Join Acupuncturist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Alaine Duncan for a year-long exploration of her East meets West approach to restoring balance and regulation in survivors of traumatic stress.
- Follow the 5 Elements and the 5 Seasons of the Chinese agricultural calendar — and their interface with self-protective responses found in animal predator-prey relationships and described in western neuroscience in general and PolyVagal Theory in particular.
- Be amazed at the innovative approaches to support balance and regulation in trauma survivors that emerge out of this East meets West approach.
- Receive in-depth didactic and hands-on instruction and practice to help trauma survivors complete missing or thwarted steps in the Self-Protective Response.
- Acupuncturists, body-workers, medical providers, and somatically-oriented mental health clinicians are welcome.
Central to The Tao of Trauma classes are the supervised clinical practice sessions in each module. Students “lend” their nervous system/energy body to fellow classmates to explore and practice the interaction, observation, and touch skills inherent in The Tao of Trauma model.
Dyadic practice merges cognitive learning with body wisdom, cultivates deeper somatic awareness in the therapeutic experience of both practitioner and client — and builds the fabric of the class. They are the heart and soul of the classroom model.
CEUs
70 CAB CEUs: Pending approval as a Category 1 Course by the California Acupuncture Board, Provider number 1576, for 5 weekends of 14 hours each weekend of Live in person and Live webinar (via Zoom) continuing education.
70 NCCAOM PDAs; 14 hours per module approved by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
70 NCBTMB CEUs: 14 hours per module approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.
Integrative Healing Covid 19 Policy
Here’s how we will respond to Covid as of March, 2023:
- Students who are currently experiencing, or have experienced in the past 7 days, any symptoms of Covid-19, which include fever, cough, shortness of breath or new loss of taste or smell, are asked to transfer to the virtual cohort.
- All participants will complete a rapid antigen test (provided by Integrative Healing) prior to entry. There will be no exceptions for even a faint positive expression on the test.
- We recommend home-testing prior to travel, and the purchase of travel insurance.
- We will discuss procedures for masking with each class and agree to follow the needs of those who feel the most vulnerable.
- Proof of vaccination will not be required to attend in person trainings unless CDC, state, city, or venue mandates require them.
- We will continue to offer virtual options for those who test positive, or are unable to travel.
Please continue to check this site as we anticipate our policies for in person classes to change as the virus continues to evolve. Our response will adapt with our best understanding of the matrix of science and health.
If you register for an in person class and are unable to attend due to Covid or any other scheduling conflict, you are welcome to: a) transfer your registration to the Virtual module; or b) review a recording without CEU credit (unfortunately we can’t give you CEU credits for watching the recording).
Three Registration Options
Our 2022-23 season will include two in person cohorts — one in Silver Spring, Maryland and another in Ojai, California. There will also be a Virtual cohort that meets live on Zoom.
#1: In Person in Silver Spring, Maryland
Crossings Healing and Wellness
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 300
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Schedule: Friday/Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time
| Metal | September 30 & October 1, 2022 | |
| Water | December 2 & 3, 2022 | Note change from Dec 9 & 10 |
| Wood | March 10 & 11, 2023 | |
| Fire | May 5 & 6, 2023 | |
| Earth | August 11 & 12, 2023 |
#2: In Person in Ojai, California
Ojai Valley Woman’s Club
441 East Ojai Avenue
Ojai, CA 93023
Schedule: Saturday/Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time
| Metal | October 22 & 23, 2022 | |
| Water | January 7 & 8, 2023 | |
| Wood | March 25 & 26, 2023 | |
| Fire | May 20 & 21, 2023 | |
| Earth | August 26 & 27, 2023 |
#3: Virtual Live-Stream — Held live on-line via Zoom
Schedule: Saturday/Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
A Zoom link will be provided via email a week before class date.
| Metal | November 12 & 13, 2022 |
| Water | January 21 & 22, 2023 |
| Wood | April 22 & 23, 2023 |
| Fire | June 10 & 11, 2023 |
| Earth | September 9 & 10, 2023 |
Fee Schedule
| Payment Due Dates (Silver Spring) | Payment Due Dates (Ojai & Virtual) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | $1,900 | due by September 1, 2022 | due by October 1, 2022 |
| Regular Fee | $2,100 | after September 1, 2022 | after October 1, 2022 |
| Two Payments | $1,100 each | September 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023 |
| Four Payments | $550 each | September 1, 2022; January 15, 2023; April 1, 2023; and July 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022; January 15, 2023; April 1, 2023; and July 1, 2023 |
Returning students: $200 per individual module
25% off for BIPOC, LGBTQ, and first-generation immigrants
Cancellations made 30 days prior to class will receive full refund, less $100 admin fee.
More on Each Module
The Self-Protective Response begins and ends with somatic awareness, supported by the Metal Element.
Embodying successful survival leaves our interoceptive system available to provide clear and unencumbered information to awaken arousal to future risks.
Practice cultivating somatic mindfulness, touching the skin as a boundary organ, and restoring regulation in the diaphragms after global arousal.
More info: ToT-Autumn
The whole body is alarmed when the Water Element signals threat.
Explore the Kidney/Heart axis, the Polyvagal System, the impact of consuming fear on morbidity, mortality, and the inter-generational impact of traumatic stress.
Learn skills to restore a sense of safe container, build capacity in the Kidney/adrenal system, and re-establish regulation in the brain stem.
More info: ToT-Winter
The Wood Element mediates our fight or flight response.
Thwarted mobilization can result in chronic pain, lack of embodied awareness and challenges in orienting to safety and danger.
Learn skills to support proprioception in the sinews, capacity to orient to threats, and a return to benevolence in the Liver Blood.
More info: ToT-Spring
The Fire Element functions of relationship, connection and coherence are deeply impacted by trauma.
Profound vulnerability and shame require nuanced approaches to restore the Kidney/Heart axis, the pericardium’s capacity for connection, the Triple Burner’s infrastructure for connection and the Heart spirit’s gift of coherence, propriety and regulation.
Learn skills to restore the infrastructure and capacity for connection and whole-body regulation.
More info: ToT-Summer
The Earth Element is vulnerable to freeze/shutdown in trauma.
Explore the visceral brain and the impact of pre and peri-natal trauma on adult morbidity and mortality and community health.
Learn ways to help move memories out of muscle tissue, support restoration of the gut biome, help patients digest food and experiences, and find stability.
More info: ToT-LateSummer