Sacred Somatics Practitioner Training - level 2

Sacred Somatics is a modality that brings together three main aspects of Therapeutic and Somatic Practice namely:

observation: reading the body and awareness of what the client is presenting with

Feeling: intentional touch and therapeutic skill

Embodiment: grounding and ethical relationship

Level 2 practitioner training

This level 2 training will add on to the training from level 1 and deepen both experience and knowledge of the aspects of Sacred Somatics. Participants must complete level 1 training before registering for level 2.

This 20 hour training (16 hours class time with 2 hours prep and 2 hours of follow up) brings the integrated practice of healthcare to the forefront for hands on practitioners. There is much research that shows that a sense of well-being and proper functioning of a human is based on not only physical aspects, but also on our past life experience, traumas and emotional and attachment patterns. For Practitioners willing to expand their level of knowledge to include somatic based awareness and education as well as trauma-informed assessment and treatment plans this training will bring it all together. Practitioners will learn simple techniques that can add to your skills and also give you an ethical framework to know when to refer your client to another modality. Sacred Somatics Practitioner training embraces the way forward for integrated healthcare.

20 hours instruction time

2 hours reading of required material and personal reflection and preparation

16 hours classroom instruction

2 hours integration and submission of a personal assignment

Outcomes:

Listening, Clarifying and Holding space for a client’s intention for their own healing journey and being aware of our own biases and power dynamics in the Practitioner-Client dyad.

Paying attention to our Countertransference feelings with a client and learning to maintain a Professional role in our Practitioner-client relationships.

Learning to discern a client’s main obstacles to healing on an emotional, physical and psychological level and how to support the client to recognize their own patterns.

Learn and practice Fascial techniques that hone our palpation skill as therapists and help us to define and respect a patient’s physical and verbal boundaries.

Review and teach specific Myofascial techniques: vault holds, depth and directional barriers, cross hands techniques and variations and traction/ compression techniques

Learn and practice Somatic Embodiment techniques to expand the possibilities for healing and wholeness within a treatment plan.

Practice communicating in the Patient’s own words and metaphors around their pain and their goals for treatment.

Learn Self care options for therapists to maintain the practice they want and to extend their ability to continue working in the healthcare field

Topics covered:

2 hours -preparatory reading and reflective writing on short answer questions related to the topic using excerpts provided from references listed above

2 hours Postural Structural Analysis - using references from Ida Rolf, Structural Integration and Alexander Lowen.

2 hours of lecture, discussion and experiential exercises exploring power dynamics and the Right Use of Power (using references and work of Cedar Barstow and others)

2 hours Learning and discussion of how to notate and communicate in the client’s own words and metaphors to increase client uptake of treatment protocols

2 hours of learning static contact touch and myofascial techniques - depth barrier, vault holds, directing energy, feeling boundaries and working with SNS arousal/ hyperarousal and staying within the nervous system learning zone

2 hours practice of above techniques

2 hours learning and practice of compression and traction myofascial techniques

2 hours of discussion, lecture and experiential character structures and transference and countertransference issues with each one

2 hours lecture and experiential learning around ethical relationships in our profession

2 hours of follow up quiz/ short answer questions and testing of course material and discussion and Q and A

Instructor Bio:

Ailsa Keppie, BSc (Hons), SSE, MFT, RMT

Ailsa is a trained Massage Therapist, intimacy Educator and Somatic Therapist and has been working in the field of hands on bodywork, somatic coaching and healing for over a decade. She is in her final year of study Bioenergetic Analysis which is a 4 year program in Somatic Psychology. Ailsa Keppie brings aspects from her background in circus arts, physical theatre, music, dance, myofascial release, bioenergetic processes, archetypes and spirituality to her work with clients. Ailsa has really embodied her own healing journey and now brings her awareness and understanding to others. Ailsa works both online and in person and she is a member of the following associations

WASC - World Association of Sex Coaches
SSEA - Somatic Sex Educators Association

USABP - United States Association of Body Psychotherapy

ACSB - Association of Sexological Bodyworkers

MTANS - Massage Therapy Association of Nova Scotia