Scientific studies are confirming that we use somatic information unconsciously to understand others.
Having a clear understanding of why and how this works will enable you to effectively use this ancient pre-verbal intelligence.

Join me, a research biologist and bodywork therapist, as I use my multidisciplinary experience to guide you through the latest ideas about how and why we feel what our clients feel.

  • Intrigued?

    Are you intrigued by feeling what your clients are experiencing? Would you like to reduce 'pollution' in your session by establishing what is yours and what is theirs?

  • Spooked?

    Are you uncomfortable or fearful of picking up harmful states from others confident? Would you like to deepen your trust in the process of reading your client?

  • Overwhelmed?

    Would you like to reduce your sensitivity s or protect yourself from potential harm? Would you like practical tools and advice about managing somatic empathy?

This course will enable you to:

  • discover why your somatic empathy is so often relevant to the therapeutic outcome

  • appreciate the potential for somatic empathy as a therapeutic tool

  • see why mirror neurons were never a satisfactory explanation for somatic empathy

  • establish the optimal conditions for modelling, mirroring and somatic empathy

  • explain somatic counter transference in terms of system biology

  • understand why imagining a protective bubble around you is not the best 'solution' to picking up unwanted information from clients

  • be confident with feeling your clients' past experiences and/or future outcomes

  • explain projective identification in terms of systems biology

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome

  • 2

    Module 1: An Immersive Understanding

  • 3

    Module 2: Understanding Through Doing

    • Module 2

    • 2.1 Introduction

    • 2.2 Staying Alive Without Language

    • 2.3 Imitation Informs

    • 2.4 One Question

    • 2.5 Relevance to Therapists

    • 2.6 Personal Practice

    • 2.7 Summary Sheet

    • Discussion Forum

    • Optional academic paper
  • 4

    Module 3: Understanding Through Syncing

    • Module 3

    • 3.1 Introduction to Physiological Syncing

    • 3.2 Bodies come into Sync

      FREE PREVIEW

    • 3.3 Terminology!

    • 3.4 Brain-to-brain coupling

    • 3.5 Infographic - Coordination Between You and Your Client

    • 3.6 Selecting when to Sync

    • 3.7 Becoming Other: a Short Recap

    • 3.8 Can we Measure Somatic Empathy?

    • 3.9 Three short questions

    • 3.10 Relevance of Syncing

    • 3.11 Personal Practice

    • 3.12 Summary Sheet

    • Discussion Forum
  • 5

    Module 4: An Enigmatic Understanding

    • Module 4

    • 4.1 Introduction to Unconscious Understanding

    • 4.2 Your Unconscious Helper

    • 4.3 The Amazing Adaptive Unconscious

    • 4.4 Summary & Relevance

    • 4.5 Review quiz

    • 4.6 Personal Practice

    • Discussion Forum
  • 6

    Module 5: Understanding Through Embodiment

    • Module 5

    • 5.1 How Somatic Empathy Happens - Introduction

    • 5.2 Our Many Senses

    • 5.3 Perception is Weird!

      FREE PREVIEW

    • 5.4 Embodied Perception

    • 5.5 Embodiment of Language (2 mins)

    • 5.6 Summary sheet

    • 5.7 Somatic Intelligence

    • 5.8 Relevance of Embodiment

    • 5.9 Check your understanding

    • Discussion Forum
  • 7

    Module 6: Understanding Through Simulating

    • Module 6

    • 6.1 How Real is Reality?

    • 6.2 From Mirrors to Simulators

    • 6.3 A Couple of Questions

    • 6.4 Outside becomes Inside

    • 6.5 Bringing the Outside In

    • 6.6 Personal practice

    • 6.7 Relevance of Simulations to Somatic Empathy

    • 6.8 Summary Sheet

    • 6.9 A question

    • Discussion Forum
  • 8

    Module 7: Pulling It All Together

    • Module 7

    • 7.1 How We Feel Somatic Empathy (recap)

    • 7.2 What Exactly Are We Picking Up?

    • 7.3 How Somatic Empathy Happens (Infographic)

    • 7.4 What Controls Somatic Empathy?

    • 7.5 Somatic Empathy and Intention

    • 7.6 Control of Somatic Empathy

    • 7.7 'Cheat Sheet'

    • 7.8 To Feedback to Clients - or Not?

    • 7.9 Personal Practice

    • 7.10 How do I know what is mine and what is theirs?

    • OPTIONAL EXTRA resources

    • Book a Zoom call with me?
  • 9

    Rounding up

    • Completion!

    • Would you rate / write a short course Review?

    • Feedback
  • Is this course designed for a particular type of therapist?

    Anyone who works with people or animals in a caring or therapeutic situation, will benefit from understanding somatic empathy and how to modulate our response.

  • Is this course only for those who feel somatic empathy?

    No, definitely not because somatic empathy happens to us all, even though we may not be aware of the process.

  • Do I need to understand complex science to study this course?

    No but you need to be willing to take on a few new terms. Although we dive into neuroscience, cognitive science, biology and even a bit of philosophy, the material is presented in an accessible way. The topic sits at the interface of mind and body so is probably best described as psychobiology or psychophysiology.

  • Can I sample the course before buying?

    Yes, you can check out free preview lessons before making up your mind (see 'preview' button at bottom of this page). You can watch a few free videos on youtube too.

  • Will I learn how to control somatic empathy?

    You will learn what modulates somatic empathy. Some skills may require practice and so your ability to control somatic empathy will vary according to your natural predispositions PLUS a range of practices which I provide to help you.

  • How will this course help me and/or my clients?

    Once you understand the silent unconscious conversation taking place and the mechanisms which control it, you can confidently enhance or reduce the degree of somatic empathy between you. Clients can feel profoundly understood through shared experience.

  • How long will it take me to do the course?

    Students have been taking about 4 weeks to comfortably consider the material fitting in around full time work and life commitments.

Single payment NOW ONLY £49

Self-guided but tutor supported, access for lifetime of course to all updates

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What others are saying..

5***** Absolutely fascinating!

Felicity Forsyth (Life coach)

I really enjoyed this course on somatic empathy. As a coach, I'd read a bit about somatic coaching but wanted to understand more of the 'why' behind somatic empathy and how I relate to my clients. Dr Engel provides a very clear, concise and easy to understand explanation of the basics of somatic empathy. Fascinating to hear how our bodies are communicating and how this affects our client relationships.

5***** Excellent course!

Bindie Edwards (yoga teacher)

I really enjoyed this course. It made a lot of experiences fall into place and I know it will be incredibly helpful for me in my work as a yoga teacher, especially when working with vulnerable groups. Cindy explained everything so clearly and in such a straight forward manner, converting very complex scientific research papers into everyday language for laymen.

Great Zoom sessions

Mark Garner (musical instrument maker)

It was really helpful to discuss with Cindy over zoom the ideas and questions that have surfaced while working through the course. She shared experiences, personal insights and recent research that was very valuable for gaining a deeper understanding of this profound information.

5*****Interesting & informative

Gillian Wood (psychotherapist)

Totally enjoyed taking part in this course right up my street. Interesting all the way through, due to a mixture of how the information is presented videos work sheets even a quiz to reinstate and confirm understanding before moving on to next section. Giving a feeling of a personal tutor is alongside you. Also an added opportunity to talk directly to Cindy discuss any question or thoughts regarding the course. The course has shown me a way to understand somatic empathy for my self and others, breath of fresh air being able to understand.

Excellent course!

Sara Lasham (massage therapist and Qigong instructor)

This course is delivered with clear explanations about somatic empathy, including results found from scientific studies, good diagrams and graphics. The instructor has a good voice delivery, explaining things with great clarity. There are also short lecture videos from the instructor throughout this course, making it feel more engaging. I enjoyed the different styles of how this course is presented. I now have a deeper understanding of somatic empathy which will deepen my understanding of what is going on for my clients.

Instructor

Course Creator

Cindy Engel PhD

Biologist, author and bodyworker I am fascinated by the interaction between physiology and behaviour—the mind-body interface. Published in peer-reviewed academic journals as well as mainstream media, I am am author of the books: 'Another Self: How Your Body Helps You Understand Others' and 'Wild Health: How animals keep themselves healthy in the wild and what we can learn from them'. I post articles regularly on my website www.cindyengel.com and Psychology Today in which I explore aspects of somatic empathy.

  • Live zoom Q&A sessions

    Book a live zoom Q&A session with me so that we can personalize your somatic empathy experience.

  • Instructor engagement

    I check in on the discussion forums in each Module so you always get interaction.

  • Lifetime Access (including all updates)

    As research in this area is proceeding rapidly, I update the course materials regularly.

Individual zoom Q&As