SOMATIC DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA THERAPY™ CERTIFICATE
Heal at the roots. Restore what was missing. Transform trauma through the body.
WHY SOMATIC DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA THERAPY?
Developmental trauma shapes everything—our bodies, our breath, our reflexes, our ability to connect, and the very way we exist in the world.
It doesn’t just come from “what happened.”
It comes from what was interrupted (developmental milestones) and what was missing: safety, connection, attunement, and belonging.
Moments of not being wanted.
Being separated too soon.
Having needs ignored, shamed, or unmet.
Or growing up without enough support to feel like it’s okay to be me.
These early ruptures live in the nervous system long after the events themselves. They show up in clients as chronic shame, boundary struggles, emotional collapse, hypervigilance, and relational confusion.
While most trainings approach developmental trauma through a cognitive or attachment lens, the body remembers first—and without addressing these somatic imprints, healing remains incomplete.
JOIN US FOR THE LIVE & ONLINE
FREE PREVIEW EVENT
DR. ARIELLE
SCHWARTZ
DR. SCOTT
LYONS
Sign up below to join the live online Preview Event for free!
Sunday, October 26th, 2025 from 3 - 4pm ET
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Solution: A Somatic Map of Developmental Healing
The Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapy Certificate provides a practical, body-based framework for recognizing and repairing developmental trauma in adults—bridging neuroscience, somatic psychology, and experiential practices that rewire traumatic imprints in the nervous system.
The power of this program lies in moving beyond story and basic attachment theory into the realm of body memory, reflexes, and relational imprints—teaching you how to track and repair what was missing across the earliest stages of life. In this program, we work our way down to the body’s earliest imprints, then back up into integration—restoring the foundations that make healing safe, embodied, and lasting.
You’ll gain the tools, presence, and confidence to work with developmental trauma in a way that is safe, integrative, and deeply transformative.
MEET YOUR FACULTY
Internationally recognized leaders bring to life a holistic and unified somatic curriculum.
DR. ARIELLE SCHWARTZ
KAI CHENG THOM, MSW, MSC
DR. SCOTT LYONS
MANUELA MISCHKE-REEDS, LMFT
MARIAH ROONEY, LICSW
THE PROGRAM ARC
The Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapy™ Certificate takes you on a three-part journey through the earliest stages of human development—prenatal, infancy, and early independence.
Across these modules, you’ll explore how unmet needs and early disruptions become embodied as patterns of tension, mistrust, fragmentation, and boundary struggles. Through an integration of neuroscience, somatic psychology, and experiential practice, you’ll learn to recognize these developmental imprints and apply powerful tools to restore safety and connection, helping clients unfreeze and reclaim vital stages of development.
Together, the modules provide a comprehensive framework for repairing what was missing and supporting resilience, trust, and wholeness.
WHY THIS PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT
Most trauma trainings focus on tools or techniques to manage symptoms. Few go to the root: how trauma interrupts the body’s natural sequence of development and embeds itself in posture, physiology, and relationship patterns from the very beginning of life.
The Somatic Developmental Trauma Certificate is different because it:
1. Centers Developmental Sequencing
Rather than treating trauma as a static event, we explore how unmet needs at each stage of development — from pre- and perinatal through early childhood — alter the trajectory of nervous system growth. Repairing these gaps reactivates forward movement in the developmental arc, rather than just compensating for what was lost.
2. Integrates Body Memory and Neurobiology
We work with implicit body memories (sensations, rhythms, reflexes, micro-movements) alongside explicit reconsolidation (narrative and meaning-making). This dual approach allows preverbal trauma to be accessed and reorganized — something traditional talk therapy cannot reach.
3. Focuses on Repairing Missing Needs
Each module emphasizes the “missing experience”—safety, connection, validation, play, agency—and provides concrete protocols for reintroducing these experiences in the therapeutic relationship. The program teaches how to restore the developmental scaffolding so clients can progress into autonomy, resilience, and authentic connection.
4. Embeds Somatic Practices into Clinical Work
Through guided labs, students practice somatic interventions such as:
Repatterning prenatal and perinatal imprints (e.g., primordial freeze, birth spiral, Moro reflex)
Repairing preverbal fragmentation through movement, breath, and touch
Supporting authentic boundaries and autonomy through embodied “no”
Facilitating rupture and repair in therapeutic relationships
5. Bridges Science and Practice
The program grounds every stage in both developmental neurobiology and applied somatic psychology. Students don’t just learn about trauma — they learn how to track it in posture, breath, and micro-expressions, and how to create the conditions for repair in real clinical settings.
6. Is Experiential, Not Just Theoretical
Participants will not only study developmental trauma but also engage in self-reflection, guided journeys, and embodied practices that bring the material alive. This makes the work personally transformative as well as professionally applicable.
Join us and discover a practical, body-based framework for recognizing and repairing developmental trauma.
CURRICULUM
LIVE & ONLINE: NOV 8TH - DEC 17TH, 2025
This 45-hour certificate program will run live and online from November 8th to December 17th, 2025. The program will include 3 Modules over 6 weeks, all available to watch online and on-demand at your own pace. There will also be an optional Community Connection session.
All sessions can be completed via your online Content Library which you will gain access to upon registration.
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Theme: The Pre-Perinatal Continuum: Foundations of Embodiment
This opening module explores the prenatal and perinatal imprints that shape safety, trust, and belonging from our earliest moments of life. You’ll learn how developmental disruptions and trauma at this stage can embed in the body as patterns of tension, mistrust, dissociation, or primordial freeze—and how to restore the missing experiences that make existence itself feel safe.
Developmental Needs:
Safety in the womb · Physiological support through maternal regulation · A protected entry into life where existence itself feels safe
Disruptions & Trauma Patterns:
Primordial freeze and prenatal stress
Birth trauma and early medical interventions
Somatic imprints of dissociation, tension, and mistrust
You’ll learn to:
Apply somatic practices that restore primal rhythms, regulate the nervous system, and repattern early imprints
Recognize and work with presentations such as primordial freeze, dissociation, and disrupted attachment
Track bottom-up cues of prenatal/perinatal trauma and pace sessions to prevent overwhelm
Use experiential tools—from somatic synchrony practices to guided birth narratives—to support repatterning and deep integration
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Theme: Attachment, Safety, and Repairing the Missing Relational Experience
This module explores how early attachment and caregiving experiences lay the groundwork for safety, connection, and the developing sense of self. When these needs go unmet, infants can form imprints of unworthiness, mistrust, or disconnection from their core rhythms. At this stage, fragmentation from relational wounds often emerges as preverbal parts that are uncoordinated and sometimes at odds with one another. Left unresolved, these early splits echo into adulthood, shaping relational struggles and inner conflict. You’ll learn how to recognize these early signs and apply somatic practices that not only rebuild safety and connection but also repair the relational scaffolding that supports trust, play, and emotional regulation throughout life.
Developmental Needs:
Safety & security · Connection · Validation & empathy · Play · Agency · Emotional regulation
Disruptions & Trauma Patterns:
Interruptions in bonding or continuity of care
Medical challenges or unmet developmental needs
Over-rigid or inconsistent caregiving
Early imprints of mistrust, unworthiness, or loss of place
You’ll learn to:
Apply memory reconsolidation practices to re-pattern preverbal body memories
Repair missing relational experiences through guided somatic and relational practices
Work with fragmented parts and the grief system to restore wholeness
Use play-based co-regulation to support safety, joy, and spontaneity
Track preverbal cues and pace sessions to prevent overwhelm, supporting developmental sequencing and integration
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Theme: Autonomy, Boundaries, and the Embodied Self
This module focuses on the crucial stage where autonomy, boundaries, and authentic selfhood take shape. Here, children begin to experiment with saying “no,” explore their preferences, and assert independence while still needing the safety of connection. When these needs are shamed, overprotected, or prematurely forced, the imprints can echo into adulthood as patterns of fawning, rebellion, avoidance, collapse, or flight. You’ll learn to recognize these somatic signatures and guide clients in reclaiming their right to boundaries, authentic choice, and self-expression—restoring the capacity to stand in one’s truth while staying in relationship.
Developmental Needs:
Exploration & self-assertion · Autonomy with connection · Embodied “No” · Creative exploration
Disruptions & Trauma Patterns:
Shaming of needs or punitive responses to boundaries
Chronic power struggles, conditional love, neglect, or abuse
Overprotection (blocked autonomy) or premature independence
You’ll learn to:
Work with somatic patterns of fawning, defiance, avoidance, indecision, freeze, and flight
Support authentic self-expression through play, creativity, and movement
Track micro-movements of autonomy and embodied boundary-setting
Guide transitions from co-regulation to self-regulation
Navigate therapeutic ruptures and power struggles without overriding client agency
WHO IS THIS TRAINING FOR?
Therapists & Counselors who want to integrate somatic developmental trauma work into their clinical practice.
Coaches & Wellness Practitioners who support clients through transformation and want to address developmental trauma at its root.
Bodyworkers & Somatic Practitioners looking to expand their capacity to track and repattern preverbal and developmental imprints.
Educators, Social Workers, and Healing Professionals committed to advanced trauma-informed, body-based approaches.
“Thriving is our birthright. Healing individual and collective trauma is the deepest embodiment of this truth.”
— DR. SCOTT LYONS
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
LIVE & ONLINE: NOVEMBER 8TH - DECEMBER 17TH, 2025
The certificate unfolds developmentally — beginning with prenatal and perinatal imprints, through infancy, and into the early independence stage.
Live Sessions (Weekends, 45.5 hours total)
Weekend modules with lectures, demos, and experiential practices.
Dates: Nov 8th–9th, Nov 22nd–23rd, Dec 13th–14th (10am–1pm ET & 2–5pm ET).
Embodiment Labs & Practice Sessions
Dates: Nov 12th, 19th, Dec 3rd (6–8pm ET) and Dec 17th (4–6pm ET).
Community Connection Circle (1.5 hours)
Peer integration space.
Date: Nov 20th (1–2:30pm ET).
✨ JOIN US TODAY FOR JUST $814 AND RECEIVE...
✓ 45-hour Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapy™ Certificate
✓ BONUS Embodied Regulation Tools package
✓ BONUS Healing Developmental Trauma package
✓ BONUS $100 Embody Lab Gift Card
You must register by October 29th, 2025 to receive your free bonuses!
TOTAL VALUE $1608
YOU SAVE $794 ✨
PROGRAM REGISTRATION
THE LIVE PROGRAM BEGINS NOVEMBER 8TH, 2025.
REGISTER FOR THE CERTIFICATE NOW
PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT.
Upon registration you will receive a welcome email with details on how to access the program.
You will have lifetime access to the on-demand training sessions.
Program valued at $1608
Non-Members pay only...
$1147 USD
JOIN THE REVOLUTION OF COMING HOME TO THE BODY!
Program valued at $1608
ONLY $814 USD
MEMBERS SAVE $794
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*30-Days FREE Membership trial is included with your purchase. After 30-days you pay $26 per month. Cancel at anytime.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
By the end of this certificate, you’ll be able to:
Identify somatic markers of developmental trauma across prenatal, perinatal, infancy, and early childhood stages.
Apply embodied interventions to repair what was missing: safety, belonging, connection, boundaries, attunement, and early autonomy.
Track and repattern primitive reflexes, breath patterns, and movement imprints and how they show up in your client.
Use your own embodied presence and relational field as a primary tool of repair.
Work confidently with preverbal trauma in adult clients through developmentally informed movement, safe touch, and relational practices.
Understand intergenerational and systemic influences on development, and how they show up somatically.
The power of this program lies in moving beyond story and basic attachment theory into the realm of body memory, reflexes, and relational imprints.
PROGRAM DETAILS
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
This 45-hour certificate program will run live and online from November 8th to December 17th, 2025. The program will include 3 Modules over 6 weeks, all available to watch online and on-demand at your own pace. There will also be an optional Community Connection session.
All sessions can be completed via your online Content Library which you will gain access to upon registration.
Live Sessions (Weekends, 45.5 hours total)
Weekend modules with lectures, demos, and experiential practices.
Dates: Nov 8th–9th, Nov 22nd–23rd, Dec 13th–14th (10am–1pm ET & 2–5pm ET).
Embodiment Labs & Practice Sessions
Dates: Nov 12th, 19th, Dec 3rd (6–8pm ET) and Dec 17th (4–6pm ET).
Community Connection Circle (1.5 hours)
Peer integration space.
Date: Nov 20th (1–2:30pm ET).
See how this translates into your timezone.
HOMEWORK
There are no homework assignments during the program.
LEARNING PLATFORM FORMAT
ZOOM: The live portion of the certificate program will be offered online using the video conferencing platform Zoom, in meeting format, to allow instructors and students to interact, ask questions and participate in breakout sessions.
ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM: The online learning platform will host all the information about the course including:
Detailed schedule and reminder emails of upcoming sessions
How to access the live sessions via Zoom
Supporting materials such as PDFs of the reading material and presentations
ACCESSIBILITY
VIDEO / AUDIO: Within the online learning platform, students may watch the video within their online library or download the video or audio to their computer. They will have lifetime access to the content.
LIVE CAPTIONING / TRANSCRIPTS: Captioning during live sessions and transcripts will be offered in English.
READING LISTS: Each instructor will provide required or recommended readings.
Required readings will be available freely online or in PDF format.
Recommended readings are optional and for futher exploration. They may include books, online articles etc.
PDFs of the instructor’s presentation will also be provided.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Below are the requirements to receive the Certificate of Completion within 3 months of the last live session:
Attend the live sessions or watch the recordings.
Complete the Self Evaluation & Reflection after each module. (Please note: This should be completed within 3 months after the last live session.)
Submit full payment.
REGISTRATION / ENROLLMENT / TUITION
Enroll for the certificate program by choosing one of two registration options here. Once you register, you will receive a welcome email with how to access all the details for the certificate program.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
+ Who is this program designed for?
This program is a certification process that distills an educational methodology to integrate into a variety of modalities such as: Social Workers, Mental Health & Pastoral Counselors, Yoga Therapists / Yoga Teachers, Movement Therapists, Coaches, Physicians (MD, DO, ND, DC & others) & Physician Assistants, Nurses & Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Emergency Medical Personnel, Meditation Teachers, Educators, Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists & Body Workers, Hypnotherapists, Kinesiologists, Complementary & Alternative Medicine Professionals, Clergy & Religious Leaders, other Wellness Professionals.
This is an education program and not a licenser program.
+ What are the dates, schedule and time commitment?
This 45-hour certificate program will run live online from November 8th to December 17th, 2025. The program will include 3 Modules over 3 weekends, all available to watch online and on-demand at your own pace. Each day will consist of 6 hours of training from 10am-1pm and 2-5pm ET (with a 1 hour break in between from 1-2pm ET). There will also be one 1.5-hour optional Community Connection session and four additional classes to practice embodying and integrating the skills.
All sessions can be completed live online and via your online Content Library which you will gain access to upon registration.
MODULE 1 - Prenatal & Perinatal Stage (0–6 months): Saturday, November 8th & Sunday, November 9th, 2025 from 10am-1pm and 2-5pm ET each day
EMBODIMENT LAB - Wednesday, November 12th & Wednesday, November 19th from 6 - 8pm ET
MODULE 2 - Infancy & Dependence Stage (6 months–1.5 years): Saturday, November 22nd & Sunday, November 23rd, 2025 from 10am-1pm and 2-5pm ET each day
INTEGRATION SESSION - Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 from 6 - 8pm ET
MODULE 3 - Independence in Relationship Stage (1.5–3 years): Saturday, December 13th & Sunday, December 14th, 2025 from 10am-1pm and 2-5pm ET each day
SPECIAL SESSION - Wednesday, December 17th, 2025 from 4 - 6pm ET
A detailed schedule will be provided upon registration. Because of the complexities with international time zones, we have only listed U.S. Eastern Time (ET) above. See how this translates into your timezone.
+ Will there be an orientation session?
No, there will not be an orientation session.
+ Do I need to attend live or am I able to watch recordings?
All live sessions will also be recorded so students may watch in their own time (more information below). Please note, captioning is only available during the live sessions.
+ How can I interact with the instructors? Will I receive guidance?
During each of the live sessions, the instructors will have a Q&A period where you may ask questions. A community connection will also be offered with the faculty. A private online community forum will be provided for the certificate.
+ Do you offer scholarships?
For every 200 enrolled students, we are able to offer:
- 10 Full Scholarships (100%)
- 10 Partial Scholarships (50%)
How to Apply:
- Please complete this scholarship form by 11:59pm ET on Friday, October 17th, 2025.
- Scholarship results will be communicated by end of day Saturday, October 25th, 2025.
+ What are the homework requirements?
There are no homework assignments during the program.
+ Is there a deadline for registration?
Registration will only be available for a limited time.
+ Do you offer refunds?
We offer a Registration Guarantee which means that if you register but decide the course isn’t right for you, we’ll refund your course fee - no questions asked - up to 48 hours before the course start date. No refunds are available after this time or once the program commences.
+ How can I access the online course and recordings?
ZOOM FOR LIVE SESSIONS: The live portion of the certificate program will be offered online using the video conferencing platform Zoom, in meeting format, to allow instructors and students to interact, ask questions and participate in breakout sessions.
ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM: Once you register, you will receive access to our online learning platform which will include all the information about the certificate, including:
- Detailed schedules
- How to access the live sessions via Zoom
- Recordings of all live sessions uploaded within 48 hours of the end of the live session
- Supporting materials provided by your instructors
ACCESSIBILITY | Video / Audio: Within our online learning platform, you may watch the video within your online library or download the video or audio to your computer. You will have lifetime access to the content.
ACCESSIBILITY | Live Captioning / Transcripts: Captioning will be available during the live sessions. Transcripts will be offered in English.
ACCESSIBILITY | Reading Lists: The reading list will include items available at the public library or will be provided as a PDF where possible. PDFs of the instructor’s presentation will also be provided.
+ Is this a summit?
No, this is an integrated curriculum co-created by the faculty. The faculty are colleagues in this program. They are working together to make sure each individual module is cohesive with the entire curriculum. Every teacher is informed about what is coming before and what is coming after and integrating their curriculum based on that information.
+ Is this a theoretical or practical (experiential) program?
While some theory will be presented to support the learning, the primary focus of the practice is experiential, giving practical tools for the participants.
+ Will I receive a certificate?
You’ll receive a Certificate of Completion once you have completed the following:
- Attended the live sessions or watched the recordings.
- Completed the Self Evaluation & Reflections after each module. (Please note: This should be completed within 3 months after the last live session.)
- Submitted full payment.
All students who complete this program will receive a Certificate of Completion whether they attend it LIVE or watch the RECORDINGS.
+ What title can I use after completing this program?
Licensed therapists or health professionals (e.g., social workers, psychologists, clinical therapists, registered nurses) may use the title "Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapy Practitioner."
Non-licensed individuals may say: "I integrate somatic developmental trauma healing interventions into my practice."
+ Will this program teach me to work with children?
This certificate focuses on working with adults who carry developmental trauma imprints. A program specific to children may be offered separately.
+ Will Continuing Education Units (CEUs) be offered?
20 hours of CEs are available for Health Professionals upon completion of the live training. Please note - Live attendance is required.
To register your interest for CE credits for this program and more detailed information, please visit this link: https://forms.gle/76mwhjgG5vnzVw9BA
Below is more information on the health professionals which may be eligible for CEs through the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program.
- CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by sponsors of CE who are approved by the American Psychological Association.
- LCSW, LPCC, LEP and LMFTs, and other professionals from outside of California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept credits from programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
- SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes. Nurses outside of California must confirm acceptance with their licensing boards.
- For questions about your certificate or the content, logistics, or other support issues regarding this course, please contact The Embody Lab at info@theembodylab.com.
- For questions about whether APA CE is valid for you, contact your licensing board directly.
- For general questions about APA CE, contact SCA at ce@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.
FROM A DIFFERENT STATE OR COUNTRY?
Health professionals from a state or country outside of California need to check with their licensing boards as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of Continuing Education by the American Psychological Association (APA).
DIFFERENT CREDENTIAL?
If your credential is not listed, please check with your licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of Continuing Education by the American Psychological Association (APA).
The SCA and The Embody Lab are not able to determine your eligibility.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
The Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapy™ Certificate is more than professional training — it’s an invitation to expand your capacity, deepen your practice, and help your clients reclaim what was missing.
➡️ Join us for the Preview Event on October 26th, 2025.
