Foundation Course in Somatic Movement Dance Therapy
May 3 @ 10:00 am - August 5 @ 5:00 pm
£780 – £820
Level 1: The Art of Facilitation & Regulation
Learn how to directly access and release body-based trauma.
This foundation course is specifically designed to provide therapeutic professionals, coaches, healers, teachers and freelancers with the fundamental skills and embodied confidence to facilitate and integrate Somatic Movement Dance Therapy skills and knowledge into their existing therapeutic practice.
About this course
Are you ready to bring a deeper, more embodied approach to your therapeutic and healing work?
This Foundation Course in Somatic Movement Dance Therapy accredited by International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine and in association with The Association for Somatic Movement Dance Therapies United Kingdom, is designed for therapeutic professionals, coaches, healers, teachers and freelancers seeking a powerful, somatically-informed foundation to directly access and release body-based trauma.
Developed and adapted from the pioneering research and trainings of Dr. Amanda Williamson, and based on her book Somatic Movement Dance Therapy: The Healing Art of Self-Regulation & Co-Regulation, this course offers participants a robust framework for integrating somatic therapy techniques into their practices.
Traditional talk therapies are effective, but trauma habitually resides in the body. A bottom-up, somatic approach is vital because it allows clients to access and release trauma patterned in the nervous system and stored in our tissues—areas where verbal processing alone can’t always reach. By incorporating somatic movement, you’re following the bodies innate wisdom to heal, providing clients with pathways to reconnect with their bodies, regulate their emotions, and ultimately restore a sense of safety and agency within themselves.
What is Somatic Movement Dance Therapy?
Somatic Movement Dance Therapy, coined by Dr Amanda Williamson, is a somatic therapy originating from the field of Somatics. It is a bottom-up therapy offering self-regulation and co-regulation for your clients. Rooted in the somatic arts, it blends Polyvagal theory, eastern disciplines, eco-somatics, experiential anatomy, somatic psychology, somatic touch, cranial-sacral therapy, Jungian psychology, movement meditations, improvisation, authentic movement, art therapy, and embodied practices, offering a recognised and potent approach for healing trauma, disconnection, and chronic pain.
Somatic Movement Dance Therapy Training: A Recognised Pathway
For those seeking certification in somatic therapy, a common challenge is finding training that strikes a balance between short educational courses (10-20 hours) offering an introduction to somatics, or extensive, comprehensive training that leads to a recognised certification for registration (500 hours plus).
Designed for therapeutic professionals, coaches, therapists, and holistic practitioners, this 100 hour foundation curriculum provides practical, trauma informed, evidence-based somatic therapy, immediately applicable in one-on-one client settings.
As a standalone course, it offers a practical, integrated approach for you to incorporate somatic therapy into your existing practice.
If you should choose to further your training, this course is certified by IPHM and in association with The Association for Somatic Movement Dance Therapies United Kingdom and offers a recognised pathway to becoming a registered Somatic Movement Dance Therapist SMDT (500 hours). You can combine level 1 (Foundation 100 hours) with the level 2 (Intermediate 100 hours) and level 3 (Enhanced Practitioner level 300 hours). On completion of the three courses and hours, you can register as a Somatic Movement Dance Therapist with UKSMDT.
Combine this course with Level 2 & 3 to register as a Somatic Movement Dance Therapist with UKSMDT
Level 2 Intermediate Training
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Level 3 Enhanced Practitioner Training
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Level 1 Foundation Course Structure & Modules
This four month (100 hour) Somatic Movement Dance Therapy foundation training is structured as a hybrid course - with 3 interactive online modules including live lectures, break-out rooms, practices, comprehensive notes and real-time processes.The final module 4, accumulates as an in-person five-day intensive, honouring the nature of the work and ensuring you have an authentic training experience, a valid qualification, and feel completely confident undertaking the work.
Independent practice hours, reading and practical assessments will be required.
This comprehensive course offers an immersive journey into somatic movement and dance therapy, integrating key therapeutic practices, embodiment techniques, and trauma healing methods. The modules cover a range of foundational topics, from the roots and core principles of somatic movement to detailed facilitation and practitioner skills.
Students will explore self-regulation, nervous system states, Polyvagal Theory, experiential anatomy, archetypes, and the healing power of touch, the imagination and accessing the transpersonal and spiritual realms, gaining a lived experience of these concepts through practical, embodied exercises.
By the end of the course, students will have developed the skills and confidence to guide clients through transformative somatic processes, cultivating deep connection, healing, and empowerment.
Module 1 An introduction to Somatic Movement Dance Therapy
3rd & 4th May 2025 Interactive Online Zoom Training
This introductory module covers the roots and foundations of somatic movement dance therapy, highlighting its core themes and practical applications. You will gain a lived experience of key concepts and tools, including grounding, self-regulation, and sensory-motor attunement, to deepen your personal embodiment and enhance your therapeutic practice. This hands-on experience will help you fully embody these concepts, cultivating connection, sensory-awareness, and presence for both yourself and your clients.
Module 1 Curriculum:
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Module 2 The Roots of Regulation
31st May & 1st June 2025 Interactive Online Zoom Training
Module 2 delves into the art and science of self-regulation and co-regulation, exploring the healing power of physiological, relational, and experiential anatomy. You will gain practical insights into nervous system states, brainwave patterns, and the application of Polyvagal Theory to create safety and connection in trauma healing.
Through experiential practices, you will receive a lived experience of anatomy, helping you understand its significance in fostering embodied self-regulation and enhancing therapeutic work. This hands-on approach will deepen your connection to the body, the vagus nerve, and resourcing tools like fulcrums of support to support both your healing and that of your clients.
Module 2 Curriculum:
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Module 3 Facilitation Skills
12th & 13th July 2025 Interactive Zoom Training
Module 3 focuses on developing essential facilitation skills for guiding somatic movement dance therapy sessions. You will learn to embody the role of a regulated facilitator, create safe and attuned therapeutic containers, and harness voice, language, and creative inspiration as powerful tools for healing.
Practical skills include planning sessions, utilising nervous system states, working with the healing power of the witness, engaging in dyadic work, and integrating transformative techniques to enhance client experiences. This module provides the tools to guide with confidence and support deep, lasting healing.
Module 3 Curriculum:
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Module 4: Embodied Practitioner Skills & Assessments
1st, 2nd 3rd 4th & 5th August 2025 Intensive Five-day In-person Training
Location: Rosehip Barn, St Clether, Cornwall.
This immersive five-day, in-person module focuses on deepening and embodying practitioner skills, offering a supportive environment for student assessment. You will refine your ability to regulate the body through movement meditations, touch, and fluid body processes, building on and expanding previous learning in a hands-on setting.
Key areas include regulating through touch and accessing transpersonal and spiritual states through archetypes, active imagination, and embodied improvisation. This transformative experience will guide you in integrating body, mind, and spirit, while practical assessments provide an opportunity to demonstrate your skills and receive personalised feedback in a nurturing and collaborative space.
Module 4 Curriculum:
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Meet Your Teacher
Vanessa Tucker is a registered Somatic Movement Educator and Therapist (RSME/T) and a registered Somatic Movement Dance Therapist (SMDT) with over 30 years of experience in the healing arts. She created the foundation course in Somatic Movement Dance Therapy, offering creative and transformative learning experiences for healing trauma, reconnecting with the innate wisdom of the body and coming home to ourselves.
Through her courses, retreats, work with women, and private healing practice, Vanessa has supported countless individuals on their paths to wholeness, empowerment, and living more fulfilling lives. Her work is informed by her extensive training in expressive arts, education, psychology, theatre as therapy, meditation, energy healing, clinical hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming, therapeutic shamanism, trauma healing, polyvagal theory, and somatic movement dance therapy.
A lifelong artist of the soul, Vanessa is dedicated to alleviating suffering, healing trauma, and reigniting the ‘magick’ of life. Her mission is to facilitate meaningful healing and empowerment and create compassionate, interconnected communities where all of life can flourish.
Teaching Fees/Exchange/Investment
Early Bird Discount: £780 (Ends 1st March 2025)
Full Fees: £820
The fees for the course include:
- Somatic Movement Dance Therapy qualification (Level 1 foundation) Accredited by IPHM in association with SMDT UK
- 6 days online interactive zoom teachings
- 5 Days in person training and assessments at Rosehip Barn, St Clether, Cornwall. (Non-residential)
- Comprehensive teaching materials and zoom recordings
Instalments:
You can either pay the full Early bird fees of £ 780.00 or in instalments:
£ 390.00 at time of booking (£190 of this is your deposit) £ 390.00 – Due 31stst April 2025
Refund policies:
Deposits are non-refundable.
No refunds are given up to six weeks before the course starts. We only refund course fees if the course is cancelled by the training provider.
For refund policies please see ‘terms and conditions’.