Description
Introduction to Somatic Regulation
Grounding, Orienting, Tracking, Titration & Pendulation
An experiential workshop
Michael Shiffman, PhD, LMFT
July 24, 2021
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
We often hear clients say that they feel like their body was hijacked in the face of a triggering event. They can’t think, their nervous system seems to have a mind of its own. They lose their sense of home with their sense of self compromised. Somatic practices that support regulation play a key role in supporting clients to form a secure experience of their felt-sense, a return home to safety and security.
Grounding, orienting, tracking, titration and pendulation are core observable processes involved in the organic movement toward somatic regulation. This workshop will emphasize recognizing and working with these observables.
We will start with a brief review of the autonomic nervous system and will introduce specific ways for clients to ground, orient and process traumatic reactivity. We will do a series of dyadic exercises to practice tracking and working with of activation cycles.
Part 1 will introduce participants to the autonomic nervous system and the impact of traumatic reactivity. We will discuss arousal and activation, the window of tolerance, the vegas system and polyvagal theory, top-down and bottom up processing, and measures of activation.
Part 2 will introduce participants to methods of orienting, grounding and the identification of activation/de-activation cycles. After discussing these processes I will do a demonstration to identify how these processes appear to the observer. After some discussion we will break into dyads to practice orienting, grounding and tracking sensations.
Part 3 will deepen our practice of tracking by introducing additional elements of prosody and narrative. These dyadic exercises will be immediately useful with clients and readily integrated within any clinical model or theory.
Part 4 will bring it all together. We will discuss tracking sensation and affect in the relational field and the integration of titration and pendulation in the treatment of traumatic reactivity. Time will be reserved for questions can discussion of complex cases.
Continuing Education
A CE certificate is issued after the workshop evaluation is received.
Psychologists: The Insight Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Insight Center maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course is provides 4 CE units.
MFTs / LCSWs / LPCCs: The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts APA CEs. This course provides 4 CE units.