The Certificate in Sexological Bodywork practitioner training is a 9-month entry level program on teaching clients to develop erotic embodiment skills. It is not a training in how to work with trauma.

It is, however, trauma-informed - by which we mean, you will learn about what trauma is neurologically; how to recognise when a client is experiencing a traumatic response; how to support clients in grounding, creating safety and developing agency; and the importance of referring to appropriate health care practitioners.

The word trauma has been used internationally in a wide variety of ways, resulting at times in miscommunication amongst practitioners. The trauma we are referring to in this statement is when there has been an adaptive neurological and nervous system shift in response to an event or series of events and the meaning attached to that. Working with this type of trauma is complex and requires advanced level training and experience.

Sexological bodywork may be useful in supporting people through other experiences which people sometimes also call trauma. A trauma-informed practitioner learns how to recognise the differences, and what is appropriate and useful to do in different situations.

The Certificate in Sexological Bodywork practitioner training is not a place to come to work through your own trauma. It is taught somatically, with a focus on bodywork. A central methodology used is for students to learn bodywork through giving and receiving the practices themselves. A certificate course which involves giving and receiving touch as part of the core content and methodology is not a useful place to work on trauma. If you are interested in taking the training, it is important you work through any trauma you may be experiencing first, and enrol for the training once you are in a place where you have developed awareness and choice, that is, when you are able to ground and create a sense of safety and agency for yourself when exposed to events which may have at one time triggered you.

The facilitators are, however, experienced in supporting people experiencing trauma and emotional overwhelm and as the course content focuses on embodiment and learning to ground, create safety and develop agency through a client-centred approach, you are in a supported space should unexpected content arise.