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Four Skills for Embodiment Around Others

6 Modules 0 Chapters 46 Lessons Easy

About this course

Beth Dennison, somatic psychotherapist and educator, will be your guide through this course. She is a pioneer whose professional and personal life propelled her to develop practical ways to remedy the loneliness, isolation, dysregulation and failure to cooperate that plague modern western culture. Together we can rewire our brains for healthy relating and a culture of collaboration.

Consider who in your life would make a good buddy (or buddies) and invite them to practice with you. The buddy practices are essential. Please do the lessons in the order they are presented; they build on each other. Each module includes a written assignment in the form of a self-reflection sheet. Putting words to your experience is important for integrating your learning as you go.

We celebrate and encourage non-hierarchical relating and self-responsibility. Remember, co-regulation is only co-regulation if it is good for both people. The practices offer a platform to explore what works for you. There is no right or wrong way to do them. Communicate with your buddy and adjust them to work for both of you.

Course Components:

17 Video Lessons (under 10 minutes each)
PDF transcripts of each lesson
6 demo videos for the six practices
PDF written instructions for each practice
Buddy Practice - Guidelines and Questions (3 per module, 1/2 hour each)
Written Self-Reflection Questions for each module
Online progress tracker, shows your progress each time you log-in
Private Facebook Group for finding buddies and discussing course material

View Syllabus

*All videos are available to participants for unlimited streaming, print materials can be downloaded at any time.

Private Facebook group access

In addition to working with buddies in your life, we invite you to connect with other course participants. When you sign up for the course you will be given a link to the private Facebook group. You will need to fill out a short questionnaire asking to apply for the group. Members can discuss the material and reach out to one another for buddy sessions.

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Course Structure

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10 Lessons

Module 1: Orienting to Body Up Learning

In addition to teaching about embodiment in connection with others, this course emphasizes embodied learning. This means noticing the experiences in your body as you go, practicing with a buddy, or buddies, and attending to your needs for safety, and connection. This first module addresses safety, key concepts and definitions. It also introduces simple, tried and true structures for embodied relating in the buddy practices.

Module 1. Lesson 1: Safety, Safety, Safety

Our bodies and brains need physical and social safety in order to learn.

Module 1. Lesson 2: Key Concepts in Embodiment

Understand key concepts of embodiment, and take them with you through this course.

Module 1. Lesson 3: Embodiment and Dissociation

Five reasons why embodiment matters.

Module 1. Lesson 4: Sitz Bones Rock – Solo Practice

Practice along with the video and notice how you feel.

Module 1. Lesson 5: TALK!

Take the time to find words that fit your body up experience.

Module 1. Lesson 6: Expression, Reflection, Response

Embodied relating depends on expression, reflection, and response.

Module 1. Lesson 7: Guidelines for Online Practice

Online relating works. And, here are some important tips for making it feel even more embodied and authentic.

Module 1. Lesson 8: Leader and Mirror Roles

In the partner/buddy practices, both roles are rich with learning.

Module 1. Lesson 9: Finding a Buddy

Here is some support for finding a buddy - or another buddy.

Module 1. Lesson 10: Self Reflection

Doing your self reflection work puts you in charge of your own safety and learning.

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7 Lessons

Module 2: Finding Home in Your Core

In this module, you will begin your buddy practice. Like children, who need other people to learn language, we need a live buddy to rewire our brains for embodiment around other people. This is a good time to begin scheduling your buddy practices. This module includes three buddy practices, of 30 minutes each.

Module 2. Lesson 1: Intention

Intention, or perspective, can vastly change how a person lives an experience. Cultivate being deliberate in these embodied practices.

Module 2. Lesson 2: Embodiment and Your Core

What do we mean by your core here? And why is this important for the nervous system, a sense of self, and connection with others?

Module 2. Lesson 3: Sitz Bones Rock – Review video for Buddy Practice

Take five minutes to review the demo video of Sitz Bones Rock in preparation for your first buddy practice.

Module 2. Lesson 4: Sitz Bones Rock – Buddy Practice #1, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 2. Lesson 5: Sitz Bones Rock – Buddy Practice #2, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 2. Lesson 6: Sitz Bones Rock – Buddy Practice #3, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 2. Lesson 7: Self Reflection – Digest and Integrate, Write or Talk with a Buddy

Doing your self reflection work puts you in charge of your own safety and learning. Take the time to digest and integrate your learning, both in mind and body.

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7 Lessons

Module 3: Embodied Boundaries

Boundaries often get a bad rap. They can sound scary and intimidating, or like they will result in pushing others too far away. Newsflash: Boundaries help us get closer! Boundaries are healthy and essential for sturdy relationships and embodied connection! We can practice embodied boundaries in safe structures that carry into our broader lives.

Module 3. Lesson 1: Want to get closer? Get Boundaries!

Let’s talk about the boundaries you need to feel safe in your own skin around other people.

Module 3. Lesson 2: My Safe Bubble

Take fifteen minutes to review the demo video of My Safe Bubble in preparation for your buddy practice.

Module 3. Lesson 3: My Safe Bubble – Buddy Practice #1, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 3. Lesson 4: Boundary Muscles

What are boundary muscles and why are they important?

Module 3. Lesson 5: My Safe Bubble – Buddy Practice #2, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 3. Lesson 6: My Safe Bubble – Buddy Practice #3, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 3. Lesson 7: Self Reflection – Digest and Integrate, Write or Talk with a Buddy

Doing your self reflection work puts you in charge of your own safety and learning. Take the time to digest and integrate your learning, both in mind and body.

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9 Lessons

Module 4: Giving the Body a Voice

Expressing ourselves from the body up makes our relationships much more authentic, connected and enlivening. Learn why this is important, and why it is a gift to ourselves and those around us.

Module 4. Lesson 1: Our Authentic Voice Matters

Expressing ourselves from the body up makes our relationships much more authentic, connected and enlivening.

Module 4. Lesson 2: Watch Up and Down and Up

Take ten minutes to review the demo video of Up and Down and Up in preparation for your buddy practice.

Module 4. Lesson 3: Up and Down and Up, Buddy Practice #1, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 4. Lesson 4: Up and Down and Up, Buddy Practice #2, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 4. Lesson 5: Up and Down and Up, Buddy Practice #3, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 4. Lesson 6: Shame, Connection and Antidotes

Shame is the blade that splits our wholeness into a presented self and a held back, hidden shadow self. And there are do-able antidotes to shame!

Module 4. Lesson 7: Good and Grumpy and Good

Take eight minutes to review the demo video of Good and Grumpy and Good. If you like, invite your buddy to an *optional* practice session of Good and Grumpy and Good.

Module 4. Lesson 8: Good and Grumpy and Good – Optional Buddy Practice, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 4. Lesson 9: Self Reflection – Digest and Integrate, Write or Talk with a Buddy

Doing your self reflection work puts you in charge of your own safety and learning.Take the time to digest and integrate your learning, both in mind and body.

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7 Lessons

Module 5: Tracking Self and Others in Real Time

How are your buddy practices going? Are you speaking up for what works for you and adjusting with your buddy/buddies? Everything is up for conversation: from timing and lighting, to interruptions and the type of mirroring that each person wants in the moment. Module 5 highlights the embodied practice Hands Show Breath. Use this time to fine -tune your inner awarenesses and speak up for yourself, while also noticing your buddy and what they are expressing verbally and nonverbally.

Module 5. Lesson 1: Hands Show Breath

Take six minutes to review the demo video of Hands Show Breath in preparation for your buddy practice.

Module 5. Lesson 2: Hands Show Breath – Buddie Practice #1, 30mins

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 5. Lesson 3: Attention, Attunement and (Healthy) Relating

When we exercise the basic neurocircuitry for paying attention to self and the other in the present moment, being around others can feel enlivening.

Module 5. Lesson 4: Hands Show Breath – Buddy Practice #2, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 5. Lesson 5: Partner Stretches

Take four minutes to review the demo video of Partner Stretches in preparation for your buddy practice.

Module 5. Lesson 6: Partner Strechers – Buddy Practice #3, 30 minutes

Plan and meet for a 30-minute practice session with your buddy, online or in-person.

Module 5. Lesson 7: Self Reflection – Digest and Integrate, Write or Talk with a Buddy

Doing your self reflection work puts you in charge of your own safety and learning.Take the time to digest and integrate your learning, both in mind and body.

Subscribers only

6 Lessons

Module 6: Make Embodied Relationships Part of Your Life

How is this kind of embodied connecting for you? Does co-regulation make a difference for you? Did you feel more connected to yourself and other people while practicing or afterwards? In this final module, Beth offers ways to integrate these practices into your life. She discusses not only the personal and relational impacts of this work, but also how embodiment and co-regulation relate to racism, sexism, and other oppressive structures. In oppressive situations and challenging times, embodied connection brings hope.

Four Skills for Embodiment Around Others

Private Facebook group access

Course Structure

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