SE™ TODAY | March 21, 2022

Somatic Experiencing® International Newsletter

Letter from SEI's Legal Department

Kathy Hally, Legal Affairs and Ethics Manager

5-minute read

Dancing With Dragons

SEP Ana do Valle Releases Children's Book in Response to Recent Boulder County Fires

Inspired by a dream following the Boulder County fires in December of 2021, Dancing with Dragons is a new children’s book by Christine Summerfield, Ana do Valle, Tom Altgelt, and Kathleen Thompson that is being offered as a gift to the community. This therapeutic tale of nature and healing includes embodiment exercises that help release and transform feelings into new feelings of love, joy, and freedom. The e-book is available as a free download, as is the video narration with demonstrations of the included exercises.

“I recommend this book to all of the children who have experienced fires, anywhere in the world.”

– Dr. Peter Levine

SE Crisis Stabilization and Safety Aid SCOPE Translated to Hungarian

2022 Peter A. Levine Somatic Experiencing Research Awards

The Peter Levine Somatic Experiencing Research Awards are annual awards for research into the Somatic Experiencing model. Two research awards for $1,000 each will be given annually: one for dissertation or thesis research and the other for research conducted by professionals in education or practice settings.

Awardees will be selected via blind peer review by a group of jurors with training in the Somatic Experiencing model and significant research experience. Each application will be reviewed by at least three independent jurors.

Please submit your application form and your research paper to research@traumahealing.org by 6:00 PM MT, March 31, 2022. You can find more details on our website about the award, application process and past winners.

Seeking Researchers 

If you are a researcher, wanting to be a researcher or just interested in learning more about research outcomes within the field of Somatic Experiencing practices, tell us about yourself! The SEI Research Committee wants to hear from you and offer support.

SE™ Master Class: Eye of the Needle Part 1 of 2

With Dr. Abi Blakeslee, PhD, MFT, CMT, SEP and Dave Berger, MFT, LCMHC, PT, MA, SEP

We are pleased to be offering this in-person SE Master Class in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, featuring Dr. Abi Blakeslee, PhD, MFT, CMT, SEP and Dave Berger, MFT, SEP. Dave and Abi have been mentoring under Peter A. Levine, PhD, to teach Somatic Experiencing Master Classes so that post-advanced work can spread to new areas.

SEI EXCLUSIVE

WEBINAR SPOTLIGHT

The Practice of Embodying Emotions: A Method for Improving Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes in All Therapies

More Upcoming Webinars:

The Process of Transformation of the Twelve Steps Through the Polyvagal Lens

On Boundary Crossing & Boundary Violation in Psychotherapy and Counseling

Join SEI and Access Past Webinars for Free

Our learning and knowledge library has a wealth of valuable, relevant webinars from leaders in the SE field. All webinars in the membership portal are free for members to stream. To take advantage of this learning library, join SEI.

No Surprises Act

Does It Affect You?

7 minute read

"Following the implementation of the No Surprises Act on January 1, 2022, many psychologists have expressed confusion and concern regarding the requirement to provide uninsured and self-pay patients with a good faith estimate (GFE) of the predicted cost of services."

Read more about the No Surprises Act, how it may be affecting your practice, and what changes you may need to make to be in compliance. 

Rising Woman: Conscious Partnership, Shadow Work & Wholeness from Within

With Amy Pamensky and Sheleana Aiyana on the Feminine Frequency Podcast

Upcoming Community Conversation

The Experience of War and Humanitarian Response

When a major armed conflict takes place in our world, there are so many wounds left behind – visible and invisible. From those who are physically in the war zone, to the massive numbers of people displaced within and outside borders, to the many responders and volunteers offering aid and support, each individual is being impacted in unimaginable ways. In this conversation, we acknowledge the short and long-term physical and psychological harm that war causes. We acknowledge that also, amidst massive discord between states or nations, survivors of past wars and related conflicts may be profoundly destabilized and activated as well.  The world experiences turmoil, upheaval, and uncertainty on so many levels. Thus, our discussion this month with international humanitarian subject matter experts trained in neurobiological methods for trauma resolution and crisis stabilization will be sharing their experience, perspectives, and resources for those who may be affected.

This event is FREE and all are welcome!

Stay Connected

SE™ TODAY | February 21, 2022

Somatic Experiencing® International Newsletter

Letter from SEI Board Chair 

Rebecca Stahl

5-minute read

2021 Annual Report

"A New Perspective" 

What do you think of when you hear the word, "perspective?" We think of 2021 – and the new perspective we got from a(nother) year with COVID-19, new and more diverse faculty and board members, new initiatives and new staff, a new annual Conference, new outreach to those in crises, new countries starting SE training, and a new foundation for becoming more globally connected. We think of our new name and new identity to wrap all that, and more, inside. This past year, SEI focused on shifting our perspective to see the minutiae and the global perspective together. This report reflects how we have done that.

We hope you’ll take the time to read our 2021 Annual Report – “A New Perspective” – and watch the highlights video. As always, we invite you to get in touch at listening@traumahealing.org.

Black, Indigenous, People of Color Scholarship

SEI is launching a new scholarship to increase access to its SE professional training certificate program for Black, Indigenous, and other students of color in the US. The Black, Indigenous, People of Color Scholarship will fund at least 50% of tuition costs for the full three-year training.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and award determinations will be made by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Committee. To learn more about scholarship eligibility and application details, please visit our website.

2021 SEI Virtual Conference Recording Packages Available for Purchase

In October of 2021, SEI hosted its first ever international virtual conference. Nearly 1000 of you joined. Many more wanted to. Now you have the amazing opportunity to purchase the recordings individually or as a package.

2022 Peter A. Levine Somatic Experiencing Research Awards

The Peter Levine Somatic Experiencing Research Awards are annual awards for research into the Somatic Experiencing model. Two research awards for $1,000 each will be given annually: one for dissertation or thesis research and the other for research conducted by professionals in education or practice settings.

Awardees will be selected via blind peer review by a group of jurors with training in the Somatic Experiencing model and significant research experience. Each application will be reviewed by at least three independent jurors.

Please submit your application form and your research paper to research@traumahealing.org by 6:00 PM MT, March 31, 2022. You can find more details on our website about the award, application process and past winners.

Seeking Researchers 

If you are a researcher, wanting to be a researcher or just interested in learning more about research outcomes within the field of Somatic Experiencing practices, tell us about yourself! The SEI Research Committee wants to hear from you and offer support.

SEI EXCLUSIVE WEBINARS

Embodying Nature, Exploring the 5 Elements Inside

5 Part Webinar Series

SE and the Nerdverse Sandtray

A 3-Part Webinar Series

Part III:

February 25, 2022

All Dates: 10 AM - 11 AM MT

The Process of Transformation of the Twelve Steps Through the Polyvagal Lens

The Practice of Embodying Emotions

A method for improving cognitive, emotional, and behavioral outcomes in all therapies

March 25, 2022

11 AM - 1 PM MT

On Boundary Crossing & Boundary Violation in Psychotherapy and Counseling

Join SEI and Access Past Webinars for Free

Our learning and knowledge library has a wealth of valuable, relevant webinars from leaders in the SE field. All webinars in the membership portal are free for members to stream. To take advantage of this learning library, join SEI.

Your Body Broadcasts and Receives Messages

By Resmaa Menakem MSW, LICSW, SEP

6 minute read

“Your power of discernment emerges from your body’s ability to receive and amplify signals. Discernment tells you when another body’s signals are strong, clear, and consistent; when they are mixed or contradictory; when they are weak and easily subject to change; or when they are actually noise, distractions, lies, or dog whistles. It helps you decide whom to trust and whom not to, what to believe and what not to, and whether a particular body or situation is safe.

Ways of Knowing with Efu Nyaki, MEd, SEP

Emergent Resilience Podcast

Recent Community Conversation

Hidden Mental Health Professionals: Educators and Teachers

Educators have been tasked with responsibilities that far exceed teaching in a classroom, not the least of which is identifying behavioral or mental health concerns and connecting students with the appropriate resources. While teachers take on these responsibilities, some experts say that traditional training for educators does not adequately prepare them for these additional duties.

Rewatch this month's Community Conversation as Mina Roustayi, PhD, MSEd, SEP; Katie Jones, LMSW and Advanced SE Student; Danica Lynch, E-RYT, SEP; Patsy Ippolito, BEd, MA, SEP; and Colleen Enright, MA, NBCC, and Advanced SE Student explore this impact on teachers, considering ways mental health professionals can support educators, methods for peers to support each other, and access to tools to minimize and avoid burnout.

Stay Connected

SE™ TODAY | February 7, 2022

Somatic Experiencing® International Newsletter

A Letter from SEI Director of Training and Faculty Relations 

Kristin Velazquez Kenefick, PsyD, P-SEP, TIYT

4-minute read

Meet SEI’s Newest Staff

Katelyn Johnson, Constituent Services Specialist 

"It's so rewarding to be a part of a team that strives to effectively communicate the importance of the SE modality to our constituents and I'm excited to dig in and be a part of the change that creates more ease of access to the program as well as more awareness and inspiration as SEI becomes a household name worldwide." 

Emily Tworek

Development Manager

She discovered her love for business development while working at the Rochester-based literary nonprofit Writers & Books and at Pittsburgh CLO, a regional theater focused on producing musicals in Pittsburgh. She has a passion for telling stories about organizations and the people who make them exceptional, which she is excited to bring to SEI. Outside of work, she loves cooking and baking for her friends, reading, exploring museums and restaurants around Manhattan, seeing theatre, and attempting to learn the kalimba.  

“SEI’s mission could not be more important in our world right now, and I’m honored to be a part of bringing it to fruition. I envision a development department that communicates the vitality of the SE modality to donors around the world, increases access to our programming and community, and inspires positive growth for the organization and for those we serve.” 

Get to Know the SEI Constituent Services

Team

In a continued effort to provide outstanding constituent services to the SE community, SEI has recently organized a new team housed within the Operations Department: Constituent Services. This team is made up of two staff members, Katy Neisler, the Constituent Services Manager, and Katelyn Johnson, Constituent Services Specialist.

This new team's focus will be delivering outstanding communications through all of SEI's communication channels. Katy and Katelyn will be working behind the scenes to streamline technology processes to improve constituent services management and response times.

In the next few months, Constituent Services will be creating new ways to collect feedback, release knowledge resources on our website, and streamline our communication channels to help constituents get connected to the appropriate staff quickly.

 Katy and Katelyn want to hear from you about your experiences with SEI! In the first quarter of 2022, they will be releasing several avenues for you to  share your feedback, including this new quick survey. You can find this survey in all internal staff’s email signatures, and it will be added to the website soon!

SEI Responds to Marshall Fires in Boulder County, Colorado, USA 

In response to the Marshall Fires on December 30 that devastated neighboring towns to SEI's administrative headquarters, SEI put out a call to SE students and SEPs to support survivors. The response was a staggering 211 volunteers, signed up and ready to make wellness check calls to 750 survivors. Calls are already underway and the  volunteers are resourcing survivors with SE tools that can support them during this challenging time. 

This response was made possible by SEI Director of Public Health Initiatives Amie Leigh in partnership with Crisis Cleanup, a national leader in collaborative disaster management, and the Mountain West VOAD, a coalition of Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster. Crisis response is a growing part of SEI’s public health efforts, as the need is greater than ever. Thank you to all the volunteers who are donating their time and SE expertise to support survivors! 

SEI EXCLUSIVE WEBINARS

Embodying Nature, Exploring the 5 Elements Inside

5 Part Webinar Series

All Dates: 11am - 12:30 PM MT

 

SE and the Nerdverse Sandtray

A 3-Part Webinar Series

All Dates: 10-11 AM MT

 

Join SEI and Access Past Webinars for Free

Our learning and knowledge library has a wealth of valuable, relevant webinars from leaders in the SE field. All webinars in the membership portal are free for members to stream. To take advantage of this learning library, join SEI.

Evolving with the Times Podcast, Family Lawyer Edition

With SEI Board Chair Rebecca Stahl, JD, LLM, SEP

50-minute listen

"By 2031, I hope to see a future where the legal system is more aware and understanding of both the lawyer and the client's humanity... including our animal instincts that mean we sometimes don't respond well to difficult situations... and that people receive support instead of shame for that."

Geography Affects Mental Health Care

Lauren Bagget in UGA Today

3-minute read

“The researchers found that overall, urban enrollees used more mental health care than rural ones. And although the usage gap narrowed from 2005 to 2018, the quality and cost of care weren’t equitable, even for privately insured patients.”

Global Town Hall

February 8, 2022  |  10 - 11:30 AM MT

The town hall format offers an additional live opportunity to ask questions and share perspectives about the direction, strategic priorities, and current projects underway at SE International. After opening updates and comments from representatives of the SE International Board of Directors, the remainder of the Town Hall session will be devoted to your questions and comments.

This event is FREE.

Upcoming Community Conversation

Hidden Mental Health Professionals: Educators and Teachers

February 11, 2022  |  12:00 PM MT

Educators are tasked with the responsibility of teaching – children  and adults – but  time and circumstances have revealed that in many ways these professionals are responsible for much more. They have been tasked with guiding students and shaping their personalities, helping them endure through stress, and providing early identification of mental health issues. Often, teachers are the first people to identify certain behavioral and mental health concerns and connect students and families to additional school and community services, including mental health providers or social workers. Further, teachers are even sought out as the first source of support for students, acting as an unofficial counselor. In many ways, the current COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these issues, with many teachers reporting higher rates of burnout due to increased stress placed on them, as well as higher levels of student and family distress.

While teachers take on these responsibilities, some experts say that traditional training for educators does not adequately prepare them for these additional duties.

In this month's Community Conversation join Mina Roustayi, PhD, MSEd, SEP; Katie Jones, LMSW and Advanced SE Student; Danica Lynch, E-RYT, SEP; Patsy Ippolito, BEd, MA, SEP; and Colleen Enright, MA, NBCC, and Advanced SE Student as we explore this impact on teachers, considering ways mental health professionals can support educators, methods for peers to support each other, and access to tools to minimize and avoid burnout.

Closing Thoughts

#traumahealingvalentines 

Valentine's Day is next week! Help us to celebrate by creating your own Trauma Healing Valentine and tagging us on social media! And don't forget to use the hashtag, #traumahealingvalentines. 

Stay Connected

SE™ TODAY | January 5, 2022

Somatic Experiencing® International Newsletter

Letter From the SEI Executive Director

Marv Tuttle

Colorado Fires

An Update from SEI Board Chair Rebecca Stahl, SEP

We ask that you send good wishes to the SEI staff and the SE community in the Denver and Boulder areas. Everyone in the Boulder office spends their days caring for all of us. May we be able to offer our hearts to them in return during this difficult time. Also, may the New Year bring more peace to the Boulder community."

Coming Soon: Our 2021 Annual Report

We changed our name. We changed our branding. We successfully held trainings online (and developed protocol to safety restart our programs in person). More than 2,500 individuals started the coursework. We held a hugely successful Virtual Conference – with 1,000 people around the world logging on. We awarded the first Annual Peter Levine Research Awards. We organized groups to go to the scenes of natural disasters and crises. These big moments were all part of 2021 – and we look forward to sharing more in our 2021 Annual Report. The report should be out the end of January, so stay tuned!

Louisiana in Recovery

SEI Staff and Volunteers on the Ground Three Months Later

SE Professional Training Program Tuition Rates and Registration Deadlines to Change January 18, 2022

SEI will increase tuition rates for the 3-Year Professional Training Program beginning January 18, 2022 and has established new registration deadlines. Read the original announcement to learn what is included in this increased price and what the new registration deadline means for you. 

SEI EXCLUSIVE WEBINARS

Working with Military and First Responder Populations:

How their training rewires them, debunking the war myth, and approaches to help them take the uniform off.

Using Food to Create Safety for Trauma Healing

Webinar

Yoga as a Neurobiological-based Therapeutic