Join Licensed Acupuncturist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Alaine Duncan for a 5-session, 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.
Video Introduction
CEUs
**NEW** 70 NASW CEUs: 14 hours per module approved by the Vermont Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Authorization number VT CE #1144.
70 CAB CEUs: 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 (pending): 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.
COVID 19 and In Person Attendance
We are watching the expression of COVID 19 and will align our policies with local recommendations at the time of each class.
If you register for an in person class and are unable to attend, you are welcome to transfer your registration to the Virtual module or review a recording without CEU credit (unfortunately we can’t give you CEU credits for watching the recording).
Three Registration Options
Our 2024-25 season will include three cohorts: Two in person cohorts — one in Silver Spring, Maryland and another in Thousand Oaks, California. And one 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
| MODULE | CLASSES HELD: Friday/Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time – |
| Metal | September 20 & 21, 2024 |
| Water | November 22 & 23, 2024 |
| Wood | February 28 & March 1, 2025 |
| Fire | May 16 & 17, 2025 |
| Earth | August 1 & 2, 2025 |
#2: In Person in Thousand Oaks, California
California Lutheran University
Gilbert Sports/Fitness Center
Gilbert 253 & 254
130 Overton Court
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
| MODULE | CLASSES HELD: Saturday/Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time – |
| Metal | October 26 & 27, 2024 |
| Water | January 4 & 5, 2025 |
| Wood | March 15 & 16, 2025 |
| Fire | June 7 & 8, 2025 |
| Earth | August 16 & 17, 2025 |
#3: Virtual Live-Stream — Held live online via Zoom
A Zoom link will be provided via email a week before class date.
Please note that the Virtual classes will meet over 3 days — 5 hours each on Friday/Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday.
| MODULE | CLASSES HELD: Friday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time – |
| Metal | November 15-17, 2024 |
| Water | January 10-12, 2025 |
| Wood | March 28-30, 2025 |
| Fire | June 13-15, 2025 |
| Earth | September 12-14, 2025 |
**OPTIONAL**: Seasonal Case Consultation Group Sessions — Held live online via Zoom
SAVE THE DATES for next year’s Seasonal Case Consultation Group sessions!
These sessions are optional, and a great way to explore the application of Tao of Trauma concepts and practice into sessions with your clients or patients.
Tao of Trauma students and graduates will gather in an open format to explore the clinical dynamics related to each phase of the Self Protective Response, as understood in the Tao of Trauma model. You can use this opportunity to present one of your clients/patients.
| MODULE | SESSIONS HELD: Fridays 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time; 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time $50 per session 25% discount for LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and first generation immigrants |
| Metal | December 6, 2024 |
| Water | January 17, 2025 |
| Wood | April 4, 2025 |
| Fire | June 20, 2025 |
| Earth | September 19, 2025 |
Fee Schedule
| Payment Due Dates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | $2,000 | on or before September 15, 2024 |
| Regular Fee | $2,200 | after September 15, 2024 |
| Two Payments | $1,150 each | September 15, 2024 and March 1, 2025 |
| Four Payments | $575 each | September 15, 2024; January 15, 2025; March 15, 2025; and June 15, 2025 |
25% off for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and first-generation immigrants.
Cancellations made 30 days prior to class will receive full refund, less $100 administrative fee.
Students are welcome to transfer their in person registration to the Virtual cohort, and vice versa. Requests to schedule outside of your home cohort must be made at least 7 days before the scheduled class or will incur a $50 fee. Participants have the option of rescheduling their attendance for up to one year for any particular module.
Returning students: $225 per individual module
Rave Reviews from Graduates of The Tao of Trauma
Thoughts From Other Students
I love the Tao of Trauma. I love how ancient the wisdom is and that we carry this knowledge in our bodies and all our systems. It’s pretty much magic.
Many learning nuggets I can put into practice right away.
Terrific holding of the group, safe enough container to remain curious through the 2 days. The 2 days felt spacious.
I appreciated Alaine’s ability to be clear with words – and the way she has synthesized all her knowledge and experience.
Alaine holds her classes with such openness, steadiness, with a totally welcoming but precise energy. I knew that I could ask things even if they “weren’t relevant for everyone.” She makes every question relevant. And she holds every student with esteem, which gave me the courage to keep thinking outside of the box.
I adored the course and the time spent with everyone and was in absolute AWE of the demonstrations by Alaine and the experience I had in the dyads.
This class has opened up a new level of thought/intention related to touch and informed my understanding of trauma in a way that has great coherence. I long for more information on the ANS and trauma. I am so appreciative.
It’s already helped me be more present with my patients this week.
This material resonates deeply in both a personal and a professional way for me. I’m a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner – and I think it’s absolutely incredible that you have woven what I learned in that training with TCM in such a solid and beautiful way. Brilliant!
I feel like I’m coming to my clients this week with new curiosity, greater clarity and enhanced awareness of when/how to utilize the practices from class.
More on Each Module
METAL. 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
WATER. 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
WOOD. 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
FIRE. 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
EARTH. 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