Like any profession, not all somatic coach professional training is the same. If you meet a doctor or engineer at a social event and want to understand the impact their work has on the world, your next question might be, “What type of medicine or engineering do you specialize in?”
Somatic coaching has become a catch-all phrase for any coaching that involves the body, so it’s important to fully understand what sort of somatic coaching you would like to specialize in.
Do you want to simply learn how to employ things like breathwork in your coaching practice, or do you want to know how to go deeper into decoding your client’s limiting core patterns and helping them to navigate subconscious resistance to living a higher purpose and potential?
In either event or anywhere in between, this article is designed to help you determine which sort of somatic coach training program is right for you.
Web Research: What am I looking for?
The process of earning a somatic coaching certification doesn’t start the day the program begins; it starts the day you first consider it as the next step in your personal, professional, and, in some cases, spiritual journey. Long before deciding which training program to enroll in, you may be imagining the impact you can make in the world and the freedom you can experience with a new line of work. As you search online, talk to friends and colleagues, and even speak with program advisors to determine which program is the best match for you, your new vision for yourself matters.
When doing your research, it’s important to consider several questions so your expectations can be met and hopefully exceeded during your training program.
Does the company website have clear and robust information about the program(s) including?
- The overall learning journey
- Detailed syllabi of exactly what you will be learning
- Complete course logistics; course length, meeting schedule, learning objectives, competency requirements, pre-requisites, bonuses, graduate testimonials, and tuition costs.
- Instructor bios
- Direct contact information
Other questions you may have include;
- What is the typical cohort size?
- Are students able to receive personalized attention, or is it difficult for them to find time with the lead instructors?
- How easy is it to get your questions answered?
- Are you expected to find all of your own answers on the program pages?
- Are you only able to contact customer support through email and online contact forms, or can you talk to actual human beings?
- Is it simple to schedule a time with a friendly, knowledgeable, and experienced program advisor who not only can tell you about the program but also map out your unique learning journey whether or not you decide to sign up?
- How selective are the program criteria?
- Who does the program training serve best, and what other types of people tend to be selected?
Pro Tip: One of the most important considerations to determine how good of a match the program is for you is ensuring that the somatic coach training program’s values are clearly listed and making sure your own values align with them.
Curriculum: What will I be learning?
A well-designed curriculum is the cornerstone of any effective professional training program, and somatic coaching is no different. Be sure to read through the course syllabus carefully, as this is one of the best ways to get a deeper look at the learning content. When reviewing the syllabus, consider these questions:
- Do the module or class lessons have detailed and understandable descriptions?
- Does the learning content make sense in its progression, or is it more haphazard?
- If you are unsure, can the program advisor or course instructor clearly explain how the material has been organized and why?
- What is the foundation of the learning content? Is it primarily based on spirituality, psychology, human development, energy medicine, or physiology? It is good to consider which foundations you are already familiar with, which will make it easier to integrate, and which areas may be growth points for you.
Consider also whether the curriculum is designed to be complete or simply fill in a specific part of somatic training or need with coaching.
Complete somatic coach training will always include more than just practices that relax and regulate the nervous system, but additionally training that will teach you how to decode subconscious information in order to create more empowered beliefs, behaviors, and results within a trauma-sensitive framework.
Certain schools offer their curriculum track in multiple levels so that students have the choice of either going “all in” or breaking their learning up at a pace that fits their life and budget.
Does the program provide training around trauma? Based on ethical considerations, every somatic coach training program needs, at a minimum, to train students in trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive practices.
Research continues to reveal strong connections between a person’s trauma history and their body, meaning that any somatic (aka body-centered) work will, at times, reactivate trauma responses. A somatic coach needs to be able to realize the impact of trauma, recognize signs and symptoms of trauma, respond by integrating trauma knowledge into practice, and know how to reduce re-traumatization.
Being trained in working with trauma does not mean that a student is expected to specifically work with clients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but rather that they are skilled in supporting anything that comes up in a client session that might be trauma-related and also know when to refer out to more experienced professionals.
Pro Tip: Be wary of somatic coach training programs that claim to give you trauma skills without outlining where on the trauma spectrum the training lands and explaining to you exactly what you will be able to do with those skills.
Format: How will I be learning?
Understanding a program’s learning format is critical to choosing the best program for you. Programs are basically organized into either virtual or in-person learning. Virtual learning can either be delivered on-demand (asynchronous) or live (synchronous).
On-demand coursework is when a student reviews articles, audio, or videos on their own time, without live instruction. Often, on-demand coursework is followed by an exam or quiz in order to ensure that the content is reviewed and understood. The benefits of on-demand coursework are that a student can self-pace, and they are often less expensive.
However, student completion, content retention, and skill competency rates are dismally low without some type of live follow-up support or instructor engagement.
Live virtual trainings have become immensely popular since the COVID-19 pandemic, with many schools transitioning from previously exclusive in-person engagement to online learning platforms. Live virtual trainings have definitely become both a sweet spot and a staple in almost every sector of professional development for obvious reasons, including reducing both travel and time off costs while retaining live instructor and group engagement.
Exclusively live-virtual programs are more expensive than on-demand, with the upside of improved student competency and content retention. With all of the upsides associated with live virtual training, however, it still comes up short in critical areas when compared to the in-person experience.
After being in the professional education industry for nearly two decades, we have seen an amazing progression in how coursework is delivered, with an explosion of innovation occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During that time, the evolution of live-virtual training being hailed “as good as in-person” has now revealed itself to be an illusion. There really is no substitute in the somatic coach training field for an in-person experience with instructors and your learning cohort. On a physiologic level, being in close, four-dimensional, actual proximity to your instructor and peers gives you an opportunity to absorb non-verbal and nuanced information that isn’t possible through a computer screen. In-person trainings also require that you enter into an environment different from your routine life for an extended period of time, which in itself is an important catalyst for growth and change.
In our experience, a well-planned in-person retreat is an absolutely necessary component to becoming a truly transformational somatic coaching professional. With all of that being said, some training programs occur exclusively during in-person retreats with much less contact in between, making learning continuity more challenging and requiring more energy from the student to maintain relationships and engagement with learning.
Pro Tip: To get the most out of your somatic coaching training program, chat with a program advisor to ensure that it has a “just right” in-person component for your individual goals and learning style.
Faculty: Who will I be learning from?
Assessing an instructor’s professional experience and quality may seem like a no-brainer when considering a training program, however, in today’s world of influencer marketing, it’s important to take a pause and consider a few important questions about who you will be learning from.
Teaching and conveying knowledge is a skill that becomes highly refined over time, so it’s critical to consider not only how long instructors have been professionals in the field but also how long they have been teaching. Have the instructors taught multiple topics? Have they taught for vetted professional education organizations and at reputable institutions like the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Wellness? And if so, what are their teacher ratings and reviews? Looking a little deeper than simply what an instructor’s social media following is will often be the decisive factor between an exceptional or “meh” learning experience.
A somatic coach training program’s content and curriculum is often a reflection of its creators and instructor’s professional background, which typically comes from either psychology, physiology, or spirituality.
Are you already a psychology professional or cognitively-based coach looking to add more body-based approaches to your work? Or are you a physical medicine professional or wellness coach looking to add a deeper understanding of body-mind psychology?
There is a massive difference between taking a somatic training program with instructors who have been professionals in the world of somatics for the entirety of their careers as compared to instructors who have been marketing professionals first. Be sure to do your research and ensure that the instructors have both the requisite professional and personal experience to help you gain mastery.
Pro Tip: Determine if the instructor’s professional background and experience parallel your own in that they will be able to relate to your personal and professional growth needs.
Accreditations/Certifications: Who is vetting my learning experience?
Coaching and coach training are not currently regulated professions, which can, at times, make it feel like the “Wild West” when it comes to choosing a training program.
To help sort through the smoke, serious schools will pursue accreditations and certifications from highly reputable industry associations and organizations that review a program’s learning objectives, curriculum, and instructors, like the International Coaching Federation, The National Board for Health and Wellness, the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, and the Energy Medicine Professional Association. It’s not only about where teachers have presented but equally important to understand which organizations are vetting what you are learning.
Pro Tip: It’s not always about the continuing education credits you may receive from a credentialed organization but, more importantly, the additional opportunities that the accrediting organizations offer graduates of the schools they credential, like pre-approved professional insurance or drugless practitioner designation.
Business Building Support: How will I earn more money as a result of taking this training?
Somatic coaching training programs that offer in-depth and ongoing business support are rare, not because monetizing your coaching practice isn’t important but rather because instructors rarely have experience in both the body-centered practices they teach and also solid business development.
It can be important when looking at the faculty of each institution to make sure there is at least one teacher/coach whose passion has more of a business focus so that you can glean depth from the program material and distill wisdom from the business mentoring. The business support you receive should be in the form of consulting and mentoring as well as coaching.
Different from the coaching paradigm that helps to draw wisdom out of the client (which is important but should not be used exclusively to get business results), the consulting and mentoring you get as a part of your program should be from people who have achieved the results you want to achieve.
Knowing whether or not the program leans heavily in the direction of sales or marketing skill development is also very important. Most programs, if they have business support at all, will help you do things like create a website or social media profile, which can be like having a billboard in the middle of the jungle and will require lead generation machines and massive technological operations working for you. Lead generation in the form of ads, SEO and funnels can be incredibly costly and also complicated.
These things work for professionals who have money to burn but not for most somatic coaching professionals who aren’t interested in building a technological empire. Typically somatic professionals don’t want to waste their time and money feeding machines, they want to work with people. Keeping a simple approach is generally a focus on client generation through real human connection, education and conscious sales training.
In this way, the somatic professional gets to do what they love as much as possible, save time and money, and do the work that really matters instead of spending time looking at screens and tending to complicated funnels.
Ask program advisors if you’ll have access to expert business support and what that access looks like. You will not only want recorded videos to watch, but also real humans who will take your individual needs and questions into consideration. Make sure that access is as unlimited as possible because your questions will come up organically as you grow and change and not in a prescribed time.
Check that there will be access to your community of colleagues, both current students and graduates. You will learn a lot from each other, and ideally, your fellow students and graduates will have a wealth of experience because they are working professionals. If you want to be a working coach, make sure the community has working coaches.
If you’re learning simply for personal development, this won’t matter. Make sure if you want to be a working professional there are other working professionals in the group of students and graduates. There is a big difference between learning amongst a group of hobbyists and walking the somatic coach training path with working professionals. Put yourself around people you want to be like.
Pro Tip: When it comes to growing your somatic coaching business, look to learn from people who have already achieved what you want to achieve and in the manner in which you would like to achieve it.
ROI: How much of my investment will I recoup?
Return on your investment can come in many forms. Some people are searching for spiritual answers to life’s deepest questions, and getting answers is their most desired return on investment (ROI). For others, they want to see a growing client list or the quality of their testimonials, case studies, and client sessions improve.
You will have your own idea about what return on investment you are truly looking for, and uncovering that ahead of time will help you choose the program that will ultimately help you get what you are searching for.
Most students of somatic coaching are interested in both the personal and professional benefits of their preferred program, which occurs to some degree with most programs. The question pertains more to the depth of personal and professional transformation you are looking for.
Short-term programs provide tools and breakthroughs, and longer programs will provide transformations, especially when they are coupled with live learning, cohorts, and in-person components such as retreats.
You can ask yourself what personal and professional ROI you’d like to see at the end of your training and then ask specific questions related to those results when you talk with the admissions people at each school.
Pro Tip: Think about both what tangible and intangible results you would like following your program and ask your program advisor for examples of other graduates achieving similar outcomes.
Community Experience: Who will I be learning alongside?
In today’s digital world of Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, we have become more interconnected yet somehow have never felt farther apart. How often do “real” conversations and moments of unconditional support happen in our lives nowadays? Going through a highly intentional somatic coaching training program with a cohort of like-minded yet often diverse individuals can be a deeply transformative experience.
Because it is challenging to experience becoming a part of the student community before joining a program, one of the best ways to get a sense of what happens inside a training program is to get connected with a graduate. Remember that this is an important time and financial investment, so understanding what a program’s community standards, values, and experiences are like will also determine not only how skilled you are coming out of a program but also how much fun you will have! Be sure to ask the school’s program advisor to connect you with a graduate to get the inside scoop.
In order to hold the space for a conscious, intentional community, your ideal school will have a set of community guidelines that all students follow. These guidelines will align with the school’s values and often are not advertised, but ideally, all students sign off on community guidelines upon joining the program.
To get a real sense of the quality of the community you will be spending your precious time, money, and energy with, ask about reviewing the community guidelines before joining your program. Having this information is an added guarantee that you are in safe hands with people who care enough to take conscious and intentional relationship standards seriously.
Schools that do not have their students sign off on community communication guidelines could have behavioral concerns that affect your program. Why waste your money taking chances when you can ensure a successful experience ahead of time?
Pro Tip: Ask your program advisor to provide you with a list of the school’s community communication guidelines to ensure that interactions within the community meet trauma-informed standards.
After Graduation: What will happen to me after the program ends?
The best sign of a great party is the one that no one wants to leave! When researching programs, look at what happens after graduation.
Do program graduates stay active in the school’s community? Are there opportunities for meaningful ongoing community engagement at no additional cost as well as more specific advanced training? A strong sign of a mission-driven rather than a financially driven school is the degree to which it invests in enriching its alumni experience after graduation.
Because long term relationships have been proven to provide the best return on investment of all, be sure that your student experience doesn’t end on the last day of your program.
Pro Tip: Ask your program advisor to be connected with program assistants and instructors who have experienced all of the programs and then decided to stay engaged through mentoring new students.
Wrap-Up: What are my next steps?
Embarking on a somatic coach training journey can be one of the most rewarding life experiences a person has. We’ve seen time and time again the deep transformations that students go through and the huge impacts they have on the world following their program commencement and beyond.
The most important indicators of how successful a student will be are their level of commitment to both the program and their own development, as well as how well met their needs are by the community and school they choose to join. Research as much as you can, and be sure to talk to program advisors rather than trying to make sense of it all on your own. Speaking directly to a school’s representative is often the best way to get a feel for the school’s personality as well as its deliverables.
The world desperately needs more, high quality and well-trained somatic professionals, so choose well and good luck on your journey!
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- Certification Programs
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And if you’re looking for the top certification programs, check out our best somatic coach training list.
Brian Trzaskos
Brian Trzaskos, PT, LMT, CSCS, CMP, MI-C, is a co-creator of Sensation-Based Motivation Coaching, a somatic, trauma-sensitive methodology. He is currently the President of NEW Health Inc., director of education at the Somatic Coaching Academy, and earned his degree in Physical Therapy and Trauma Informed Organizations certificate from SUNY Buffalo.
Ani Anderson
Ani Anderson MS, OT, LMT, CEMP, ICF ACC, ELI is the Director of Operations and Coaching for the Somatic Coaching Academy and the co-creator of Sensation-Based Motivation Boaching. She is an Occupational Therapist, Certified Energy Medicine professional, and iPEC ICF coach. Ani is the best-selling author of Find Your Soul’s Agenda, the one word that will make your whole life a success.
