No prior professional experience is necessary to join our training program. Over 14 months, we provide the necessary skills and resources to train you to become a proficient somatic educator, starting from the ground up. If you don’t have any prior experience in this field of work, this training will offer you an in-depth introduction to somatics, shadow work, dance therapy, feminine embodiment and more. Throughout this process, you will also have the opportunity to gain clarity as to how your purpose relates to these topics. Although you will be fully supported along the way by our incredible team of teachers and mentors, we do expect participants to have engaged in some personal development work already, as the program delves into emotional topics. Participants should be capable of managing their emotions and have external support for any personal emotional challenges that may surface during the course. It is important that you feel you have the nervous system capacity to engage with the depth of this work, as well as the time and spaciousness to fully commit to the container. Additionally, we can give you a curated list of therapists and practitioners if you’d like extra support in addition to the training itself.

Based on the endless testimonials that we receive again and again from women who are years deep in their work as therapists, activists, facilitators, teachers and healers - yes! We consistently hear how our sensation-based approach completely revolutionises our students’ professional lives and leadership styles. This deeply impacts how students relate to themselves and their clients. The depth and calibre of teachers that we invite to the training, as well as the range of topics that we cover, always offer experienced participants new terrain to explore and deepen into.

Yes, all sessions will be recorded for replay. If you can't make the live sessions you can still fully participate in the training. Session times vary through the year and women from USA, EU & AUS are able to catch live sessions as well and watch replays throughout the year depending on the times sessions are on. There will also be around 30% of pre-recorded sessions available that are not subject to timezones.

This is not a training on how to heal trauma. Healing trauma requires several years of study and practice to do well. However, This training prepares somatic educators to be trauma-informed and to work with the shadow. We empower our students to safely, confidently and competently work with clients who hold trauma, and to refer clients onwards if their needs go beyond the scope of their practice. What does “trauma-informed” mean? In general, this training provides an understanding of trauma to enable students to work with clients safely and offer a deeper sense of connection and safety. Specifically, we teach: What trauma is How trauma presents itself in oneself and in clients How to conduct workshops & sessions with a trauma & nervous system aware lens How to track nervous system dysregulation in yourself & your clients Somatics tools to regulate nervous systems & cultivate safety in the body How to hold space for yourself if you experience your own triggers The limits of your practice (and when to refer to a trauma specialist) How to keep your clients safe at every step along the way What does “shadow work” mean? The shadow is the unconscious, where the hidden, rejected & orphaned parts of ourselves live. Each of us needs to be seen, belong, loved, felt and accepted. But since we were young, we received the message that we must act and behave in specific ways to have these needs met. These messages come from family, culture, religion, media, and personal and collective trauma. This programming ends up repressing aspects of ourselves that are intrinsic to our sense of self on some of the most core and fundamental levels of our being. When we repress parts of ourselves, they end up residing in our shadow. Shadow work is the process of revealing our shadow and safely re-integrating it back into our conscious awareness. When we feel safe enough to turn toward our shadows, we have the potential to release old wounds and the emotional, somatic, and psychological bound energy stored in our body/mind. This powerful process allows us to courageously step into a more authentic, empowered version of ourselves. Shadow work frees us to stand on our own two feet, without needing to constantly chase safety and validation through external sources. Through shadow work, we cultivate greater self awareness, internal harmony, inner-peace, clarity over decision making and the freedom to live in alignment with our deepest truths. This training assists students to conduct their own shadow work and to provide a supportive container for their clients to do shadow work. We place particular focus on the complex and often hidden layers of conditioning that we as women have inherited from patriarchy. These include the layers of restrictive conditioning relating to our sexuality, menstruation, pregnancy, ageing, motherhood, gender roles, body image, power and other aspects of life. During the training, we do shadow work together as a community. This can be profoundly normalizing and validating and an important part of holding space for others as they travel through similar material.

Although this training is not a pathway to heal your own trauma, many of our students report experiencing deep personal growth and transformation during our time together. We trust our students to manage their own emotions and gather external support for challenges that arise during the training. We provide our students with a curated list of practitioners for personal consultation upon request. Experiencing big feelings is of course very human, and we aren’t saying that you should be totally healed before joining us. In fact, we believe that healing is non-linear, and perhaps trauma is never fully resolved. It’s a work in progress that we tend to over the course of our lives, as we deepen into the different layers of our experience and history, and learn how to best nourish and regulate ourselves. With this in mind If you have ongoing, active trauma that is easily triggered and that you struggle regulating, you may want to reconsider whether the training is a good fit for you this year. It is very important to us that participants have the right support networks and enough capacity before making the commitment to join this journey. Only you will know if the training is the right next step for you.

Yes, all of our teachers are experts in their field, with a minimum of 10 years working with groups and individuals. Many of our teachers have written industry-leading books on their areas of specialty. You can find out more about our teaching cohort here, and you are of course welcome to research them yourself.

The Somatic Institute For Women is the leading school in feminine somatics, and our training stands out because we are so woman-centric. There are no other somatic trainings out there that orient so specifically to the female, embodied experience. Alongside our highly experienced and diverse teaching faculty, we also offer students intimate mentorship with their support coaches. We cover an extensive range of topics to do with somatics and feminine embodiment - but we curate the training so that everything comes together very cohesively and so that you feel supported throughout. Our training - while it might seem expensive for some - is priced very accessibly in comparison with others which usually cost around $10-15,000.

Approximately 25-30 hours per month are required for the course. Every 3 months, you will have a 4 week integration period. Every second weekend, there is a live session on both Saturday and Sunday. These sessions run for 3 hours with a break in the middle. You will spend 1-2 hours per week on somatic practices. Pod calls with your small group are once per month for 1.5 hours. You will choose the pod meeting dates and times with your pod group at the start of the training. All your pod group members will be in the same or similar timezone.

As a school we are continually developing our attunement to diversity inclusion year after year. It is important to note that this school is founded by Maanee Crystal, a white, Australian woman. Therefore the lens that the school holds is naturally impacted by her own lived experience. We have curated a diverse group of teachers and facilitators for the training. We are still expanding our diversity spectrum of different voices, and we currently have a diversity consultant supporting us to bring more diversity and BIPOC awareness into the programme and our teachings. This is still a work-in-progress, but definitely something that we are always developing and reflecting on. As a team, we are committed to hearing your feedback around these topics and supporting your experience as best we can.

Absolutely. Many neurodiverse women join our training, all with unique ways of operating. We encourage you to stay in open communication with your pod leader throughout the process, so that we can do our best to accommodate your needs and support your learning journey.

The session times are mostly fixed however there may be some sessions that are rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances and guest teachers needing to shift dates. Session times vary across USA, EU & AUS time zones and will fluctuate through the year depending on where the teacher is located. All sessions are available for replay within 24 hours if you can’t make the live session. Session times are to be confirmed and will be available before the training begin. SESSION TIMES WILL BE LAUNCHED JUNE 15TH & released every 3 months. Download the full course details PDF.

We have an amazing support structure and accountability process in place to ensure that each student can go beyond intellectual understanding and truly embody our teachings. Every two weeks, you'll receive a new practice to complete, upload, and have reviewed by your support coach. Alongside you, each woman in your pod will also upload their practices to the same group. Your support coach will provide somatic reflections, highlighting your strengths and identifying areas for growth. Timely submission of these practices is a crucial part of the certification process.

Yes, you will be put in small a pod group of 8-10 women who are all in (or close to) your timezone, where you will receive intimate mentorship from your pod leader. You will have the opportunity to ask her questions and receive her feedback on your fortnightly assessed practices. She will also assess your final practicums at the end of the training. You will also have the support and solidarity of the other women in your pod group, as well as access to the diverse wisdom of the larger group container (some of whom have completed the training with us several times).

Graduation is not mandatory. If you don't wish to complete the assessment requirements, either from the beginning or based on a decision made during the course, you are welcome to continue with the course without adhering to the due dates. In this case, we will not be able to certify you as a graduate. For those who do wish to be certified as a Somatic Educator, the requirements are listed below: Completion of Practices - All practices must be completed by their respective due dates during the course. Final assessment: You will be required to hand in, within 4 weeks of the course's closing date: 1 x Group Session Video: A video of you facilitating a group session with a minimum of 2 other women participating. 1 x 1:1 Session Video: A video of you facilitating a one-on-one session. Content of Videos: Both videos include themes and practices of your choice from the training Assessment Criteria: Demonstration of Understanding: The practicums should demonstrate your embodiment of the course material. Application of Teaching: They should also show your ability to apply and be guided by the teachings from the course. Certification: Upon meeting these criteria, you will be eligible for a certificate of completion for the Somatic Educator course & to apply for your IICT accreditation. You will receive more information about final assessments closer to the end of the training.

This training will provide you with the skills to run 1-1 sessions, women's circles & workshops. You will be supported in knowing how to weave this into the work you already do or to create new and fresh offerings. Aside from technical skills, this training offers a deep personal journey of embracing your unique strengths and developing your leadership qualities. The modality we offer centres around coming into the present moment through the body, and will train you to become a Somatic Educator. As a Somatic Educator, you will learn how to safely guide people into an experience and understanding of their own embodiment, sensations and feelings. Essentially, you are acting as a guide, coach and educator, and supporting others to feel safe enough to feel. The training is accredited by The International Institute of Complementary Therapies. Graduates become certified Somatic Educators and are eligible for professional insurance with the IICT. To learn more, visit the "Essential training & support" section in the information PDF.

The bonuses are not actually part of The Somatic Educator For Women training. They are gifts that we give to the students who join the program. We do not offer discounts to people who already own these products.

Yes, you can either: - Take a look at our testimonials page to get a feel for how other students have experienced the training - Book a video call to speak directly with a past student about their experience - these are opportunities for women who are seriously considering the training to have their questions answered in real time. Book a call here.

You are also welcome to reach out at any time at our customer support page. Please read the FAQs carefully before submitting a question. Our support page is found here: https://www.somaticinstituteforwomen.com/contact