There has been a steady movement within the field of trauma therapy over the past few decades towards the increasing recognition that:

(a) Psychological trauma (i.e., PTSD, acute trauma and developmental trauma) is primarily held within the body and nervous system

(b) Working directly with the body (via sensations, impulses, breath, posture, etc.) is therefore key to resolving entrenched trauma conditions

…and (c) That a particular attitude of open curiosity to one’s present experience—i.e., mindfulness—is an extremely helpful component to recovering from these conditions

As therapists and other helping professionals supporting people who grapple with unresolved trauma, we are fortunate that we are able to draw from thousands of years of collective wisdom in mindfulness- and somatic (mind-body)- based approaches to psychological healing and wellness. Numerous methods have been emerging within the mainstream mental health field, along with an increasing evidence base, that draw from these longstanding approaches – some of the most well established of these methods being Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, Hakomi, Internal Family Systems, and EMDR. In these trainings, you will learn and practice an integrative approach to mindful-somatic trauma therapy that draws from this collective wisdom and practice.

In particular, you will…

… learn a simple yet powerful universal framework for making sense of extreme emotional and traumatic states, helping you to identify where your clients’ experiences are on the spectrum of ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) arousal, and therefore which interventions are likely to be most helpful at any given point in the therapy process. This theoretical framework is based on the latest research on the psychology and physiology of trauma.

… learn a broad map outlining the essential stages of the overarching process of trauma-focused therapy.

… develop your own capacity as a therapist to remain present and grounded, safely holding the space for clients to do the difficult work of trauma recovery, while not risking your own dysregulation, vicarious trauma and burnout.

… learn a number of effective yet relatively simple mindful-somatic tools based on these methods that you can begin using right away to…

• Help your clients develop confidence working with strong feelings and nervous sytem dysregulation
• Help your clients develop a sense of groundedness, presence and orientation
• Help your clients to develop a rich and healthy connection with their own feelings and needs
• Make the distinction between a beneficial “emotional release” and being “stuck in a trauma response”
• Work with flashbacks, intrusive memories and nightmares
• Work with somatization (unresolved feelings/memories held within the body)

The Structure of the Training

In the 2-day Introductory Training, we will take the broad view of this field, and its theory and practice…

In the 10-day Comprehensive Training, we will have the opportunity to go for a deep dive into this terrain, as described in more detail below…

The overall structure of this training is divided into the 3 main stages of trauma therapy – Resourcing, Trauma Processing, and Integration…

Stage 1:  Establishing a Foundation & Resourcing

In this stage, we begin by establishing a solid foundation on two different levels:

(1) Providing a basic overview of the theory and practice of this highly integrative approach to trauma therapy.

(2) Developing the therapeutic skills and capacity necessary to prepare ourselves and our clients to venture into the often challenging terrain of trauma recovery. This will include developing our own mindfulness and self-care skills so that we as therapists have the capacity to carry out this demanding work; and establishing effective therapeutic alliance with our clients—cultivating the safety and empathy necessary to embark upon more serious trauma therapy.

We then shift the focus to resourcing—supporting our clients (and ourselves) in managing overwhelming emotions and regulating their nervous systems in various ways, with a particular emphasis on mindful and somatic approaches. We often refer to this stage of the trauma therapy process as “establishing a base camp,” an essential prerequisite for moving into the more vulnerable work of trauma processing.

Stage 2:  Trauma Processing

The first part of this module will focus primarily on methods of processing/resolving unresolved trauma. Having prepared the foundation (i.e., “base camp”) in our previous module with personal self-care/presence/groundedness, with establishing an effective therapeutic alliance with our clients, and with establishing our clients’ confidence in working with strong states of mind and body, we are ready to embark upon the more adventurous work of directly processing the unresolved trauma.

We will learn and practice an integrative model of trauma processing, which will include a number of different processing methods, and learn how to identify which of these is most suitable given our clients’ particular situation and experience.

We will also learn how to work with more specific trauma experiences such as dissociation, flashbacks, nightmares and intrusive memories.

Finally, we will learn how to work with subpersonalities/parts (i.e., in trauma, especially developmental trauma, parts of the person’s personality can become fragmented in various ways, and healing often requires the re-integration of these different parts).

Stage 3:  Integration

This is the final stage of this trauma therapy approach. After having experienced significant personal transformation as a result of working through and resolving trauma, many people find that their interests, values, passions and relationships with self and others have shifted significantly. We will learn a number of ways of supporting our clients in further integrating the transformation that has occurred, and of incorporating these shifts into their lives outside the therapy room.

*Due to the highly experiential nature of these trainings, participants need to be actively engaged (i.e., working and/or studying) within the health professions.

*In order to maximize individual support, these workshops will be capped at 24 participants.

2-Day Introductory Training
In-Person – Salt Lake City, Utah

12 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) have been approved by the Utah Psychological Association and the Utah Social Work Association – these should cover most mental health professionals in Utah and other U.S. states, though it is up to each participant to ensure eligibility.

Days/times are in U.S. Mountain Time
November 15-16, 2024 (Friday/Saturday)
(*10:00am – 6:00pm both days)

Investment:  $450 USD
Special for students within the health professions: $275 USD

Location:
Northwest Community Center
1300 W 300 N, Salt Lake City, Utah

REGISTER HERE →

10-day Comprehensive Training
Online – via the Zoom interactive platform,
  …aimed towards the NZ/Australia Time Zones

This 10-day training is divided into 5 x 2-day modules:
All days/times are in NZ day/time (Fri/Sat for all modules)
Module 1:  14-15 March, 2025
Module 2:  11-12 April, 2025
Module 3:  9-10 May, 2025
Module 4:  6-7 June, 2025
Module 5:  4-5 July, 2025
(*9:00am – 5:00pm all days)

Investment:
Early Bird Discount: $2,250 NZD if paid in full by 30th November, 2024
Regular Investment:  $2,450 NZD (after 30th November, 2024)

Location:
Zoom – live interactive online platform 

REGISTER HERE →

10-day Comprehensive Training
Online – via the Zoom interactive platform,
  …aimed towards North American Time Zones

Details to be determined soon

Contact me if you’d like to be notified when the final details are confirmed and registration is open.

Securing your place:

After registering for any of these workshops, trainings or other events, your place will not be secured until full payment has been received. If you would like to arrange a payment plan, please contact me to discuss.

Regarding refunds:

For cancellations at least one month prior to the start of the training, you’re eligible for a full refund (less a $25 processing fee).

For cancellations less than a month but more than 2 weeks prior to the start of the training, you’ll eligible for an 80% refund.

NO REFUNDS will be given for cancellations made less than 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the training.

Similar to the way that a healthy human body is composed of many different organ systems working together harmoniously, a healthy human psyche is composed of many different psychological parts (aka ‘subpersonalities’ or simply ‘parts’) working together harmoniously. However, when a person experiences significant psychological wounding (i.e., psychological trauma), these parts can develop problematic relationships with each other and with our own essential self, which can in turn lead to chronic distress and debilitation.

Humankind’s awareness of this dynamic extends all the way back to our indigenous ancestry; and in recent times, a number of psychotherapy methods have developed different ways of repairing this disharmony that can occur between our parts when we experience trauma. Some of the most well known of these methods include Psychosynthesis, Gestalt, Hakomi, Internal Family Systems, Jungian and other Depth psychotherapies, and various methods of Expressive Arts and Psychodrama.

In this training, we will draw from the collective wisdom of these traditions and therapy approaches, with a particular emphasis on mindful-somatic approaches as you deepen your understanding and competence in working with parts. This training will consist of a rich blend of interactive teaching and discussion, live demonstrations, and supported large- and small-group practices.

In particular, you will…

• Develop a simple and practical framework for understanding parts, the important roles they play, and the problematic relationships they can develop with each other and our essential self
• Practice a number of methods for getting to know our own parts better, and for supporting clients in getting to know their parts better
• Understand the role that acute and developmental trauma play in creating disharmony among our parts; and understand how these parts continue to attempt to manage unresolved trauma in ways that last years or even a lifetime
• Learn and practice a number of different methods of repairing this disharmony between their parts; and support our clients in moving towards a deeper sense of peace and wholeness and more nourishing relationships with others
• Learn how to use imagination, mindfulness and awareness of the body (e.g., sensations, impulse, posture) in working with parts

*Pre-requisite for attendance: You have either completed the Mindful-Somatic Approaches to Trauma Therapy – 10-day Comprehensive Training; or you have completed a minimum of Level 2 of the Hakomi Psychotherapy Training, or have obtained a similar level of competence in a closely related mindful-somatic therapy model. Please contact Paris if you’re not sure whether you qualify.

*In order to maximize individual support, these workshops will be capped at 24 participants. Register early to secure your place.

Online – via the Zoom interactive platform

(*Dates and Times are in NZ time)

27-30 November, 2024 (Wed-Sat)

Times
Wednesday: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Thursday-Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Investment
$875 NZD

*There may be limited scholarship funds available for those with financial difficulties. Contact Paris to discuss.

REGISTER HERE →

Securing your place:

After registering for any of these workshops, trainings or other events, your place will not be secured until full payment has been received. If you would like to arrange a payment plan, please contact Paris to discuss.

Regarding refunds:

For cancellations at least one month prior to the start of the training, you’re eligible for a full refund (less a $25 processing fee).

For cancellations less than a month but more than 2 weeks prior to the start of the training, you’ll eligible for an 80% refund.

NO REFUNDS will be given for cancellations made less than 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the training.

In the field of mindful-somatic trauma therapy, and more generally in the field of experiential psychotherapy, we have come to appreciate the great benefits of the 3-stage therapy protocol:  Resourcing (the initial establishment of the therapeutic alliance and emotional safety); Processing (resolving and transforming the unresolved trauma), and Integration (deepening this transformation intra-personally, and extending it into the person’s interpersonal relationships and more generally into their life).

In this training, we will focus particularly on trauma processing, with a particular emphasis on mindful-somatic (mind/body) approaches. This field extends back literally thousands of years, with some of the most well-known of the recently developed mindful-somatic therapy and trauma therapy methods including Gestalt, Hakomi, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, ACT and EMDR. This training draws from the collective wisdom and practices of this large and quickly growing field to expand your skillset and deepen your understanding and practice of mindful-somatic approaches to trauma therapy processing.

This training will consist of a rich blend of interactive teaching and discussion, live demonstrations, and supported large- and small-group practices.

In particular, you will…

• Learn how to determine when a client is ready to safely engage in trauma processing work
• Learn a number of different ways to access into your clients’ unresolved trauma, including the use of sensations, posture, spontaneous gestures, memories, dreams and imagination.
• Learn different ways to safely ‘dip toes’ into potentially overwhelming traumatic material (sometimes referred to as ‘titration’ or ‘bite-sizing’)
• Learn how to track the two naturally occurring streams of trauma processing—the organic movement towards the core wound, on one hand, and the spontaneous resourcing that manages that distress on the other hand—and learn when to follow which stream
• Support the organic transformation towards completely novel states of wholeness and wellness that emerge during trauma processing…
     …and support your client in deeply integrating this transformation into their experience of self, others and world

*Pre-requisite for attendance: You have either completed the Mindful-Somatic Approaches to Trauma Therapy – 10-day Comprehensive Training; or you have completed a minimum of Level 2 of the Hakomi Psychotherapy Training, or have obtained a similar level of competence in a closely related mindful-somatic therapy model. Please contact Paris if you’re not sure whether you qualify.

*In order to maximize individual support, these workshops will be capped at 24 participants. Register early to secure your place.

Online – via the Zoom interactive platform

(*Dates and Times are in NZ time)

19-22 February, 2025 (Wed-Sat)

Times
Wednesday: 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Thursday-Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Investment
$875 NZD

REGISTER HERE →

Securing your place:

After registering for any of these workshops, trainings or other events, your place will not be secured until full payment has been received. If you would like to arrange a payment plan, please contact Paris to discuss.

Regarding refunds:

For cancellations at least one month prior to the start of the training, you’re eligible for a full refund (less a $25 processing fee).

For cancellations less than a month but more than 2 weeks prior to the start of the training, you’ll eligible for an 80% refund.

NO REFUNDS will be given for cancellations made less than 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the training.