This is the journey of leaving the ocean and moving onto land, leaving the pre-spinal pattern behind and growing our cartilage into bones! The support provided through the bones and joints against gravity allows for easeful movement in space.

Students will examine the actions at the joints and how this is integrated across the body, including how the mind is supported in perceiving clarity and structure in space. The bones and joints provide the basis for the structural repatterning techniques that will be taught throughout the program, adding in ligaments, muscles, and organs along the way.

Learning from bones has applications in everyday life. Bones harbor and protect the creation of blood in the marrow, and it is possible to embody this depth. Movement in relationship to gravity incites bone growth, and this module offers a learning about the aliveness and ability to rebuild and reform in bone tissue. Redefining the resilience of bone tissue, students and clients can experience this sense of resilience for themselves.

The focus is the pre-birth development that takes place in the oceanic environment of the womb. Students are introduced to the methods of somatic inquiry, movement exploration, and touch. The workshop will be both meditative, somatic as well as offer times to move/ dance as well as support processes through hands-on touch.

The body begins creating its form during embryological development. As tissues and structures develop, some will remain within the body,  some are transformed into other structures, and yet others fade into the background, no longer existing or recognizable as the original structure. As with all development, the original processes leave deep-rooted patterns and templates that affect movement, mind, and spirit. The somatic exploration of the embryological developmental process leads to the discovery of the primal roots of the body-mind's structure, perception, presence, and flow.

In this workshop, there is a deepening of various themes of in utero development, including fertilization, cellular choice-making, circulation and heart development, placenta, the three layers of the body, neurulation, kidney development and rotation of the limbs. Also included are explorations of how cells flow and change, differentiating while in the process of becoming, and the oceanic Developmental Movement Patterns will be introduced. This workshop is for movers, dancers, yoga practitioners, bodyworkers, and those from other body-mind disciplines interested in unraveling the mystery of embryological development as it relates to cellular consciousness and movement.

In this module, students will explore the organs. Each organ has its own function for the functioning of the body, expressing itself in dance and through emotion in a wide range of ways: the digestive tract expresses the relationship of taking in and letting go;  lungs offer the exquisite and delicate act of breathing; the spiral heart grows from blood circulation of the embryo. Organs also have their methods of communication. This module will tap into the enteric nervous system, which is independent of the brain and operates with a wide range of chemical and microbiome choice-making and collaboration. The Autonomic Nervous System will also be investigated, with a focus on the vagus and sympathetic nerves, which provide the rhythm of wellbeing and trust from within the body. 

The study of embryonic development will continue, and focus on the development of organs, the heart, and the sexual organs. The sexual organs eventually harbor the germ cells that protect the DNA from mutations and changes in order to pass them on to the next generation. The pathway of the germ cells is a fantastic journey through the body.

Organs are useful in diagnosing a client's being and alignment. Specific organs support developmental movement patterns. The organs FILL us, they provide a fullness and depth to our movement and expression in life.

The somatic understanding of fascia is a gateway to understanding self and the relationship between inner and outer space. Fascia separates and connects our organs, muscles, nerves, and ligaments provide close connection and guidance for action. Exploring this layer of tissues can dramatically shift the ways that individuals hold themselves and act in the world.

The inherent molecular structure of fascia and ligaments allows for rebound - the elasticity and strength are in the fabric and do not need extra effort. When the ligaments are in flow, awake, alive they provide a support for our actions, which are orchestrated by our muscles. Muscles get to 'ride' on the tensegrities cohesion of ligaments through the body.

Students are invited to discover not only the aliveness in tensegrity—the inner guiding strength—but also how fascia supports connection into the web of community. 

This is a movement and touch exploration class based on anatomical research. Exploring how memory is laid out along fascial lines, students can 'surf' their fascial memories and free themselves into a new facial shaping, allowing for new possibilities in their lives. Students will learn through movement, touch, and discussion, and dive into how scientifically-based information can be embodied into experience and somatization.

In this module, students dive deep into the core of the somatic field: conscious movement and the ability for action in their lives and in relationships with family and the natural world. Students will explore ways in which movement awareness, measuring, fine motor skills, and strength are acquired. 

Muscles are the way individuals interact with the world, creating life and play! Muscle cells are multi-nucleated, and one muscle fiber reaches from bone to bone. Balance is found in the joints, enabling readiness to tip into motion and acceleration.

Students will learn how muscle fibers and muscle spindles interact, learn how specific muscles and muscle groups coordinate and how the whole body integrates. This module is the culmination of the first year of the training and the completion of the Developmental patterns that were introduced throughout the year: movement re-patterning skills are introduced utilizing the developmental matrix to be honed throughout the 2nd year of training.

This is a travel through the senses, from embryological origins to their function and integration in life. Students work with the 7 senses of touch, taste, smell, balance, proprioception, hearing, and vision, learning the anatomy and exploring the actions of each of the senses.

 Somatizations and movement explorations will allow students to discover their own pathways of these special senses and their role in development.  Other learning methods include movement, touch, discussion, and the on-going exploration of how scientifically-based information is embodied in experience and somatization.

The fluid body preceded the nervous system. The rhythms of blood, lymph, craniosacral fluid, cellular and interstitial fluids, set the timing and experience of one's self. Through the fluids, individuals can allow feelings to be known and to be expressed or transformed. In this workshop, the class rejoins these ancient rivers and this ancient state of awareness and being. 

Fluids underlie dance and flow, as well as awareness in motion. Is this what you mean? An often under-estimated system, the fluids bring great benefit to clients, as they benefit from the deep nourishment of flow and understanding of circulation. The fluids offer learning about giving and receiving, as well as cranial-sacral healing and embryonic breathing and movement. This class is an important continuation of embryological development rhythms that set the Vagal tone and the basis of the Nervous System - as well as understanding the systemic support pre-birth and post-birth as well as the role of the placenta in our spirit and resiliency.

Learning methods include movement, touch, discussion, and the on-going exploration of how scientifically-based information is embodied in experience and somatization.

Integrate and express truth and play with movement and coming into presence, by learning about the ways their body/mind actually function. Students will gain access to the gut-brain (this ancient brain of intuition), the vagal system (rooted in polyvagal theory), and the synapses and how they can be cleared (a method of trauma recovery). The body supports thinking and organizing. Students will investigate how memories are created, stored, and retrieved; research the vagal system and its embryological underpinnings; explore how emotions and movement relate to each other; and how the body coordinates sensory integration and cortical thinking. 

In this module, students will return back to this initial sense of wonder. Using improvisation and play, the nerves are offered a novel experience to record and sets a line of re-coordinating, relearning surprise, and awe. The body offers ways to support the clarity of thinking through meditation, dance, anatomical knowledge, and embodiment.

As somatic practitioners, students will deepen their understanding of the methods available to introduce change to clients. Most adults have trimmed their movement options, narrowed their choices, becoming tired, bored, or depressed. How can practitioners support clients in changing their stuck patterns or shifting out of fear?

As a group, students will look at ways to support loosening and shifts, investigating ways of relating to one another that can support the ease and flow of ideas, plans, and imagination. Dreaming and flowing as well as thinking and planning are all ways the body works with the mind.

Before we had a nervous system, our blood carried potent hormones from one part of the body to another. It was a nuanced and powerful messaging system that in our bodies still provides active homeostasis and regulates all of our systems, including our sexuality. 

These glands align along the vertical axis of the body from coccyx to pituitary gland  - if you are fluent in chakra energy expression, you will appreciate learning more about the glands that underlie these energetic centers. Tuning into these glands means tuning into our pheromonal knowing, our intuition, and into our wild body in perception and expression. These substances unlock our unconscious, supra-conscious, focus, and certainty of endocrine knowing. 

Aligning these glands that have been built into the nervous system as well.

This module offers a deep focus on the areas of the neck and jaw. Just about every client and student have significant pain or alignment issues in these areas. The jaw is a common area of holding tension and stress. The jaw is the gateway to eating, nourishment, kissing, as it opens and engages with the world. Looking at the prespinal development pattern, the module will layer detailed information on nursing and mouthing, both of which relate to food, sex, and vocal expression.

The neck, throat and vocal cords coordinate relationships through sound, word, and song. This unit will bring all of the previous learning in the program together and introduce fine bodywork and communications skills in the somatic realm.

This unit is tailored to the uniqueness of each group: rounding off their knowledge of the material, business, teaching, and body-work practice. 

This module brings together the developmental movement patterns and reflexes into a cohesive whole, and articulate the toolbox of the SomaticBODY practitioner. The students will investigate their own matrices, their challenges, and their strengths. SomaticBODY practitioners use techniques of movement and embodiment to access these systems. Integration of these experiences in class and somatic sessions happens through embodied inquiry and discourse.

Sensory/Motor Integration, Developmental Movement, and the principles of Yield, Push Reach, Pull will be re-examined as tools for treatment, interaction, and teaching. Students will learn ways of guiding others toward insight into their own matrix and lovingly become acquainted with personal patterns, expressions, and the emotions that infuse their lives.

This module addresses how a connection to self is created, and how one can flow from self-connection into relating to the outer world and people, all while maintaining a sense of self.

Students prepare a business plan, show their final project, and graduate.