0606 - Deepening Embodied Resilience: Somatic Practices for Enhancing Interoceptive Awareness

Course Description

Hours: 12

A comprehensive understanding of somatic therapy requires more than cognitive knowledge; it necessitates embodied awareness and an openness to both being and doing. This offering is designed for those who have attended Working with Trauma and the Body: Fundamentals of Somatic Therapy and wish to deepen their understanding of the somatic techniques introduced in that foundational session. 

This two-day professional development course is designed to support participants with translating core somatic concepts into embodied experience. It will invite participants to deepen their somatic practice by exploring the nuances of tracking activation cycles and interoception within the body. Participants will fine-tune somatic awareness by tracking and navigating sensation, felt sense, and posture in real time—enhancing their ability to support complex client experiences with clarity, presence, and care.

Through a combination of experiential exercises, demonstrations, and group discussions, participants will: 

• Learn how to track activation cycles, increasing sensitivity to subtle shifts in the nervous system.
• Deepen the ability to sense internal bodily signals to enhance therapeutic attunement.
• Cultivate a deeper awareness of the felt sense and how to work with it effectively.
• Engage in playful exploration of posture and movement as tools for accessing and integrating somatic wisdom.

This course will be entirely experiential. Participants must be willing to engage in activities that involve movement and foster embodied awareness.

It is strongly recommended that you also complete Resourcing the Body: Somatic Practices for Cultivating Safety and Stability before you complete this course so that you have an opportunity to build your own resources before deepening your practice.

*Please note this course serves as an introduction to practicing various somatic techniques. Becoming a somatic therapist requires extensive training through an official program such as Somatic Experiencing®. This course is independent of Somatic Experiencing International (SEI), and continuing education hours earned do not count toward official SEI training programs.

Although this course is designed for mental health professionals, it may be challenging to navigate on a personal level. This training is not recommended for anyone who is currently experiencing their own trauma as some of the content may be activating.

Notes

Time Zone: All listed class times are held in ET (Ontario, Canada)

For more information contact the Faculty of Social Work Professional Development office:

Email: fswprofessionaldevelopment@wlu.ca
Phone: 548-889-5128

Cancellations and Transfers
Be sure to carefully review our cancellation and transfer information before registering.

Website: wlu.ca/fswpd

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Trauma Certificate : Trauma Certificate