Trauma Course: Somatic Psychotherapy Skills to Bring the Body into Trauma Treatment

CPD

Faculty

Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, LMFT Related seminars and products

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Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, MFT, is a somatic trauma psychotherapist, author, international teacher of somatic psychology, and senior Hakomi trainer. She is the founder of Embodywise, an international learning community offering professional training in trauma therapy, somatic psychology, and the Hakomi Method, and is a co-founder of the Hakomi Institute of California.
 

She is the developer of the Innate Somatic Intelligence Trauma Therapy Approach (ISITTA), an integrative somatic psychotherapy framework that supports trauma recovery through nervous system regulation, embodied awareness, movement-based integration, and relational therapeutic processes.
 

With over 30 years of clinical experience, Manuela has taught professional training programs internationally across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In the field of psychedelic therapy, she offers specialized somatic approaches, including somatic therapy techniques, movement-based integration, and ethical touch practices, to support psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy through a trauma-informed, relational lens.
 

She is the author of several books, including Embodied Psychedelic Therapy: A Somatic Guide (W. W. Norton, with Joshua Sylvae), Somatic Psychotherapy Toolbox (PESI), Trauma-Sensitive Movement (PESI), and 8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness (W. W. Norton). 
She is also a contributing author to Hakomi Mindfulness-Centered Somatic Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice (W. W. Norton), The Complete Trauma Treatment Guide (PESI), and The Praeger Handbook of Community Mental Health Practice (Praeger), for which she authored the chapter "The Role of Trauma in Community Health: A Somatic Perspective."

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Manuela Mischke-Reeds is the founder of Embodywise and has an employment relationship with Embodylab. She receives compensation as a consultant and royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Manuel Mischke-Reeds has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Additional Info

Program Information

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Objectives

1. Examine trauma and stress symptoms from a somatic psychotherapy perspective to better inform clinical treatment.
2. Evaluate traumatic stress from a psychobiological, social and mindfulness-based understanding to improve clinical treatment outcomes
3. Determine Somatic Psychotherapy readiness in the client to effectively and safely treat trauma and stress.
4. Develop targeted somatic clinical skills in the initial trauma treatment phases of stabilization and safety.
5. Incorporate clinical somatic skills for self-regulation and stress management in clinical treatment.
6. Summarize the clinical research that supports the imperative factors influencing the efficacy of trauma treatment to better inform clinical work.
7. Utilize clinical somatic skills that promote the stabilization of stress symptoms and anxiety management during trauma treatment.
8. Articulate how somatic techniques can impact the nervous system associated with stress and trauma responses and its treatment implications.
9. Evaluate how the role of conscious body movements help with symptoms of anxiety when processing trauma.
10. Assess how feelings of embodiment can impact the biological stress responses as it relates to case conceptualization.
11. Discover how innate healing states can be accessed through somatic body awareness as it relates to clinical treatment.
12. Consider the impact of somatic tools on managing the client’s emotions, thoughts and behaviours.

Outline

The Essentials of Trauma, Stress, PTSD and Complex PTSD

• Differentiate acute stress, PSTD and complex PTSD
• DSM-5® - PSTD overview
• Stress-trauma continuum
• Symptoms and cues of stress and trauma
• Assess for dissociation

Somatic Perspective of Trauma and Stress Symptoms

• What is soma?
• Polyvagal theory application
• Arousal theory and emotional dysregulation

Somatic Psychotherapy Fundamentals for Working with Trauma in the Body

• Safety guidelines
• Assess for readiness to apply somatic tools
• Therapeutic attitude when working with the body
• Techniques for reading distress in the body
• Tools to track the body and trauma cues

Evidence-Based Therapeutic Approaches That Work with the Body

• Somatic experiencing
• Sensorimotor psychotherapy
• EMDR
• Journal writing with the body in mind

The Somatic Psychotherapy Toolbox: Interventions for Enhanced Effectiveness in Trauma Treatment

• Mindfulness and Body Techniques
  • Self-regulate by suspending the moment
  • Open the body to deep relaxation
  • Build trust with simple earth mindfulness
• Read the Body and Teach Body Awareness
  • Body awareness inventory
  • Identify body themes
  • Filters of perception and biases
• Presence, Perception and Sensations
  • Dual awareness for moments of chaos
  • Sensing space for emotional and physical pain
• Movement, Posture and Gesture Interventions
  • Movement, play and beliefs to explore body boundaries
  • Grounding through the spine
  • Somatic strength posture
• Boundary Setting Skills
  • Extending physical boundaries
  • Wrap yourself into your own space
  • Boundary violation – redrawing the territory
• Breath Awareness and Techniques
  • The truth about deep breathing
  • Round-wave breath
  • Deflate anxiety
  • Lunar breath – diffuse tension
• Working with Sound, Voice and Safe Touch
  • Sounding into the body
  • Corridor of sound
  • When to use safe touch

Vicarious Trauma: What Clinicians Need to Know

• Grounding during difficult session
• Working with trauma activation states
• Burnout and vicarious trauma help
• Somatic techniques to stay grounded
• Common therapists’ triggers
• Self-kindness

Put It to Practice: Demonstrations of Somatic Therapy Skills

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Therapists
• Addiction Counselors
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Case Managers
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health Professionals

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