Alexandra Whitney, PhD, SEP  (she/her)

In 2018, Alexandra worked closely with Dr. Peter A. Levine  and Somatic Experiencing® International (SEI) to develop an effective Somatic Experiencing® - based retreat protocol for the treatment of combat and military service related PTSD. 

She has served as the Retreat Director and Facilitator for Dr. Peter Levine's Returning Home and Waking the Tiger retreats. She is the Principal Investigator for the Returning Home Project, a quantitative research study that is associated with the 2019 Returning Home retreat that took place in Northport, Maine. 

Alexandra is an SEI approved Assistant for the Somatic Experiencing Training and Dr. Levine's Master Classes. In addition to her Somatic Experiencing training, she has received professional training certificates in Biodynamic Cranial Sacral Therapy, Herbalism, Homeopathy, and Yoga. 

Alexandra holds a PhD in East-West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (2017).

 Dave Berger, MFT, PT, MA, SEP (he/him)

Dave is senior international faculty with  Somatic Experiencing International.  He teaches all levels of the SE training. He is also part of Dr. Peter Levine’s initial legacy faculty authorized by Dr. Levine to teach SE master classes.  Dave’s own BASE™: Relational Bodywork and Somatic Education Training™ for trauma healing practitioners is an integration of his decades of work in behavioral and physical health. 

An internationally recognized somatic psychotherapist, Dave brings his knowledge of anatomy, physiology and function of the body, and of psychological and relational dynamics to help clients improve their physical well being and psychological health. With 40 years of clinical practice, Dave provides a unique blend of clinical care for people healing from traumatic injuries and accidents, anxiety, back and neck pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, headaches, panic attacks and chronic pain. He uses a diverse array of traditional and complementary healing practices, integrating his understanding of the relationship between an individual’s emotional challenges, their family system dynamics and cultural issues. 

Lynn Teo, LAc, MSc, DACM (she/they)

Lynn has worked in complementary medicine for over 20 years. As a licensed acupuncturist and shiatsu therapist, Lynn specializes in trauma healing, stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and  chronic conditions. Focusing on cultivating resilience and burnout /  trauma recovery, Lynn is completing her training to be a Somatic  Experiencing Practitioner (SEP). She holds an MAOM from the New England  School of Acupuncture and a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese  medicine from the Pacific College of Health and Science.  As well, she  is the resident acupuncturist at Foundation House in Portland, ME.

She trained as a yoga teacher in the Scaravelli tradition of Esther Myers (750 hour) and has been teaching yoga, Vipassana meditation and somatic awareness for  over 25 years and focuses on teaching embodied practices for radical  rest, resilience, and trauma / burnout recovery particularly for  helpers, healers, artists, and activists. She brings her background in  theatre and clown to her classes, encouraging curiosity and playfulness  as a means to cultivate embodied wisdom, resilience and joy. 

As a researcher,  Lynn has published several systematic reviews on complementary medicine.  She holds and MSc in pain studies from Tufts University School of  Medicine where she focused on the effect of empathy and mindfulness  within the patient-practitioner relationship.

Carol Zahner (she/her) & Annie Blair (she/her)

"Seeing the wisdom in every situation and moving towards healthier futures"

Social Presencing Theater is a methodology for understanding current reality and exploring emerging future possibilities. Participants can cultivate personal embodied presence through guided practices that include mindfulness, movement and reflection. Two person “duets” and small group “prototypes” can extend our sense of the social body. And we can engage in “Stuck” practices, using our bodies to work with places where we feel that our own creative energy and resilience are being blocked. 

Social Presencing Theater can provide a strong ground for sensing into ourselves and into our contexts – trusting our embodied experience of both our present situation and emerging possibilities. This will lead to fresh insights, an ability to prototype creative ways of moving forward, and the courage to extend kindness and compassion to the systems and communities we care so deeply about. We can all engage in “true moves” that express this care.

Marcy Pollitt - LCSW-R, SEP, EMDR, HVPI, Psychodrama Practitioner (she/her)

Marcy is an experienced practitioner of Somatic Experiencing (SE), EMDR and  Psychodrama. She uses body based action methods to bring clients into the  heart of their stories.

Psychodrama is a rich modality that naturally integrates with Somatic Experiencing. By inviting clients to show their stories through  reversing roles with characters in their lives, both interpersonal and intra-psychic, clients quickly come into the somatic senses of the  character in their personal narrative. Once we become embodied into the memory, we are more easily able to tune into our senses. and begin to heal the wounds in our hearts and in our relationships by unraveling the knots that prevent us from being settled in our bodies and present. We have the power to rewrite our story by bringing in the healed self.

When Psychodrama and SE are woven together it enables a rich and engaging healing process that facilitates the re-organization of our lived experience with a renewed sense of empowerment, self love, and a deeper connection with ourselves and our loved ones. 

Cicily Thomas, SEP, (she/her)

Cicily is a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, Transforming Touch® Practitioner, NLP & Gestalt Therapist, Taiji &Qigong Master, and a Specialist in Sexual Trauma & Somatic

Movements

She brings over 25 years of embodied wisdom to her practice. As a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner since 2019, she seamlessly integrates ancient movement

practices with modern trauma-informed approaches, creating transformative healing experiences.

Her journey began through deep self-inquiry, leading her to master numerous mind-body practices including tai chi chuan, qigong, yoga, and zen meditation. For over two decades, Cicily has taught tai chi and qigong, and since 2017, she has woven Somatic Experiencing principles into these practices. Cicily works closely with Dr. Peter Levine, the founder of Somatic Experiencing, assisting in his master classes on developmental trauma. Her expertise extends to sexual healing, having trained with Ariel Giaretto in "Healing Sexual Abuse and Sexuality Trauma" and with Dr. Levine in sexual development work.

In her facilitation, Cicily creates a safe container that honors autonomy while encouraging curious exploration. Participants

are guided to access their bodies through spontaneous movements within a relationship based on safety, trust,

respect, and compassion.

During Sacred Restoration,

Cicily will guide you through mindfulness-based movement practices designed to gently access, process, and release

stored trauma, helping you reconnect with your body's innate wisdom and healing potential. As part of the retreat's

comprehensive approach. Her facilitation weaves together mindfulness-based movement practices with embodiment

exercises for nervous system regulation, seamlessly integrating ancient wisdom traditions with Somatic Experiencing and other modern trauma resolution techniques.

Contact Information:

WhatsApp: +91-9449633267

Website: www.vitalforcetaichi.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vitalforcetaichi/

Nina Maria Mudita, M.A. (she/her)

Nina Maria Mudita, M.A. (she/her)

With a lifelong passion for visual storytelling, Nina has been deeply engaged in photography and video production since her teenage years. In 2000, she discovered Miksang Contemplative Photography, a practice that profoundly shifted her perspective and approach to seeing the world. This transformative experience led her to become a certified Miksang teacher in 2005.

Today, contemplative photography remains a cornerstone of her daily practice, significantly shaping her work as a creative portrait photographer and videographer based near Munich, Germany.

Nina’s academic journey includes a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and a Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies with a focus on Dharma Art from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.

At the heart of her work lies a deep appreciation for the intersection of mindfulness, creativity, and self-expression. Nina seamlessly weaves these elements into her practice as a Life Coach, where she offers self-empowerment tools designed for women. She views healing as a journey of self-discovery and creative expression—a process that harmonizes the awakened mind with the awakened heart.

Through her photography and coaching, Nina invites others to embrace their authentic presence. She sees the camera not merely as a device for capturing images, but as a powerful mirror for self-reflection and personal transformation.

Jules Gordon, (Human/They)

As a mindfulness teacher, Jules has dedicated their career to helping individuals cultivate a greater sense of presence, self-awareness, and compassion in their daily lives. With years of experience studying and practicing mindfulness, they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their teaching.

Jules is passionate about sharing the transformative power of mindfulness with others, and strives to create a safe and welcoming space for students to explore their inner landscape. Through their teachings, they emphasizes the importance of developing a non-judgmental attitude towards oneself and others, cultivating a sense of gratitude, and embracing the present moment with an open heart and mind.

Jules has worked with individuals from all walks of life, including corporate executives, healthcare professionals, students, and community members. They offer a variety of mindfulness-based programs, including workshops, retreats, and one-on-one coaching sessions, and tailors their approach to meet the unique needs and goals of each individual.

Whether you are just beginning your mindfulness journey or seeking to deepen your practice, Jules offers a warm and supportive environment for growth and transformation.

To l earn more about Jules, please visit their social media platforms:

Instagram

Tik Tok

Facebook

Emma Schurink, BA, SEP, CLC,  (she/her)

Emma is a healing and empowerment facilitator, supporting people in restoring their vital rhythms and embodying their authentic Self. She is a Certified Life Coach (CLC) and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP). Emma also has years of experience organizing and coordinating for non-profits and community initiatives. She loves to make things happen, especially healing and empowering opportunities. She earned her BA in Sociology from Kenyon College and minored in Visual Arts. Additionally, Emma creates charcoal drawings of trees and the natural world. You can view her artwork here.

Jack Melamed

Jack is a spiritual entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in business and business creation. A devout spiritual student and presence practitioner, his passion is in co-creating new contexts and adventures for spiritual awakening. 

He usually shares about being wholly in the present moment, and resting in our inherent innocence, which is the seed of all creativity and a peaceful life. 

Carol Morrison, BFA, (she/her)

Carol has many years of experience in finance and managing small businesses.  Recently she sold her interest in a small shipyard in Maine to pursue her fascination in the healing and creative arts.  She blends a unique perspective of organizational, financial and creative processes to provide support to the team on the retreat.   Born in Maine, she is deeply connected to the natural world.  You can often find her in the woods walking with her dog, or on the water, swimming, boating or skating.  She holds a BFA from Tufts University and has recently started a new series of paintings grappling with the significance of presence, timelessness and awareness.  She has a daughter and lives with her dog and two cats in midcoast Maine.