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Flyer has a photo of Shirley with curly brown hair and a warm smile, placing hands on someone who we cannot see. The logo of Relational Somatic healing is on the left with a flight (or murmuration) of birds taking off together from the middle.

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Relational Somatic Healing Embodied Touch in Psychotherapy

In-Person Touch Training
Touch, the language of the body, can reach the deepest layers of our clients’ wounding and healing. Verbal psychotherapy can feel limited to clients, especially those who continue to suffer with significant challenges to their emotional, mental, and physical health. Safe, embodied touch allows us to bring healing to the physiology of attachment, character, developmental trauma, and many other aspects of our clients’ experience that we cannot reach with talk therapy alone. This training will be rooted in the foundational elements, practiced in RSH Module 1.
What We’ll Explore:
  • The ethics and benefits of touch in psychotherapy
  • Bridging talk therapy and touch based psychotherapy
  • The physiology of developmental trauma
  • Trauma, safety, and regulation
  • Receiving clients through touch
  • Being in relationship with clients through touch
  • Shifting the focus in psychotherapy from wounding to healing.
  • Immersing clients in a full, body-mind healing relationship
    What’s Included:
  • 4 hour online training on the ethics of touch in psychotherapy
  • 5 day-long, in-person touch training including immersive hands-on practice
  • 1 online follow-up consultation meeting after the in-person training Details:
    *There are two date options. Pick the one that works best for your schedule. Both date options are exactly the same training.
    Option 1:
    Apr 8th (9am-1pm) via Zoom & Apr 14th – Apr 18th in-person
    Options 2:
    May 6th (9am-1pm) via Zoom & May 12th – May 16th in-person
    In-Person Hours:
    Thurs 10:30am -5:30pm, Fri-Mon Saturday 9:30am-5:00pm Location: 2149 Byron St, Berkeley, CA 94702
    Tuition: $1800
To apply email RelationalSomaticHealing@gmail.com
Relational Somatic Healing Embodied Touch in Psychotherapy
In-Person Touch Training
Shirley Dvir’s Bio:
Shirley is the founder and lead teacher of Relational Somatic Healing and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 44258). She is currently earning a PhD at California Institute for Integral Studies in Somatic Psychology and is writing her dissertation on the use of safe touch in psychotherapy. She earned an MA in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University and a BA in Social Work from Haifa University in Israel. For over 10 years she taught as a Certified Hakomi Teacher at the Hakomi Institute of California, John F. Kennedy University, California Institute for Integral Studies, and Shiluv Center in Tivon, Israel. She has also supervised associates pursuing MFT licensure and currently mentors licensed practitioners. Shirley has been practicing psychotherapy since 1997 in agencies and private practice, seeing families, children, couples, and individuals. She has training in psychodynamic work, attachment, EMDR, Sensorimotor Trauma Therapy, the Enneagram, family therapy, CranioSacral Therapy and Body Mind Centering (Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen). Her main work today focuses on healing relational wounds with safe embodied touch. Her spiritual practice and meditation support how she holds her work and her teaching. She has a private practice based in Berkeley, CA.

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe the components for ethical, safe touch in psychotherapy.
  2. Discuss the impact of ongoing consent.
  3. Utilize clear boundaries between clients and therapists.
  4. Identify contraindications of touch in psychotherapy.
  5. Discuss the impact of systems of oppression and privilege on therapeutic touch work. 
  6. Describe the benefits of touch in psychotherapy.
  7. Apply Being as an inner state of the therapist. 
  8. Utilize therapeutic holds in practice sessions.
  9. Demonstrate use of therapeutic presence in touch work.
  10. Identify the difference between open and closed systems.
  11. Assess the presence of developmental trauma.
  12. Apply basic knowledge of anatomy.
  13. Identify the three layers of wounding: safety, nourishment and freedom. 
  14. Use receiving and naming to support the unfolding of the practice sessions.
  15. Demonstrate ability to follow countertransference and own comfort level with touch.
  16. Utilize Developmental map to steer toward healing and repair.
  17. Apply healing nourishing experience with safe touch.
  18. Demonstrate understanding of protective parts.

Relational Somatic Healing Module One 

First Required Course

Fall 2021 – (currently taught annually) 

 

In Module One we teach key methodology and principles of Relational Somatic Healing. Module one is an online (2021 is online) prerequisite to our touch training, and is also valuable as a stand alone training for those interested in transformative relational somatic practice without the use of touch.

What will you learn?

• Core principles of Relational Somatic Healing and our theory of transformation
• How to work with the internal state of the practitioner as a powerful aid in the healing process
• Shifting from a hierarchical, role based perspective to a relational, experiential perspective in therapy
• Tools of receiving and perceiving information
• Deepening connection through statements and questions
• How to utilize countertransference to assess the client’s relational habits in order to form more accurate interventions.
• How to recognize open and closed systems
• How to form healing relational experiences in the here and now
• The five relational bonding needs
• The map of the methodPlease make sure you are available for most of these dates if you would like to join us. If you need to miss one or two we will record them.
Course Description Relational Somatic Healing integrates mindfulness practices, somatic therapies, and character models to address attachment and developmental trauma as it appears in the clinical relationship.

 Research shows chronic, early ruptures in relationship can affect a person’s sense of safety, identity, relational connection, physical and emotional regulation. Module 1 presents a theoretical and experiential practice designed to facilitate a co-regulative field between therapist and client. This coregulation process draws on the right hemisphere of the brain where nonverbal, social communication, and unconscious processes take place. In the experiential practice, you’ll apply learned skills to fully receive and attune to your client. Through connection statements and questions, you’ll immerse them in mindful awareness of their habitual relational patterns as it presents itself in the client-therapist relationship. Using the theory of countertransference and developmental trauma you will recognize five relational bonding needs, how to attune to these needs and offer a new healing experience in the present moment.

 Relational Somatic Healing is a clinical training appropriate for healthcare professionals as well as the general public. Healthcare professionals will be able to incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or patients. Please note, this course does include activities that are not offered for CE credits. These include meditations, groundings, and small group connections and discussions.

Program Admin: relationalsomatichealing@gmail.com

Learning Objectives

1. Describe and apply the core principles of relational somatic healing to create a safe and loving space, supporting your client’s unconscious to open to the therapeutic process.

2. Use our ‘internal state’ method to create a co-regulating, loving, relational field between you and your client.

3. Describe the components of the relational field.

4. Utilize the practice of receiving your client to create a relational connection and attune to their psychological orientation and relational needs.

5. Assess the client’s open or closed system.

6. Utilize connection statements and questions to bring the client’s awareness to their present relational experience.

7. Describe Immersion into the relational field 8. Apply Immersion into the relational field to discover old, unconscious relational patterns.

9. Identify your own countertransference and use it to assess the client’s internal state of awareness to form accurate interventions.

10. Describe developmental trauma and its connection with the polyvagal theory, explaining the significance of touch for healing.

11. Describe 5 developmental needs in secure relating.

12. Assess developmental need presented in therapist-client relationship.

13. Offer a new present moment opportunity for relating.

14. Utilize the relational somatic healing map to guide the flow of your session.

Target Audience This course is designed for mental health professionals – PsyDs, PhDs, LMFTs, LMSWs, LPCC, and LEP.

Accommodations for the Differently Abled We are committed to making every accommodation we can outside of the physical limitations of zoom. Individuals needing special accommodations are encouraged to contact Erica Berman at relationalsomatichealing@gmail.com.

Grievance Policy We seek to ensure equitable treatment of every person and to make every attempt to resolve grievances in a fair manner. Please submit a written grievance to relationalsomatichealing@gmail.com. Grievances would receive, to the best of our ability, corrective action in order to prevent further problems.

Information on Continuing Education Credit for Health Professionals • CE credits for psychologists are provided by Polaris Insight Center, which is co-sponsoring this program. Polaris Insight Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Polaris Insight Center maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

PREVIOUS IN PERSON TRAINING, 2019:

DURING THIS EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING WE EXPLORED:

The ethics and benefits of touch in psychotherapy
How to bridge talk therapy and table based psychotherapy
The importance of shifting the focus in psychotherapy from wounding to healing
The physiology of developmental trauma, ancestral trauma and attachment
How to accurately track, make contact, and midwife the organicity of the body in order to deepen your counseling sessions.
How to be in authentic relationship with your client on the table

LOCATION:
TEMPLE DARA
4920 TELEGRAPH AVE OAKLAND, CA 94609

CES AVAILABLE

TRAINERS:

Shirley Dvir

Shirley Dvir is a Certified Hakomi Therapist and Teacher and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Shirley teaches at John F. Kennedy University and at the California institute of integral Studies. In addition, she teaches annual workshops at Shiluv Campus in Israel. Shirley has been practicing psychotherapy since 1997 in agencies and private practice. She also supervises students and mentors psychotherapists.

Eugenia Guidi

Eugenia Guidi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has worked in private practice, non-profit, and school based settings.  Eugenia integrates her background as a social justice educator and her study of craniosacral therapy into her work, and has facilitated trainings in non-profits, public schools and faith based organizations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:

Describe the healing benefits of touch in psychotherapy, Identify contraindications of touch in psychotherapy, Discuss the impact of systems of oppression and privilege on therapeutic touch work, Apply therapeutic touch work with practice clients, Utilize therapeutic holds in practice sessions, Demonstrate use of therapeutic presence in table work, Identify the difference between open and closed systems on the table, Assess presence of developmental trauma on the table, Apply basic knowledge of physiology on the table, Identify character style on the table, Identify attachment style on the table, Discuss the impact of intergenerational/ancestral trauma and resource in therapeutic table work sessions, Use tracking and contacting to support organicity in practice sessions, Demonstrate ability to track countertransference and own comfort level with touch.

Accommodations for the Differently Abled:

The training facilities are not wheelchair accessible. We are committed to making every accommodation we can outside of the physical limitations of this space. Individuals needing special accommodations are encouraged to contact: Eugenia Guidi, eugeniaguidimft@gmail.com, (510) 463-4027.

For more information or to register please email: relationalsomatichealing@gmail.com

Embodied Touch in the Therapeutic Relationship

Weekend 1 Sep 11-13

(Outline subject to change)

Day 1- Friday 12:30-5:00

12:30-2:00 Beginning meditation,  Orientation to agenda.

 2:00- 3:15 Why touch in psychotherapy and the ethics of touch. 

 3:15-3:30 Movement 

 3:00-3:45 Embodied touch in the therapeutic setting

 3:45 -4:30 Embodiment exercises

 4:30-5:00 Questions and Answers

 Day 2- Saturday 9:30-5:00

9:30- Meditation

 9:45-10:30 Check-in 

 10:30-10:45 Break 

 10:45 – 11:30 Listening and embodiment

 11:30-12:30 Transitioning to the table- Seated work to tablework 

 12:30-2:00 Lunch 

 2:00-2:15 Movement 

 2:15-3:00 Practice transitioning to the table in dyads 

 Break 3:00-3:15

 3:15-4:30 Basic holds 

 4:30-5:00 Questions and Answers

Day 3- Sunday 9:30-4:00

 9:30-10:30 Check-in

 10:30 -11:30 Basic Holds part two

 11:30-12:30 Practice part 1

 Lunch 12:30-2:00

 2:00- 2:15 Movement 

 2:15-3:15 Practice 

 3:15- 4:00 Questions and feedback forms 

Embodied Touch in the Therapeutic Relationship

Weekend 2 Oct 9-11

(Outline Subject to Change)

 Day 1 Friday 12:30-5:00

 12:30-1:00 Opening embodiment exploration 

 1:00-1:45 Diversity and Power Dynamics

 1:45-2:00 Break

 2:00-2:15 Movement

 2:00-2:45 Demo of a complete session 

 2:45-3:15 Question and Answers

 3:15- 3:45 Therapeutic skills onto the table

 3:45-4:30 Practice tracking and contacting

 4:30-5:30 Question and Answers

Day 2- Saturday 9:30-5:00

9:30-9:45 Embodiment exercise 

 9:45-10:15 Check-in

 10:15-10:30 Movement

10:30 -11:15 New Holds

 11:15-12:30 Practice the new holds with therapeutic tracking and contacting. 

 12:30-2:00 Lunch 

 2:00-2:10 Movement

 2:10-3:00 Developmental trauma and the polyvagal theory 

 3:00-4:30 Practice/Demo

 4:30-5:00 Sharing and Questions

Day 3- Sunday 9:30-4:00

 9:30-9:45 Mediation 

 9:45-10:15 Check-ins and sharing 

 10:15-10:30 Movement

10:30-11:15 New Holds

 11:15-12:30 Practice part 1

 12:30-2:00 Lunch 

 2:00-2:15 Movement

 2:15-3:30 Practice part 2

 3:30- 4:00 Questions and Feedback Forms

Embodied Touch in the Therapeutic Relationship

Weekend 3 Nov 6-8

(Outline Subject to Change)

Day 1-Friday 12:30-5:00

 12:30- 1:30 Orientation and meditation

 1:30-2:00 Setting Healing Intention experiential

 2:00-2:15 Break

 2:15-2:45 Review the holds

 2:45- 3:45 Open vs closed system 

 3:45-4:30 Fishbowl

 4:30- 5:00 Questions and Answers

Day 2- Saturday 9:30-5:00 

9:30-10:00 Mediation

10:00-10:15 New holds 

 10:15-10:30 Practice new holds 

 10:30-11:45 Break

 11:45- 12:45 Developmental Strategy power point 

 12:45 -2:15 Lunch

 2:15-3:30 Demo 

 3:30 – 5:00 Practice 

Day 3- Sunday 9:30-4:00

 9:30-10:00 Mediation

10:00-11:00 Developmental Strategy Part 2 

11:00-12:30 Demo

 12:30-2:00 Lunch

 2:00-3:30 Practice

 3:30- 4:00 Closing Question and Answers

Weekend 4 Dec 11-13

Coming Soon

Continuing Education Credit is provided by Commonwealth Educational Seminars for the following professions:

Licensed Professional Counselors/Licensed Mental Health Counselors:

 Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES) is entitled to award continuing education credit for Licensed Professional Counselors/Licensed Mental Health Counselors. Please visit CES CE CREDIT to see all states that are covered for LPCs/LMHCs. CES maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

 

 Social Workers:

Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES) is entitled to award continuing education credit for Social Workers. Please visit CES CE CREDIT to see all states that are covered for Social Workers. CES maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

 

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists:

Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES) is entitled to award continuing education credit for Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists. Please visit CES CE CREDIT to see all states that are covered for LMFTs. CES maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

 

Nurses:

As an American Psychological Association (APA) approved provider, CES programs are accepted by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). These courses can be utilized by nurses to renew their certification and will be accepted by the ANCC. Every state Board of Nursing accepts ANCC approved programs except California and Iowa, however CES is also an approved Continuing Education provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider # CEP15567) which is also accepted by the Iowa Board of Nursing.   

Address

Relational Somatic Healing

2915 Martin Luther King Jr. Way

Berkeley CA, 94703

Email Us

relationalsomatichealing@gmail.com

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