Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate

Name: Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate
Brand: The Embody Lab
Price: 977.0 USD
Availability: InStock

“Thriving is our birthright. Healing individual and collective trauma is the deepest embodiment of this truth.” — DR. SCOTT LYONS

September 27 - December 18, 2026 · Live via Zoom

A UNIFIED SOMATIC APPROACH TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE
Trauma is not an event — it's a disruption to the body-mind's capacity to adapt, thrive, and flourish. This first-of-its-kind 60-hour live certificate program brings together world-renowned somatic trauma teachers into one unified curriculum, offering a holistic framework for understanding and working with trauma from a body-centered perspective. Across 11 weeks, you'll gain practical tools to access the innate wisdom that guides healing for yourself and the people you work with.

Enroll Now

Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate

Program at a Glance

Are you ready to help heal trauma from a holistic and body based unified approach? Are you committed to transforming pain and challenges into growth, meaning, change and resilience?

Then we wholeheartedly invite you to our first-of-its-kind 60-hour Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate Program.

This unique 3-month online certificate program is designed for individuals, practitioners and educators wanting to explore a unified somatic approach to trauma-informed care: including a deeper understanding of the body’s relationship with social, environmental, developmental, relational, spiritual, and cultural wounding and healing. This program brings together world renowned somatic trauma therapy teachers into one training. The intention of this program is to offer a holistic framework for understanding and working with trauma from a body-centered perspective. This extraordinary program offers a collection of practical tools that will help access the innate wisdom that guides the healing process for yourself and your work with others.

RSVP for the Free Preview Event

FREE, LIVE & ONLINE: July 25, 2026 - 12pmET

Why Somatic Trauma Therapy

WHY SOMATIC TRAUMA THERAPY?

Bringing together world renowned Somatic Trauma Therapy teachers into one program, our intention is to offer a holistic framework for understanding and working with trauma from a body-centered perspective. This extraordinary program offers a collection of practical tools that will help you access the innate wisdom that guides the healing process for yourself and your work with others.

What is trauma?

A holistic approach to trauma defines trauma not as an event, but rather as a disruption and overwhelm to our body-mind’s capacity to adapt, thrive, and flourish.

Trauma can occur when:

There is too much too soon
There is too much for too long
There is not enough for too long
Power and agency have been taken away from the person or collective
The stressors outweigh the resources available to navigate them
When our primal protective instincts, intuitions, and responses are thwarted
There is not enough time, space, or permission to heal

It is essential that we consider social, developmental, and cultural factors when reflecting on a client’s trauma history. By not acknowledging these contextual factors we do the individual a disservice.

The symptoms of trauma may occur immediately or emerge over time from the compounding stress and challenges of processing and adapting to the experiences of life. Symptoms of trauma emerge as the body and mind attempt to cope with and resolve the stressors.

The effects of trauma may include:

Physical symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, tightness in the body, muscle tension, digestion challenges, and constrictions around the breath.
Emotional symptoms such as flatness / inability to feel, fear, anxiety, panic, overwhelm, loss of choice, difficulty feeling comforted, anger, and shame.
Psychological symptoms such as dissociation, mental rumination, low self worth, negative self talk, self blame, memory challenges, depression, and loss of interest in activities.
Relational / Social symptoms such as isolation, loneliness, relational and attachment reenactments.

Trauma can lead to feelings of powerlessness, helplessness, and groundlessness. It interferes with our ability to feel real in body and mind, it disrupts our very sense of existence, and takes us away from the present moment. However, as Dr. Peter Levine, creator of Somatic Experiencing says “Trauma is a fact of life. It does not have to be a life sentence.”

Symptoms are the gateway to healing trauma. Our job as practitioners and educators is to listen and hear the messages and wisdom encoded in the body.

Enroll Now Read the Curriculum

Meet Your Lead Faculty

Learn from World-Leading Voices in Trauma Treatment

Internationally recognized leaders bring to life a holistic and unified curriculum.

Scott Lyons (Dr.)

Nkem Ndefo

Kai Cheng Thom

Deb Dana

Frank Anderson (Dr.)

Manuela Mischke-Reeds

Staci K. Haines

Ruby Gibson (Dr.)

Albert Wong (Dr.)

Lisa Dion

Fran Booth

Ruella Frank (Dr.)

Farzana Khan

Rae Johnson (Dr.)

Bessel van der Kolk (Dr.)

Pat Ogden (Dr.)

Nikki Myers

Karine Bell

Arielle Schwartz (Dr.)

Somatics Help Heal

SOMATICS HELP HEAL

‘Soma’ is a Greek word for ‘the living body known from within’, or known to the Self. This ‘knowing’ signifies wholeness. Somatic therapy is an experiential approach towards mindbody integration. The pain, overwhelm, and coping responses manifested by trauma take us away from feeling at home in our body, and as a result there is often a split within ourselves.

Somatic Therapy helps:

• Restore the body as a place of safety while helping to expand the capacity to process body (preverbal and nonverbal) memory
• Metabolize unprocessed emotions
• Complete thwarted (incomplete) stress responses
• Restore our optimal relationship to our self and the world around us

Somatic trauma therapy offers techniques for clients to sense and regulate their own physiology and states of being. This includes building more internal and external resources, building trusting and co-regulatory relationships, learning to turn inward with compassion, being invited deeper in the body, and given time and space to process the trauma. These somatic techniques unwind trauma and restore well being.

A Unified Approach to Somatic Trauma Therapy

While trauma is processed and stored through the body, the ramifications of it shows up in many places including our relationships to other people, the environment, the collective, and a multitude of systems (education and political structures).

Through a unified Somatic Trauma Therapy approach we are able to assist individuals to integrate an understanding of their developmental and attachment experiences as well the culture, structural inequities, transgenerational trauma, and systemic forces of oppression they have been subject to.

Somatic Trauma Therapy encompasses a wide range of approaches to restore well-being. Each of these are based on the foundational principle that healing and integration happens through our bodies' primal language of movement, breath, and sensation. Additionally, body awareness helps us access an internal source of wisdom that guides the healing process and builds resilience.

Each of these therapeutic approaches use different techniques to support the unwinding of trauma. The intention of a unified approach is to embody the foundational principles of somatic trauma therapies and utilize the many tools and techniques to support ourselves and others.

The Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate will explore and integrate many different somatic therapy approaches including:

• Somatic Experiencing
• Hakomi Method
• Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
• Applied Polyvagal Theory
• Focusing, Dance/ Movement Therapy
• Somatic Stress Release™
• Internal Family Systems
• Somatic Attachment Theory
• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Embodied Social Transformation

Curriculum

01 Befriending The Body

- Overview - Somatic Psychology and Trauma Recovery for the Individual Body
- Towards an Alchemical Resilience: Foundations and Inspirations
- Shadow Work and Navigating Shame
- From the Individual to the Systemic: Sites of Trauma and Healing
- Polyvagal Theory and Pathways to Connection Part 1
- Polyvagal Theory and Pathways to Connection Part 2
- Neuroscience and Trauma
- Research & Application of Psychedelics for Trauma
- Introduction to Embodiment
- Embodying Ancestral Wisdom

02 Trauma Reprocessing (The Building Blocks & Tools of Trauma Healing)

- Hakomi — Core Principles
- Integration
- Closing Your Eyes to See: Focusing, Active Imagination, and Inner Dialogue
- Foundations of Trauma and Healing in Children
- Trauma and the Internal Body Mind Family — Part 1
- Trauma and the Internal Body Mind Family — Part 2
- Trauma & Embodied Movement — Part 1
- Trauma & Embodied Movement — Part 2
- Balancing Individual and Collective Transformation
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma - Part 1
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma - Part 2
- Addiction, Trauma and Healing

03 Applications / Populations

- The Bodily Roots of Developmental Trauma
- Somatic Relational Skills
- Structural Embodiment: Somatics for the Collective Body
- Diversity of Embodiment
- The Legacy of Early Attachment Relationships

04 Integration (Post Traumatic Growth)

- Embodied Practitioner Skills
- Post-Traumatic Growth: Mind-Body Tools to Foster Resilience & Awaken to your Potential
- Integration Session

What You'll Learn

Skills you'll carry into your practice

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Recognize and embody the key principles of somatic trauma healing approaches.
Understand the interconnections between individual trauma healing and collective liberatory practices.
Explore the latest evidence-informed approaches to treating and healing individual and collective trauma.
Understand how to engage practical mind-body therapy tools to resource and prepare for trauma processing.
Gain a deep understanding of how Polyvagal Theory provides an essential foundation in trauma reprocessing.
Discover and experience techniques to offer co-regulation, a key precursor to self-regulation in working with trauma individually and collectively.
Practice and apply tools that strengthen emotional and sensation tolerance.
Discover how “top-down” and “bottom up” interventions can speed up or slow down the pacing of trauma treatment.
Explain how trauma can lead to holding patterns and survival responses within the individual and collective body.
Understand the dynamics of post-traumatic hyper-arousal or hypo-arousal states, especially in ecological and cultural contexts.
Gain a road map to facilitate resilience.
Identify self- and collective-care practices to navigate boundaries, energy sustainability, and vicarious trauma.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The 2026 60-hour certificate program runs live from September 27th to December 18th, 2026 and includes 23 two-hour modules offered over 11 weeks. In addition, a Student Orientation session and multiple Community Connection sessions are also offered. Classes and optional Community Connections are on weekdays.

A detailed schedule will be provided upon registration. All live sessions are recorded so students could watch in their own time.

HOMEWORK

There were no homework assignments during the program. Please see Certificate of Completion below for more information.

Zoom:

The live portion will be offered using Zoom in meeting format, allowing instructors and students to interact and participate in breakout sessions.

Online Learning Platform:

Detailed schedule and reminder emails
How to access via Zoom
All recordings available within 48 hours
Supporting materials including PDFs

Accessibility:

Download video or audio to your computer
Lifetime access to the content
Live captioning and transcripts in English

Requirements to receive the Certificate:

Attend the live sessions or watch the recordings
Complete any required assignments or reflections
Participate in supervision groups (where applicable)

Secure your spot in this certificate program. Payment plans and member pricing available at checkout.

Enroll Now

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions, answered

What are the dates, schedule and time commitment for ISTT 2026?

The 2026 60-hour certificate program ran live from September 27th to December 17th, 2026 and included 23 two-hour modules offered over 11 weeks. In addition, a Student Orientation session and multiple Community Connection sessions were also offered. Classes and optional Community Connections were on weekdays.

A detailed schedule was provided upon registration. All live sessions were recorded so students could watch in their own time. Here is the 2026 schedule:

STUDENT ORIENTATION
Sunday, September 28th, 2025 from 10am to 11:30amET

**WEEKLY CLASSES**
Monday, September 29th through Monday, December 15th, 2025 on:

Mon Sep 28 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Sep 30 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Oct 5 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Oct 7 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Oct 12 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Oct 14 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Oct 19 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Oct 21 — 12–2pm ET
Thu Oct 22 — 10–11:30am ET
Mon Oct 26 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Oct 28 — 12–2pm ET
Thu Oct 29 — 7–9pm ET
Mon Nov 2 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Nov 4 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Nov 9 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Nov 11 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Nov 16 — 12–2pm ET
Wed Nov 18 — 1–3pm ET
Thu Nov 19 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Nov 30 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Dec 2 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Dec 7 — 7–9pm ET
Wed Dec 9 — 12–2pm ET
Mon Dec 14 — 7–9pm ET
Thu Dec 17 — 11:30am–1:30pm ET
Fri Dec 18 — 12–1pm ET

BREAKOUT ROOMS

Mon Sep 28 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Sep 30 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Oct 5 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Oct 7 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Oct 12 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Oct 14 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Oct 19 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Oct 21 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Oct 26 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Oct 28 — 2–2:30pm ET
Thu Oct 29 — 9–9:30pm ET
Mon Nov 2 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Nov 4 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Nov 9 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Nov 11 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Nov 16 — 2–2:30pm ET
Wed Nov 18 — 3–3:30pm ET
Thu Nov 19 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Nov 30 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Dec 2 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Dec 7 — 9–9:30pm ET
Wed Dec 9 — 2–2:30pm ET
Mon Dec 14 — 9–9:30pm ET
Thu Dec 17 — 1:30–2pm ET
COMMUNITY CONNECTION SESSIONS
Fri Oct 9 — 4–5:30pm ET
Fri Nov 13 — 12–1:30pm ET
Fri Nov 13 — 4–5:30pm ET
Fri Dec 11 — 4–5:30pm ET

Who is this program designed for?

This program is a certification process that distills an educational methodology to integrate into a variety of modalities such as: Social Workers, Mental Health & Pastoral Counselors, Yoga Therapists / Yoga Teachers, Movement Therapists, Coaches, Physicians (MD, DO, ND, DC & others) & Physician Assistants, Nurses & Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Emergency Medical Personnel, Meditation Teachers, Educators, Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists & Body Workers, Hypnotherapists, Kinesiologists, Complementary & Alternative Medicine Professionals, Clergy & Religious Leaders, other Wellness Professionals.

This is an education program and not a licenser program.

How can I interact with the instructors? Will I receive guidance?

During each of the live sessions, the instructors will have a Q&A period where you may ask questions. Three community connections will also be offered with one of the co-directors of the program and special guests. A private online community forum will be provided for the certificate.

What are the homework requirements?

There are no homework assignments during the program.

Do you offer refunds?

We offer a Registration Guarantee which means that if you register but decide the course isn’t right for you, we’ll refund your course fee - no questions asked - up to 48 hours before the course start date.

How can I access the online course and recordings?

ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM: Once you register, you will receive access to our online learning platform which will include all the information about the certificate, including:

Detailed schedules
How to access the live sessions via Zoom
Recordings of all live sessions uploaded within 48 hours of the end of the live session
Supporting materials provided by your instructors

ACCESSIBILITY | Video / Audio: Within our online learning platform, you may watch the video within your online library or download the video or audio to your computer. You will have lifetime access to the content.

ACCESSIBILITY | Live Captioning / Transcripts: Captioning will be available during the live sessions. Transcripts will be offered in English.

ACCESSIBILITY | Reading Lists: The reading list will include items available at the public library or will be provided as a PDF where possible. PDFs of the instructor’s presentation will also be provided.

Is this a summit?

No, this is an integrated curriculum co-created by the faculty. The faculty are colleagues in this program. They are working together to make sure each individual module is cohesive with the entire curriculum. Every teacher is informed about what is coming before and what is coming after and integrating their curriculum based on that information.

Is this a theoretical or practical (experiential) program?

While some theory will be presented to support the learning, the primary focus of the practice is experiential, giving practical tools for the participants.

Will I receive a certificate?

You’ll receive a certificate of completion once you have completed attending the live sessions or watching the recordings, submitted the Self-Evaluations & Reflections for each phase, and full payment has been received.

What title can I use after completing this program?

Licensed therapists or health professionals (e.g., social workers, psychologists, clinical therapists, registered nurses) may use the title "Somatic Trauma Therapies Practitioner."

Non-licensed individuals may say: "I integrate somatic Somatic trauma healing interventions into my practice."

Will Continuing Education hours (CEs) be offered?

CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

20 hours of CEs are available for Health Professionals upon completion of the live training. Please note - Live attendance is required.

To register your interest for CE hours for this program and more detailed information, please visit this link: https://forms.gle/76mwhjgG5vnzVw9BA

Below is more information on the health professionals which may be eligible for CEs through the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program.

CE hours for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE hours for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by sponsors of CE who are approved by the American Psychological Association.
LCSW, LPCC, LEP and LMFTs, and other professionals from outside of California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept credits from programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes. Nurses outside of California must confirm acceptance with their licensing boards.
For questions about your certificate or the content, logistics, or other support issues regarding this course, please contact The Embody Lab at info@theembodylab.com.
For questions about whether APA CE is valid for you, contact your licensing board directly.
For general questions about APA CE, contact SCA at ce@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.

FROM A DIFFERENT STATE OR COUNTRY?

Health professionals from a state or country outside of California need to check with their licensing boards as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of Continuing Education by the American Psychological Association (APA).

DIFFERENT CREDENTIAL?

If your credential is not listed, please check with your licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of Continuing Education by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The SCA and The Embody Lab are not able to determine your eligibility.