The Embodied Teen
a series of classes that aim to empower teens through self-attunement and somatic practices.
I'm excited to host this four-session series of somatic classes for teenagers!
In these sessions, we will discuss somatic tools for regulating the nervous system and coping with life's many demands at this stage.
In this age range, bodies are changing a lot and growing rapidly. They need more rest, yet the responsibilities and demands seem higher than ever.
We will cover self-regulation techniques to help navigate the ups and downs of life at this stage and discuss how we can set ourselves up for success socially, emotionally, and mentally. The teens will leave feeling more equipped to listen to their bodies and let their inner wisdom guide them. We will also have some engaging content and integration where we practice using somatic tools together, fostering a felt sense of community!
Mental health struggles are at an all-time high. I truly believe that reaching children and teens with these somatic tools can help them navigate what comes their way with more ease, confidence, strength, and grace while creating more capacity for joy and a deeper connection to self.
each session in detail
session one: what is somatic experiencing therapy, and how does it help us return the body and nervous system to a state of balance
“Somatic” means “relating to or affecting the body.” Thus, somatic therapy and healing help people by working with the body, not just the mind. These holistic therapeutic techniques consider the entire being and the mind-body connection.
During session one, we will:
• Distinguish how to be more aware of unresolved and stuck energy in the body.
• Understand how the nervous system works and detect how to track autonomic nervous system shifts.
• Develop a deeper understanding of the nature of complex bodily emotions and sensations to process experiences more fully. This process can restore balance to the nervous system, calming physical and emotional responses to danger, threat, or uncomfortable experiences that have since passed.
• Participate in simple guided visualization exercises. These somatic therapy exercises are designed to pinpoint the physical sensations in the body.
• Work with Somatic Experiencing tools to tap into imagination, sound, and movement.
• Practice how to implement exercises geared towards increasing capacity to engage in life
SESSION two: understanding and working with self-attunement
Self-attunement is the ability to access the power of wisdom and your higher self. It is a way to tune into your mind, heart, and body and tap into the energy source within you so you embody the most significant expression of who you are and achieve greater self-awareness.
During session two, we will:
• Define self-attunement, reflect on it, and learn how slowing down can create great capacity for lasting growth and change. We will explore heart-opening questions, allowing participants to tap into their inner wisdom.
• Identify ways to keep our hearts open, release stuck energy, and allow for more profound healing and growth.
• Learn why self-attunement is central to developing a healthy relationship with self and healthy attachment relationships with others now and in all future relationships.
• Explore the various ways to self-attune and be more present, listening to the whole body while developing self-regulation techniques.
• Understand the somatic approach to facing life's ups and downs while building a safe inner base of self-attunement.
SESSION THREE: attachment styles, what they are, and why they are important
We are more familiar with discussing what attachment means for babies than we are with teens, but during adolescence, your brain undergoes some serious renovations. Indeed, we undergo all kinds of changes that shape our identities, change our lives, and alter our perceptions. Teenagers experience a shift in their core sense of self and, in response, a change in their worldview.
Understanding attachment—as a whole and as it’s expressed in the teen years—can mean the difference between healthy teen relationships and a teen who feels utterly lost. We will break down the meaning of attachment theory as it applies to being a teen.
During session three, we will
• Review the original four attachment styles and how they play out for you
• Discuss how we can shape our future by identifying the spaces we want to change. Whether working through life issues or overcoming depression, anxiety, or overwhelm, you are always in a position of power in your life. Knowing your attachment style can help teens successfully take hold of that power in their relationships.
• Learn how attachment can help teenagers inform their internal compass for how and who makes them feel comfortable in their relationships.
• Identify how attachment in teens informs their stress-resiliency, overall life satisfaction, and willingness to develop their identity within the scope of risk and reward in their social relationships.
• Develop an understanding of healthy attachment so one can trust themselves and the people they love. Healthy attachment means you know where to turn and how to ask for the support you need to feel okay.
SESSION FOUR: Somatic Interventions to Improve Self-Regulation
Somatic therapy and interventions have become more common over the past few years as scientific research has proven that humans store memories, experiences, and emotions on a cellular level. This means it’s not “all in your head,” and our bodies also hold data.
During session four, we will:
Discuss the importance of body-based awareness and self-regulation.
Learn how to use the body to increase effective resolution
Identify how to use somatic-based techniques as a nurturing self-compassion tool, fostering a deeper understanding and care for self.
Understand the somatic approach to trauma treatment where we build a safe inner base of self-attunement.
Reflect on how anxiety, depression, trauma, etc., affect the body and how it causes the body to function in survival mode, which can cause disassociation and disembodiment and create disharmony within ourselves and our relationships.
Review somatic techniques and how they can help develop self-regulation and a deeper connection to ourselves, our bodies, and our inner wisdom.
Registration Information:
To register, please fill out this Google form.
This first series of classes will be held at TAC 212, Teen Activity Center in Old Town Fort Collins. We will meet from 4:30 to 5:30 on the first four Thursdays in October.
The Embodied Teen four-class series costs 80 dollars. You can pay using the Venmo QR code provided below.
You are all set once you have filled out the form and paid!
Thank you! I am looking forward to these classes and getting to know your teen!
If you have any questions, would like to talk with me further about this class series, or are interested in my other services, please click the button below to connect!