Sacred Restoration - In Person
A Somatic Experiencing® In-Person Trauma Healing Intensive
SACRED RESTORATION
A Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Healing Intensive
Dates & Location in Maine TBA
Presented by Eightfold Path
ABOUT SACRED RESTORATION:
Sacred Restoration is about honoring the spiritual and emotional bravery that is required to heal from trauma and to restore our “basic goodness” and to return Home to our Wholeness. Our program is a unique in-person seven-day Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) trauma healing intensive for people suffering from PTSD, C-PTSD, and other traumatic stress related conditions. Experts from the SE community and providers of complementary healing modalities will offer a safe and nurturing experience that will guide participants toward unlocking their innate ability to heal from trauma, facilitating the repair of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), and synchronizing the heart-mind-body, while increasing a healthy sense of self and inner balance.
The Somatic Experiencing approach works directly with the autonomic nervous system by resolving the dysregulation of persistent self protective responses of Fight, Flight, or Freeze. These tenacious physiological states of trauma are resolved by gently guiding clients to develop increasing tolerance for difficult bodily sensations and suppressed emotions. This helps the mind-body to release stored survival energy that results from traumatic shock, restoring the natural rhythm of the ANS, which is key to transforming PTSD and the trauma symptoms of hyperarousal (anxiety), shutdown (depression), and other chronic symptoms associated with nervous system dysregulation.
To support each participant, we’ve developed an ‘SE Toolkit’ of simple and repeatable interventions that aid self healing and help to reduce symptoms of traumatic stress. These interventions are based on foundational SE concepts that include titration, pendulation, orienting, sensing, grounding, presence, and resourcing. This toolkit will be integrated into all therapeutic aspects of the program, recreational activities and during meals and is intended to support participants in their healing journey well beyond our time together.
Sacred Restoration embraces a social model through which healing is created by the accu their research findings at mulated knowledge, collective experiences, wisdom and cohesiveness of both staff and participants. To enhance our therapeutic support for each participant, we keep our intensives to a small and cozy maximum of 16-18 people that allows us to offer a 2:1 participant to practitioner ratio.
Surrounded by nature, this socially-engaged approach will help to activate the ventral vagal system, also known as the social nervous system. This reinforces the discovery of inner resources and supports co-regulation through our connection to one another, a necessary component of trauma healing, stress reduction and emotional coherence. Taking advantage of our beautiful natural setting, the program will also offer daily guided silent walks in the Maine woods to awaken and track sensory experience as a self-care practice that decreases stress and tension. “Shinrin-Yoku”, translated into English as ‘forest bathing', means taking in the forest atmosphere during a leisurely walk. Forest bathing positively creates calming neuro-psychological effects through changes in the nervous system, reducing the stress hormone cortisol and boosting the immune system. Other guided outdoor optional activities to enhance nervous system regulation include gardening, kayaking, sailing, and swimming.
WHY SACRED RESTORATION IS A UNIQUE PROGRAM:
Our specialized program provides an intensive Somatic Experiencing approach, prioritizing PTSD, C-PTSD, and traumatic stress related conditions as the primary focus of care. The strength of our therapeutic approach is based on regulating the nervous system using the Somatic Experiencing modality. By integrating the core components and tools of SE with non SE therapeutic modalities, we enhance the efficacy of these modalities for trauma healing. Because our SE toolkit is integrated and repeated throughout our curriculum, participants are better able to assimilate their intensive experience and our toolkit into their daily lives once they return home, thus increasing their ability to self-regulate and heal from trauma. As Dr. Peter Levine says, "without tools, trauma rules." Sacred Restoration's curriculum was developed, researched, and tested under the umbrella of Dr. Peter A. Levine's Ergos Institute of Somatic Education from 2018 to 2021.
BACKGROUND:
Sacred Restoration’s curriculum was developed in 2018 by Eightfold Path's Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Alexandra Whitney and Dr. Peter A. Levine (Developer of Somatic Experiencing) when they launched the Returning Home Project, a five-day Somatic Experiencing intensive retreat and associated research study for military veterans suffering from combat PTSD. The results of their research indicated that this treatment program had a meaningful impact, both clinically and statistically, with decreased clinical symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, dissociation, and increased quality of life. In 2021, Dr. Whitney and Dr. Michael Changaris (Research Consultant) presented their research findings at the Somatic Experiencing Conference. As well, in 2021, Dr. Whitney's Eightfold Path and Dr. Levine’s Ergos Institute for Somatic Education further refined the curriculum during Waking the Tiger, a seven-day Somatic Experiencing trauma healing intensive retreat for the general public. Sacred Restoration is the offspring of our Somatic Experiencing-based research and previous intensive trauma healing retreats. We hope that you will join us.
PROGRAM INCLUDES:
- Pre-event live orientation online
- Access to online portal with orientation materials and trauma healing resources
- During the Intensive:
- Daily Individual SE Sessions
- Daily Group SE Sessions
- Daily movement practice (Yoga, Tai Chi, Dance)
- Daily guided trauma-informed meditation and grounding practices
- SE™ Touch
- Cranial Sacral Therapy
- Acupuncture
- Art therapy
- Group Sound-Healing Sessions
- Social Presencing Theater
- Family Constellations
- Personal time for self-reflection
- kayaking, sailing, swimming
- Organic family style farm-to-table meals (3 meals a day, including tea/coffee and snacks)
- After the Intensive:
- An 8-week online SE support group: meets once per week for 90 minutes
- A 4-week online SE toolkit practice session: meets daily for 30 minutes
- 2 follow-up SE mentoring sessions: one and two weeks after the intensive
- 4 discounted private SE sessions with an approved SE Practitioner
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
- Experience a reduction in traumatic stress related symptoms
- Strengthen emotional and physical resilience (ability to bounce back)
- Activate the healing power of the ventral vagal system
- Explore how trauma and stress are stored in the body
- Discover mind-body awareness and synchronization techniques
- Develop a kinder, more accepting relationship with self
- Master the Somatic Experiencing toolkit for self-healing
- Create meaningful connections that bring joy to the heart
VENUE:
Midcoast, Maine TBA.
Each venue is chosen as an ideal setting to reconnect with self and nature. Our program locations are surrounded by gardens, walking trails, fields, woods and water. The natural setting offers necessary medicine from the food and flowers that are grown on the land to the healing power of the trees and birds in the forest, rock formations, open sky, and water.
MEALS:
Our menu is 100% organic and gluten free using locally sourced vegetables, fruits, meats and dairy. We offer 3 full meals a day plus daily tea snacks, coffee and non alcoholic beverages. We have carefully curated a menu that supports healing and reduces inflammation. We are happy to accommodate special dietary needs.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
The purpose of this trauma healing intensive is to support those who are suffering from symptoms of post traumatic stress, developmental trauma, shock trauma, chronic stress, loss, major life transitions, and professional burnout. These symptoms can include anxiety, depression, fatigue, low motivation, overwhelm, anger, self destructive behaviors, low self esteem, chronic emotional and physical pain, migraines, IBS, insomnia and more. This program can also support people who are in addiction recovery and who have recently completed at least 30-days of in-patient treatment.
* This program is designed to promote nervous system regulation and is not intended to diagnose, cure, or treat health conditions that need medical attention, such as active addiction, psychosis, or severely destabilized mental and physical health conditions. We are happy to make referrals so that applicants can be connected with the appropriate medical facility.
REGISTRATION PROCESS:
- Submit online application (available online once dates and venue are posted)
- Schedule Interview with Program Director
- Upon acceptance, submit a nonrefundable 50% down payment
- Submit balance payment no later than two-weeks prior to the event
- Payment plan options are available upon request
PROGRAM RATES: TBA
PROGRAM RATE INCLUDES:
- Lodgings and meals (3 meals a day, unlimited tea, coffee, beverages and snacks)
- All therapeutic services and materials during and after the program
- Referrals to SE providers in your area and/or virtually
REFUND POLICY:
- Deposits and balance payments are non-refundable
- For last-minute unforeseen crisis situations, such as a death in the family, a full credit will be granted for a future intensive.
- Please take good care 2-weeks prior to and during travel to the intensive to avoid illness. We are not able to issue refunds for illness or other unforeseen critical circumstances a full credit will be granted for a future intensive.
CONFIDENTIALITY:
Sacred Restoration adheres to strict confidentiality guidelines. To keep participants and the group container safe ALL interactions which take place in the setting of this intensive are considered confidential (unless specified under the legal limits to confidentiality). This includes, requests by telephone, email, text, zoom etc, all interactions with the staff and other participants, any session or program documentation, all program content records and any progress notes taken during individual or group sessions. Participants will not be identified in any documentation outside of registration, payment, and intake information. Staff will not verify that you have participated without explicit consent. Participants may choose to give Sacred Restoration permission in writing to release any or specific information about the participant to any person, healthcare provider, or agency that the participant has designated.
INQUIRIES:
For further information, please contact the Program Director, Dr. Alexandra Whitney, at: +1.303.588.4939 or
https://eightfoldpath.us/connect
PLEASE NOTE: We will update this page as soon as we determine dates and venue.
