“At the Center is the Heart”
The heart is a primary organ of transformation of self, other, and the world. It is the organ of connection and relationship. Beyond anatomy, the heart is a quality of energy, a feeling, a symbol, and a way of being. This fact informs a therapist to perceive, soften, and open his or her own heart qualities as an essential part of the therapeutic work. Heart is a reality that impacts us on many levels and is always present in personal life and in deep therapeutic work, whether we consciously recognize this or not. With the current lens of psychotherapeutic thinking and theory so actively focused on neuroscience, the significance of the heart is often overshadowed or lost. This course will address the question, “How can an individual deepen into life and relationship through the potency of the heart?” and “How can a therapist utilize this central role of the heart in deepening the therapeutic process?”
This is a skill-building workshop for licensed psychotherapists, interns, and trainees wishing to develop their ability to work somatically with clients. In this course you will learn techniques for stress and mood management; develop somatic skills for increased therapeutic presence, body-tracking and intuition; and develop hands-on skills for working with somatic manifestations of psychological material related to the heart.
Course Learning Objectives
- Discover how the heart works as an information system.
- Understand qualitative differences between heart consciousness and brain consciousness.
- Learn how to use the heart to affect the autonomic nervous system, mood, and cognition.
- Utilize body reading and assessment skills to track physical and psychological patterns in the thorax.
- Utilize “somatic resonance” as a subtle tracking skill.
- Utilize palpation (touch) skills for assessing, processing, and transforming psycho-physical patterns in the thorax.
- Utilize Heart-focused skills for stress and mood management.
- Utilize anatomical information to refine somatic interventions.
- Use somatic skills to develop your therapeutic presence.
Date: TBA
Location: TBA
Tuition: TBA
CEs Available: Course meets the qualifications for 13 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Craig Toonder, MFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for MFT’s, LPCC’s, LCSW’s. Craig Toonder, MFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and it’s content. CEPA Provider Number: 60285.
Space is limited! To register for this workshop contact the organizer at ctoondermft [at] gmail.com, or phone 510-499-7137 to reserve your space. You will also need to fill out the application below and mail it with your payment to: 3637 Grand Ave., Suite B, Oakland, CA 94610.
This workshop will be taught by CRAIG TOONDER, MFT. Craig Toonder is a somatic psychotherapist in private practice in Oakland, CA. He has trained in Formative Therapy, Hakomi Body Centered Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, and Psycho-Physical Therapy. He has studied a variety of massage therapy modalities at the McKinnon Institute of Massage and the Chi Nei Tsang Institute. Additionally, he has studied visceral manipulation with the Barral Institute. He created and taught curriculum for the Psycho-Physical Therapy Institute with Bill Bowen and is now continuing Bill’s work. In his private practice he specializes in a somatic-based approach to couples therapy. For more information on Craig’s private practice please visit: www.oaklandcouplescounseling.com.
Awarding Continuing Education Policy:
Continuing education certificates will be provided by the course instructor at the end of the workshop. Only those who have completed all the course hours and the evaluation paperwork will be given a certificate.
Refund Policy:
Credit towards a future workshop or refund minus a $25 cancelation fee will be provided when the program administrator receives notice of cancellation by phone, writing, or email 30 days prior to the start date of workshop. Credit, but no refund is available if less then 30 days notice is provided. No refunds or credit will be given without prior notification. Course registration signifies agreement with the terms of the cancellation policy. Somatic Resourcing Training agrees that if a course is cancelled the student will receive 100% refund of tuition. Refunds will be issued within 5 business days of the request being received. For more information can be found under the Policies and Procedures menu tab.
ADA and other Accommodation Requests:
Facilities and programs are accessible to persons with disabilities. If you have a special need and plan to attend the workshop, please contact the Program Administrator, Craig Toonder, MFT at ctoondermft[at]gmail.com or 510-499-7137. Please allow as much advance notice as possible to ensure we have ample opportunity to meet your needs. For more information can be found under the Policies and Procedures menu tab.
Complaints & Grievances:
If you would like to discuss or file a complaint or grievance, please contact the Program Administrator, Craig Toonder, MFT at ctoondermft[at]gmail.com or 510-499-7137. For more information can be found under the Policies and Procedures menu tab.
