We are delighted to confirm that our next Level 1 training is due to commence this September, with candidates in New York City encouraged to register promptly to avoid disappointment due to the sustained demand for introductory training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

Led by our accomplished team of trainers:

    • Lana Epstein, MSW, MA, LICSW, Lead Trainer: An international presenter, private practitioner, and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker practicing in Lexington, MA, with additional NYC office hours. Lana focuses her work on group, couple, and individual psychotherapy and specializes in supporting survivors of traumatic childhoods.
    • Janina Fisher, PhD, Trainer: A licensed Clinical Psychologist with 40 years of experience and a leader in the field of trauma and dissociation. Dr Fisher is a published author, former Harvard Medical School Instructor, and international lecturer who teaches about the introduction of newer trauma treatment approaches into conventional therapies.
    • Amy Gladstone, LCSW, PhD, Trainer: Amy’s professional work concentrates on experiential therapy as a faculty member of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, NIP Trauma Studies Program, and Seton Hall MSW Program. She works with individuals and couples struggling with emotional reactions, shame, anger, and anxiety.

Participants will begin the program on September 14, 2024, progressing through a series of experiential, group, live online, and self-led learning to achieve an initial understanding of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and how to utilize this knowledge in their practices, professions or ongoing study.

On successful completion of the training, which ends on March 30, 2025, attendees will be eligible to claim 39 Continuing Education credits and to evidence their learning, newly acquired skills, and comprehension of somatic therapies.

Introducing the Level 1 Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Trauma Study Program

Based on a revised syllabus, our latest foundational training has been designed to ensure that every attendee extracts maximum value from their studies.

We recognize that professionals, practitioners, and therapists often have busy calendars and schedule each training module to extend accessibility, ensuring students have advance notice of all live online sessions.

This NYC training offers blended learning opportunities and experiences, coordinating self-paced learning across four formats for participants to work through at their preferred times, live modules hosted by our exceptional study facilitators, and enrichment materials to integrate all the skills and theories covered.

The primary focus of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Trauma training at Level 1 is to ensure attendees have a firm understanding of the basic applications of this body-oriented talk therapy, which combines emotional and cognitive approaches to address the effects of trauma.

Each participant can tap into the conceptual training materials on demand, with flexibility about how they work through each of the six modules. However, the live online modules are essential, including three two-day sessions and the orientation and closing sessions, which are hosted in real-time by our facilitators.

What to Expect From the Level 1 Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Trauma Training

As a Level 1 training, over the duration of the program, students will learn the skills needed to identify and process the residual symptoms and impacts of trauma held within their client’s bodies and access new ways to work with trauma – beyond the limitations of words and traditional talk therapies.

Somatic patterns are commonly linked to traumatic experiences, and by noticing and addressing those patterns and responses, mental health professionals can help their clients work toward lasting change.

Attendees will study the baseline skills and will be able to apply these principles to their work with clients who are suffering from trauma or in distress, with an introduction to how Sensorimotor Psychotherapy can be adapted to support clients with more complex symptoms or who have a more involved clinical condition.

While full training details and a breakdown of the modules are available online, the learning outcomes for Level 1 students include:

    • Understanding the concepts that underpin Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, including the use of the body as a resource, having an experimental attitude and working from a non-pathologizing perspective.
    • Developing competencies around tracking, framing, and modulating the impacts of trauma, with an appreciation of the common challenges encountered during initial trauma treatment and how to overcome them.
    • The ability to demonstrate Sensorimotor Sequencing, using memories and gentle supportive guidance to name and recognize physical and emotional sensations associated with traumatic experiences.

Whether participants are practicing professionals, studying therapeutic modalities and techniques, or keen to extend their knowledge of somatic and body-oriented therapies, the Level 1 training is an ideal starting point, with techniques taught to illustrate why a phased approach is key, beginning with stabilization before moving on to symptom reduction.

Benefits of Attending a Level 1 Training With the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute

Our Level 1 trainings are far more than an educational opportunity. They enable participants to network, discuss, share ideas, experience Sensorimotor Psychotherapy techniques, connect with other professionals, and gain first-hand feedback from our respected facilitators.

Live modules are fully interactive and hosted in real-time, based on local NYC timings for convenience and to ensure all attendees can immerse themselves in each session.

This training is hosted by an outstanding team of facilitators: Lana Epstein, MSW, MA, LICSW, Janina Fisher, PhD, and Amy Gladstone, LCSW, PhD.

Each course facilitator will guide and steer attendees through the live modules, encouraging discussion and thought sharing to ensure new learning is understood, embedded, and can be integrated into real-world practice.

Continuing Education Credits Awarded on Completion of the Level 1 Treatment of Trauma Training

The Level 1 training offers participants up to 39 CE credits, which are available once all modules have been completed. Attendees must attend each module in full to be awarded the maximum available credits and to ensure they access all the skills, theoretical learning, experiences, and discussions that are integral to the learning experience.

Students are also required to complete three hours of group or individual consultation with a Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute-approved Consultant.

For more details about our next NYC Level 1 training, CE credits, or the structure of this training program, please refer to our booking pages. You are also welcome to contact the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute if you have any questions or queries before registration.

We recommend confirming your attendance at your earliest convenience due to the demand for Level 1 training and to ensure your place is reserved for the start date of September 14.