Nervous System Fundamentals

Somatic Practices & Education for Resource, Regulation & Embodiment…

This is a body based course and explores how we can use psychoeducation, yoga, somatics and embodiment tools to support resource, regulation and more of a sense of safety in our autonomic nervous system. It is a foundational course that explores supporting states of dysregulation and chronic stressby first finding and creating stability in the body. It will be supportive for anyone wanting to learn and understand more about working with the physiology of the body to change state, story and the felt sense of the lived experience inside the body.

This course uses Somatic Experiencing® theory, principles and practices, Polyvagal theory, somatic movement and trauma sensitve yoga to support a deeper understading of the autonominc nervous system itself, create a personal map and access simple, inclusive body based practices that can be included as part of day to day life. No previous expereince of any movement type practice is needed.

There are 10 spaces available for in person courses and 15 spaces available online. It will be a closed group. In case of illness or missed sessions both in person and online workshops will be recorded for participants use only. A course manual will be provided.

FULL INFO BELOW…

Session 1 - Nervous System Education

  • Introduction of the Three Key Practices from Somatic Experiencing®: Orienting, Grounding and Resource.

  • Learn about how our (ANS) state can create our story about self, the world and relationships through the lens of Polyvagal theory. This is to support your understanding of your own nervous system and its responses.

  • A focus on creating ground, safety and stability in the body.

Session 2 - Cultivating Safety & Resource

  • Continue to embed the practices of orientation and grounding.

  • Intro to resourcing and how it supports out system to access internal and external states of safety. Safety is an experience of the body, not just a thought. Through the practice of resourcing we can amplify the felt experience of safety.

  • Explore how to listen to the body’s signals through sensation and how to use sensation to anchor deeper into resource and grounding.

  • Additional somatic movement and yoga based practices that support changing state, embodiment and regulation.

Session 3 - Mapping the Nervous System

  • Map how different nervous system zones of fight/flight, freeze & regulation might affect our body, emotions, thoughts, impulses, behaviours and responses.

  • Explore the SE themes of pendulation and titration.

  • Continue to embody tools from previous sessions.

Session 4 - Self Regulation: Working with fight/flight

  • Explore embodied practices that support working with the states of fight/flight.

  • Continue to explore sensation as the bodies language of communication.

  • Continue to moving from small challenge to safety/resource.

  • Continue to explore Orientation, Grounding and Resource.

Session 5 - Self Regulation: Working with freeze

  • Explore embodied practices that support working with the state of freeze/collapse

  • Continue to explore moving from small challenge to safety/resource.

  • Continue to explore sensation as the bodies language of communication.

  • Continue to explore Orientation, Grounding and Resource.

Session 6 - Integration

  • A creative group led session to support the integration of all that has been shared and experienced on this course.

one - to- one session

  • Booking a one - to - one session (or more) during the course is really helpful to explore more in depth what is coming up for you.

  • This is a suggestion and not a requirement to participate in the course.

  • One - to - one sessions will be an extra cost of £60 per 1hr.

2026 Spring In Person Dates - FULLY BOOKED

2026 SPRING/SUMMER Online (via Zoom) Dates- SPACE AVAILABLE

  • Workshop 1 Sunday 26th April 10:00 - 13:00

  • Workshop 2 Saturday 9th May 15:00 - 18:00

  • Workshop 3 Sunday 24th May 10:00 - 13:00

  • Workshop 4 Saturday 6th June 10:00 - 13:00

  • Workshop 5 Saturday 4th July 10:00 - 13:00

  • Workshop 6 Saturday 18th July 10:00 - 13:00

2026 Autumn In Person Dates

Cost

  • £325 - payable by BACS.

  • An initial non-refundable deposit of £95 is required to book your place.

  • I self fund subsidies to make this work more accessible for those experiencing financial hardship. I especially welcome enquiries from anyone experiencing financial hardship who identifies as being marginalized due to race/ethnicity, disability, gender, from the LGBTQI+ community and those in reciept of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Jobseekers Allowance.

  • Payment plans welcome- your welcome to pay in installments if you need to please be in touch to arrange dates.

  • Cancellation/refunds - If you need to cancel no refunds are available unless I can fill your space. In which case I can offer you a full refund minus the £95 deposit. If I need to cancel, you will be refunded the full amount.

  • Please note this course is not a substitute for individual therapy.

Venues

Please note there are two venues for this course. Both are within 10 mins from Ashburton.

You can find out more about The Hands on Retreat here (TQ13 7JJ).

And more about The Soma Shala here (TQ126NZ).

Both venues are beautiful nature based yoga and movement studios.

Book Here
“This course is a beautifully rich combination of theory and experiential practices. It is in-depth and yet also accessible and easy to integrate into daily life. I am already using what I learnt on the course to help me when I start to struggle with feelings of anxiety or depression. I have more choice in how I respond to these feelings, with a variety of somatic practices that I can draw on. I am going away feeling a renewed sense of hope, enthusiasm and curiosity to continue my learning. Thank you!”
— 2022 Course Participant