Somatic Experiencing® 體感療癒 Certificate Program
(SEP HK8B Beg I-II, 2026) for the helping professionals

Beginning Level

Develop foundational skills in the SE™ biophysiological model for the resolution of trauma. Typically consists of three 4-day live training modules, spaced 2 to 4 months apart.

• Analyze the physiology of traumatic stress and its effect on the autonomic nervous system (ANS)

• Practice the fundamental SE method of tracking sensation to access responses in the ANS

• Assess the neurophysiology of each aspect of the threat response: defensive orientation, fight/flight/freeze, deactivation and completion, and exploratory orienting

• Develop skill in working with the SE model of tracking sensation to support completion of the threat-response cycle and incomplete survival responses

• Demonstrate how to “titrate” (modulate) the SE trauma-renegotiation process to ensure healthy integration of experience

• Begin to integrate Porges' Polyvagal Theory of ANS function

• Explain the SE model of SIBAM (Sensation, Image, Behavior, Affect, Meaning) and its significance in trauma

• Explore coupling dynamics—the over- and under-association of the elements of SIBAM and elements of physiological responses to traumatically-stressing experiences

• Support clients in re-establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries

• Identify, normalize, and stabilize traumatic reactions

• Acquire brief intervention skills that provide long-term solutions to acute and chronic symptoms of trauma

• Explore the integration of SE into ongoing professional practice

• Explore the appropriate use of touch in the context of SE

Intermediate Level

Assess the different categories of trauma as addressed in the SE model. Identify the primary characteristics and hallmarks of each category of trauma, as well as specific approaches and interventions for working with each category effectively. Typically consists of three 4-day live training modules, spaced 2 to 4 months apart.

• Global High Intensity Activation (GHIA): pre- and peri-natal trauma, early trauma, anesthesia, suffocation, choking, drowning

• High Impact/Failure of Physical Defense: falls, traumatic brain injury, motor vehicle accidents, and other high-impact accidents

• Inescapable Attack: assault, animal attack, rape or sexual abuse, inhibited escape

• Physical Injury: surgery, poison, burns, physical injury due to accident

• Natural and Man-Made Disasters, Horror: natural disasters (e.g. earthquake, fires, etc.), war, terrorism, torture, ritual abuse, horror (e.g. witnessing abuse, causing harm to another

• Emotional Trauma: severe neglect, severe loss, ongoing abuse

Advanced Level

Assess how to work with complex trauma and syndromes. Expand on the use of touch in SE practice. Typically consists of two 6-day live training modules, spaced 4 to 6 months apart.

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  • Explain the importance of stabilization when working with complex trauma

  • Explore the SE concept of “coherence” in working with complex trauma

  • Refine touch skills for supporting containment and coherence

  • Explain the interrelationship between dysregulation of the ANS and the SE model of syndromes (non-reciprocal relationship between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems)

  • Analyze the Polyvagal Theory as it relates to working with syndromes

  • Refine the necessary SE skills of “titration” and “pendulation” when working with highly sensitive and syndromal clients

  • Apply the SE model for working with the eyes

  • Develop SE touch-based skills for working with different categories of trauma

  • Explain how SE uses joints, body diaphragms, and the viscera to access ANS responses and to support completion of incomplete survival responses

  • Explore scope-of-practice issues relating to the integration of SE and SE touch into professional practice

Pedro Prado, Ph.D.

Of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Body-Oriented Psychotherapist,

Rolfing Instructor

SE Professional Training Faculty for all training levels.

Pedro Prado, Ph.D.

Pedro Prado, PhD, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, graduated in clinical psychology, with a neo-reichian, somatic orientation, in 1971. He worked in private practice as clinical psychologist and also taught at the Catholic University of Sao Paolo as professor of Somatic Psychology. In 1981, Pedro became the first Certified Rolfer (Structural Integration) in Brazil and was a founding member of Brazil’s regional Rolfing association, Associação Brasileira de Rolfing (ABR). He has been an Advanced Rolfing and Rolf Movement Instructor for the Rolf Institute, in Boulder Colorado, where he has been teaching since 1991. In 2006 Pedro received a PhD in Psychosomatics. In 2000, the Brazilian Association of Rolfers brought Peter Levine, also a Rolfer, to Brazil where he began teaching the Brazilian community. Here Pedro was able to further his investigation into the somatic dimension of the psyche. He incorporated SE into his practice and in 2005 became an accredited Instructor for The Somatic Experiencing® International. (SEI). He is now one of the few Advanced Instructors for FHE (Foundation for Human Enrichment). https://traumahealing.org/member/pedro-prado/ He has been teaching in Europe, Asia, Central and South America. Pedro currently maintains a private clinical practice and teaches SE and Rolfing. Pedro's special contributions to teaching have centred on awareness of the psychobiological perspectives of the therapy.

Theresa Honaoka, Ph.D.

of Japan

SEP, MA, PhD

Somatic Psychologist

Theresa Honaoka, Ph.D. Dr. Theresa Hanaoka is a Japanese somatic psychologist with private practice over 20 years and a full time Somatic Experiencing® teacher. She has M.A. in Anthropology, and in Health Psychology, and Ph.D. in Somatic Psychology. She offers personal sessions for adult clients with early adverse experiences and attachment disruptions, and she uses SE and SE touch to support regulation of their nervous system. The title of her dissertation is “Experiment based research on psychological and physiological effects of touch upon the adults who have adverse childhood experiences and currently in a depressive state”. She conducted SE and SE touch upon the experiment participants for 6 months and found that SE and SE touch supported them to recover from depressive state with statistical significance, using both psychological index which she created and physiological outcome measuring RSA, using the systems developed by Dr. Porges. She is a lecturer at J.F. Oberlin University, and invited to speak at various Universities and other educational foundations. She has translated more than 10 books regarding SE and the Polyvagal Theory into Japanese, including Dr. Peter Levine’s “Trauma and Memory”, and Dr. Kain and Dr. Terrelle’s “Nurturing Resilience” and these books were highly appreciated by the community of the Japanese therapists. She wrote a book on Child Maltreatment and the Polyvagal Theory and introduced SE in details in the book. The book is quite successful in Japan and now being translated into Chinese. She has compiled another book on Sexual Trauma and the Polyvagal Theory in Japanese with the authors including Dr. and Dr. Porges, and this book has been used as a reference for Japanese Criminal Law amendment for sexual violence. She introduced the concept of freeze response which was extensively studied by Dr. Levine and Dr. Porges to the Japanese Criminal Law for the first time in its history. In addition to SE, Theresa is trained in Somatic Practice by Dr. Kain, ISP by Dr. Selvam, DARe by Dr. Heller, and BASE by Mr. Berger. She is also trained in IFS and TRE. She is a certified Positive Psychology Coach and an Enneagram Teacher. Theresa is a Roman Catholic and also practices Zen at Japanese Zen temples, as they are open to people of all religions. She has been practicing meditation for more than 30 years. She is a Reiki Master and an intuitive. She loves to savor Eastern tradition of spiritual practices and also, she is trained in the evidence based Western science. Her passion is to bring SE to Japanese therapists in their mother tongue. She is also interested in studying how SE is best applied to Asian socio-cultural context where there is strong influence of Confucianism. Her key to good health is to practice Japanese traditional dance and she is one of the Master Sensei (Shihan) at Bando-Ryu Kabuki Dance School.