Somatic Experiencing® Workshop
4-Days In-Person - Limited Space
Dreams, Imagination, and Transformation
w/ Peter A Levine, PhD + team
March 19th - 22nd, 2025
San Diego, CA
Humphreys Half Moon Bay
Join us for:
Specialized Lessons
Live Session Demonstrations
Supervised Breakout Group Practices
Supported Debriefs
*Tuition includes 1 SEI Faculty Group Case Consultation Credit for SEI students
*23 Continuring Education Credits (CEs) are available
*Open to the SE community and the public - separate breakout groups
*This workshop is not live-streamed online / a recording is not for sale at this time
Please scroll down for Additional Workshop Information
THIS PROGRAM IS FULL
Dreams, Imagination, and Transformation
Without imagination, we are destined to relive the past. Imagination allows us to envision a future different from our past, one filled with nourishment and possibility, a future shaped by growth and positive transformation. Dreams can serve as a vehicle for imagination and a portal to the unconscious. They offer passage into the rich borderlands—the liminal spaces—between sleep and wakefulness, between conscious and hidden parts of ourselves. Dreams can also help us develop a coherent narrative of our lives.
Throughout history, dreams have given rise to countless interpretations. In this intensive workshop, we will consider that dreams possess their own intrinsic value. Our journey will not be limited to “understanding “dreams but will extend to animating them through body (interoceptive) awareness while drawing upon a wellspring of collective wisdom.
Dreams, coupled with an active imagination, provide access to archetypal resources, profound knowledge, and timeless wisdom. By engaging with our dreams, we can uncover these deep mythological underpinnings and discern how they shape the trajectory of our lives. Awareness of these inner forces empowers us to steer our lives in new, intentional directions.
During our exploration, we will cultivate the art of weaving dreams into our waking consciousness. This integration enriches our inner world, reveals meaningful patterns, and equips us with the clarity to transform our lives when the moment calls for change and new possibilities.
By participating in this workshop, students will:
Understand the Role of Imagination
o Explain how imagination enables us to break free from the patterns of the past and envision a future of growth and transformation.
Explore Various Theories of Dreams
o Describe how dreams act as a gateway to the collective unconscious and the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness.
Acknowledge the Intrinsic Value of Dreams
o Describe the notion that dreams have inherent significance beyond interpretation or analysis.
Animate Dreams Through Active Imagination
o Apply techniques to bring dreams to life by integrating them into conscious, wakeful imagination.
Access Archetypal Wisdom
o Explain how dreams and imagination reveal guiding archetypes and timeless wisdom that shape personal and collective experiences.
Uncover Life Patterns and Influences
o Describe how archetypes within dreams influence the trajectory of our lives and personal development.
Harness Inner Energetic Forces
o Utilize awareness of inner forces and learn to intentionally redirect the course of one’s life.
Integrate Dreams into Daily Life
o Explain the ability to weave dream insights into waking consciousness for enriched self-awareness and transformative change.
Empower Personal Transformation
o Utilize clarity and tools to recognize when and how to enact meaningful changes in life.
In this workshop, we will explore the following aspects of the dreaming process:
Ancient Roots of Dream Understanding
o Describe insights from ancient Greek traditions, as well as extinct and existing tribal cultures.
o Explain cave paintings as representations of visionary experiences.
Freud and Jung’s Contributions
o Explain dreams as wish fulfillment (Freud) and the collective unconscious (Jung).
The Hidden Language of Dreams
o Compare the symbolic and metaphorical nature of dreams.
Felt-Sense in Dreamwork
o Utilize somatic awareness to explore emerging dreams.
Dreams and Reconsolidation Theory
o Explain how dreams help in reconsolidating and integrating memories.
Dreams as Future Guides
o Describe how dreams offer guidance for future-oriented decision-making.
Working with Flashbacks and Nightmares
o Apply the technique of treating flashbacks as dreams to facilitate healing.
Dreaming in Non-Human Species
o Describe dream-like processes in animals.
The Forgotten World of Dreams and Fairytales
o Describe Erich Fromm’s insights into dreams and folklore.
Using Dreams in Trauma Healing with Somatic Practices
Dreams can be a powerful tool in trauma healing, particularly when combined with various somatic awareness practices. For those new to Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), this refers to the process of gradually and gently processing trauma in manageable doses, preventing the overwhelm that can occur when trauma is confronted all at once. Dreams, often reflect unresolved emotional experiences, provide an opportunity to explore trauma in a contained, symbolic form. By engaging with dreams through techniques like somatic tracking or active imagination, individuals can bring awareness to the bodily sensations connected to the dream’s imagery, allowing the trauma to be processed incrementally. This method helps to release the intense emotional charge stored in the body without overwhelming the individual. Through the integration of dreamwork, trauma can be healed at a pace that supports the body’s capacity for safety and resilience, gradually transforming the impact of past wounds.
In this workshop, and during your orientation to SE pre-program video, we will integrate body-based trauma healing:
Understand the Concept of Titration
o Explain the principle of titration from Somatic Experiencing and its application in trauma healing, focusing on how it allows trauma to be processed in manageable doses to avoid overwhelming the nervous system.
Integrate Dreamwork with Somatic Practices
o Describe how to use dreams as a tool for trauma healing by exploring their symbolic content and connecting them to somatic experiences, thereby promoting emotional release and integration.
Develop Techniques for Somatic Tracking and Active Imagination
o Utilize master techniques such as somatic tracking and active imagination to bring awareness to bodily sensations linked to dream imagery, facilitating the processing of trauma in a safe and controlled manner.
Enhance Emotional Regulation and Body Awareness
o Apply the ability to track bodily sensations while engaging with dreams to help regulate emotional responses, enabling the nervous system to process trauma incrementally and prevent overload.
Facilitate Trauma Healing Through Incremental Integration
o Explain how to use dreamwork in conjunction with titration to support gradual trauma integration, ensuring that the healing process respects the body’s natural capacity for safety and resilience.
Transform the Impact of Past Trauma
o Utilize tools and techniques to use dreams as a method for transforming the impact of past wounds, supporting the long-term healing of trauma at a pace that aligns with the body's needs.
Additional Workshop Information
Breakout sessions of this workshop will be sectioned by SEPs/SE™ students and public
Tuition includes 1 SEI Faculty Group Case Consultation Credit for SEI students
SE™ Assistants will be providing private sessions for SEI Credit - cost paid directly to the practitioner
Included is a recorded Orientation to SE™ w/ Dr Levine (in the student portal)
Beginning February 2nd, registrants will receive an email from programs@somaticexperiencing.com with a LINK and PASSCODE to the PRIVATE STUDENT PORTAL for this program
Online streaming or a recording of this workshop is not available at this time
Please honor your training level by practicing new tools with your peers before using them with your clients
23 Continuing Education Credits (CEs) for Health Professionals will be available
Continuing Education Credit for Health Professionals
CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-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.
If you have questions about your certificate, the content, logistics, or other support issues regarding this course, don't hesitate to contact programs@somaticexperiencing.com. Contact your licensing board directly for questions about whether APA CE is valid for you. For general questions about APA CE, contact SCA at info@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.
Schedule (subject to evolution)
Wednesday, March 19th - Saturday, March 22nd
9:45 am Sign-In
10:00 am Lesson
11:30 am Break
11:45 am Lesson
1:00 pm Lunch
2:30 pm Breakout
4:00 pm Break
4:15 pm Live Session Demonstration
5:30 pm Closing
Book sales and a book signing will be available.
(Sunday, March 23rd, 10am - 1:30pm: SE™ Case Consultation & Demonstration - Separate Registration )
Location
Humphreys Half Moon Bay, San Diego, CA
Lodging: please ONLY use this link to book lodging
The workshop venue is located at a recently renovated, reasonably priced Hotel on the Marina
Many restaurants are within walking distance
It is near the San Diego Airport
What to Bring
Notepad and writing utensils/Journal
Clothing layers to accommodate California's coastal weather that can rise and fall quickly within one day (including coat/sunscreen/hat/umbrella)
Items of comfort, like a small soft blanket or your favorite travel mug
Limit scented products
Tuition
THIS PROGRAM IS FULL
Refunds:
The last day to request a program refund, minus a processing fee, is February 1st, 2025
Course Communications
Registrants will receive an email from programs@somaticexperiencing.com with a LINK and PASSCODE to the PRIVATE STUDENT PORTAL for this program on March 1st (the previous February 1st date was in error).
Please save this login information to access the PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS, SLIDES, HANDOUTS, DETAILED SCHEDULE, RECORDED MATERIALS, SIGNED CASE CONSULT SHEET, CERTIFICATE, and MORE.
For Customer Service, please contact:
programs@somaticexperiencing.com
June 2023 Ergos Program Review: “I was deeply nourished and powerfully transformed by my recent training experience with Peter Levine and Ergos. I felt emotionally held by the overall therapeutic container and the beautiful grounds. Peter and the assistants delivered a high standard of clinical training, and I appreciated how well-organized the week was and how much time was set aside for experiential work and practice. Peter's client demonstrations, 12 in all, were deeply moving and brought the work down to a very practical and applied level. I returned home with my own Smovey rings and a six-foot attachment stick! I am deeply grateful to the staff of Ergos for making this training possible.”
- Steven, Student
Animate Dreams Through Active Imagination
Animate Dreams Through Active Imagination
PLEASE READ THE AGREEMENTS WITHIN REGISTRATION BEFORE COMPLETING YOUR PURCHASE
March 23rd Case Consultation & demonstration
in-person/online
purchase separately
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.