential changes in cognition, emotion, and behavior.
3. Describe how feelings of shame, defeat, and humiliation stemming from the original traumatic event can manifest in the body, impacting mental, physical, and emotional well-being through somatic symptoms and psychological distress.
4. Differentiate between top-down (cognitive) and bottom-up (sensory and somatic) processing, and analyze how integrating both approaches can enhance trauma recovery and resilience.
5. Distinguish between support (external assistance and validation) and grounding (internal regulation and stabilization techniques), and evaluate their respective roles in trauma therapy.
6. Demonstrate proficiency in facilitating the multi-dimensional breathing process as a tool for grounding, regulation, and fostering connection to the present moment in trauma survivors.
7. Identify and apply various sound and movement techniques to support nervous system regulation and facilitate trauma processing in therapeutic contexts.

Outline

Introduction

• Overview of Somatic Experiencing (SE): A Naturalistic Approach to Healing Trauma
• Introduction to the Case Study: The Story of Nancy
• Understanding Misconceptions and Untreated Trauma
• Limitations and Risks

Understanding Trauma Dynamics

• Exploring the Trauma Vortex and Counter Vortex
• Roots of Traumatization: How Species Respond to Helplessness
• Types of Trauma and Trauma-Influenced States (e.g., Healthy Shame vs. Toxic Shame)

Exploring the Nervous System and Polyvagal Theory

• Influence of Wild Animals on Trauma Responses
• States of the Nervous System and Windows of Tolerance
• Polyvagal Theory Applied

Effects of Traumatic Impact

• A. Physiological Disorders and Symptoms
• B. Unresolved Trauma Impacts and Consequences

Somatic Experiencing Applied

• Understanding the Memory that Drives Us
• Basic Memory Systems and Their Role in Trauma
• Somatic Experiencing Techniques and Practices 1. Large Group Practice

Regulation in Somatic Experiencing

• Exploring Regulation Techniques
  • Contraction and Expansion
  • Less is More Approach
  • Tracking Shifts in Regulation
• Introduction to SIBAM and Its Role in Somatic Experiencing
• Signs of Discharge and Its Importance in Healing

Clinical Tools and Approaches

• Understanding the Difference Between Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches
• Integration of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches
• Activities to Facilitate Self-Regulation

Conclusion

• Recap of Key Points
• Implications for Clinical Practice
• Future Directions in Somatic Experiencing and Trauma Healing

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Psychotherapists
• Therapists
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Addiction Counselors
• Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Case Managers
• Nurses
• School Psychologists
• Other Helping Professionals

Location

500 California Stree, San Francisco, California 94104, United States
(415) 677-9494
www.omnihotels.com