Nurturing the Nervous System
Embodiment Practices for resource and regulation.
This is a body based course and explores how we can use psycho-education, yoga, movement and embodiment tools to support resource and regulation in our autonomic nervous system. It is a foundational course that uses Polyvagal Theory and Somatic Experiencing® principles as a lens to understand our own system and offers tools that might be helpful in creating stability, grounding, regulation and resource. The aim of this course is to help each participant understand how they could begin to create more stability and safety inside their own body. No previous experience of yoga is necessary. The practices are simple and accessible to all.
There are seven spaces available. It will be a closed group. In case of illness of missed sessions workshops will be recorded for participants use only.
FULL INFO BELOW…
Session 1 - Nervous System Education
Learn about the nervous system through the lens of Polyvagal theory (course manual provided) and the Somatic Experiencing® definitions of trauma and nervous system regulation.
Explore Somatic Experiencing® Principles of Orienting, Grounding and Resource.
Explore how to listen to the body’s signals through sensation and how it receives cues of welcome and warning from our environment, relationships and inside the body itself (Neuroception).
Session 2 - Safety & Resource
Understand how safety & resource contribute to nervous system regulation.
Explore and deepen our connection with the resources we have identified that support us in life.
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.
Start to explore how the body might be communicating through sensation.
Revisit 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 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 sensation as the bodies language of communication.
Continue to explore Orientation, Grounding and Resource.
Session 6 - Integration
A creative 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 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 Dates
Saturday 28th Feb 10:00 - 13:00 at The Hands on Retreat
Saturday 14h March 10:00 - 13:00 at The Hands on Retreat
Saturday 28th March 10:00 - 13:00 at The Soma Shala
Saturday 11th April 10:00 - 13:00 at The Hands on Retreat
Saturday 25th April 10:00 - 13:00 at The Hands on Retreat
Saturday 9th May 10:00 - 13:00 at The Soma Shala
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.
“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!”