Ergos Institute of Somatic Education
ergos institute
What does Ergos mean?
While working on starting a non-profit in British Columbia in 1972, Dr. Levine had a dream where the word ERGOS appeared in bright neon letters. Feeling the deep significance of the word in the morning, he noted that ERG is the unit of energy, EROS means love, and ERGO is therefore. ERGOS means to Peter that Love, Work, and Understanding should be the wellsprings of life, and they should also govern it.
This is the path we walk.
Wilhelm Reich, “Love, work, and knowledge should be the wellspring of our life, they should also govern it.”
Founded in 1972 by Peter A Levine, Ph.D., the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education is the leading Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) provider of SE Master Classes, Public Programming, and Community Outreach. Dedicated to advancing SE principles, Ergos offers body-based healing programs, both in-person and online, designed to help trauma and stress disorder sufferers embrace their authentic selves with a greater capacity for resilience and joy.
Dr. Levine, the Developer of Somatic Experiencing, is the President and Lead Faculty member, accompanied by an esteemed SE Faculty and a host of dedicated SE Practitioner Facilitators and Master Level Assistants.
The Ergos team delivers SE Master Classes, Case Consultations, Public Workshops and Retreats, and Community Health SE™ programs and participates in Psychotherapy Conferences, Webinars, and Podcasts across the globe.
Ergos' sister organization, Somatic Experiencing International (SEI), founded by Dr. Levine, provides the Somatic Experiencing Professional Certificate Training - learn more.
Meet the Ergos Team
Founder, President, and Lead Faculty
Developer of Somatic Experiencing®
Encinitas, California
Melissa A Stager, EMBA, SEP
Managing Director
Program Development
Vista, California
Melissa Stager, EMBA, SEP is the Managing Director and Program Developer at Ergos Institute of Somatic Education. She has been developing SE Master Classes, SE public programs, and Community Health Somatic Education for Peter A Levine, Ph.D. and the Ergos Insitute since 2015. She has completed training in Somatic Experiencing® and NeuroEffective Touch™, with additional training in Relational Bodywork & Somatic Education™ (BASE™). Her in-depth experience working side-by-side with Dr. Levine and other top leaders in healing has fostered her passion for healing traumatic impact symptoms in a group setting. She resides in Vista, California.
Cortney Liken-Olender
Operations and Administration
San Diego, California
Julie Macias
Personal Assistant to Dr Levine
Programs Assistant
Carlsbad, California
Ergos Faculty
Dave Berger, MFT, PT, LCMHC, MA, SEP
Ergos Faculty
Berkeley, CA
Abi Blakeslee, PhD
Ergos Faculty
Bozeman, MT
Ian Macnaughton, PhD
Ergos Faculty
Vancouver, BC
Ergos Faculty
Brazil
Joshua Sylvae, PhD
Ergos Faculty
Portland, OR
The Ergos Institute Faculty has been studying under Dr. Levine for many years. They are dedicated to preserving SE Master Classes and public online programming for Peter and SE's expansion internationally.
Please click the button above if you are interested in a Faculty member speaking at your online conference, webinar, or on your Podcast. Sometimes Dr. Levine's schedule is closed - supporting Faculty programs helps this much needed and important work to thrive!
Growing in Spirituality
Join Dr. Levine and two of his Faculty members, Sister Euphrasia Nyaki and Dr. Joshua Sylvae, as they discuss accessing our Spirituality and present moments in order to connect to our ancestors, our loved ones, strangers, and ourselves. Includes experiential exercises.
Recorded May 8th, 2020 with a focus on Covid-19.
In Loving Memory
Justin Reed Snavely, SEP
Ergos Institute Technical Manager for 15 years
November 15th, 1978 - October 5th, 2019
Justin, Peter, and Melissa - 2019
