Trauma, Memory, and Meaning: Integrative Perspectives on Healing and the Nervous System

Where the science of the body meets the story of the self.

Course Description

This course explores the intersection of trauma theory, neuroscience, and narrative, as clinicians deepen their capacity to work with the living imprints of trauma in body and mind. Trauma, Memory, and Meaning examines how experiences of overwhelm and fragmentation are encoded within the nervous system, and how psychotherapy can foster integration through both physiological and narrative repair.

Students will trace the evolution of trauma theory - from early psychodynamic and attachment models to contemporary neurobiological and somatic frameworks - situating these within a relational and meaning-making context. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between implicit memory, explicit storytelling, and the co-creation of safety and coherence in therapy.

Topics include:

  • The neurobiology of trauma, including memory consolidation, dissociation, and affect regulation

  • Narrative, language, and meaning-making as tools for integration

  • Working with implicit memory through attunement, pacing, and embodied presence

  • The therapist’s regulation and countertransference when engaging trauma material

  • Cultural and contextual dimensions of trauma and resilience

Through clinical case analysis, experiential learning, and reflective writing, participants will develop advanced understanding of trauma as both a physiological and existential phenomenon. The course emphasizes integration rather than symptom eradication — helping therapists support clients in reclaiming agency, coherence, and relational trust.

The Nitty Gritty

The next course dates are not yet set. Please complete the contact form below to be notified when registration opens and dates are selected! This class is generally run as a 100 hour classroom course, with each session running 4 hours in length.

Why you should take this class

his course is for clinicians who want to move beyond symptom-focused trauma treatment and into a more nuanced, integrative understanding of healing.

Trauma, Memory, and Meaning explores how trauma lives not just in memory, but in physiology, perception, and relationship - and how psychotherapy can restore coherence, safety, and meaning. Combining insights from neuroscience, attachment theory, and narrative practice, this course bridges the biological and the existential: how the body holds stories too overwhelming to tell, and how therapy can help them be retold in ways that heal.

You should consider this class if you want to:

  • Deepen your understanding of trauma’s impact on the nervous system, memory, and self-concept

  • Integrate somatic and neurobiological principles into talk-based therapy

  • Strengthen your confidence working with dissociation, regulation, and pacing

  • Explore how meaning-making and narrative repair support physiological integration

  • Reflect on your own regulation and countertransference when engaging trauma material

This 100 hour course blends science, reflection, and lived clinical practice. You’ll leave with advanced skills for engaging trauma safely and effectively — and a renewed sense of how empathy, neuroscience, and story intersect to foster integration.

Next Steps for Signing Up or Learning More

Enrollment in The Therapeutic Self begins with a brief connection process designed to ensure the course is the right fit for your professional goals and stage of development.

  1. Complete the Contact
    Fill out the inquiry form below with your professional background and learning goals

  2. Schedule a Call
    After submitting your form, you’ll be invited to schedule a short call with a member of our faculty. This conversation helps us get to know your background, answer questions, and ensure that the course’s depth and focus align with your intentions for learning.

  3. Confirm Enrollment
    Once accepted, you’ll receive a registration link, course calendar, course plan, and information about payment options and preparatory readings.

Note: Because of the reflective and experiential nature of this course, enrollment is intentionally limited to maintain a small-group learning environment. Early application is encouraged.

FAQs

Who is this Class For?

This course is designed for licensed and pre-licensed clinicians (including therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and allied professionals) who are ready to engage deeply with their own internal process and the relational dimensions of clinical work.
It’s particularly well suited to those who are:

  • Seeking to strengthen their reflective capacity and emotional attunement.

  • Interested in countertransference and the therapist’s use of self.

  • Feeling professionally stagnant or disconnected and wanting to reengage meaningfully with the heart of the work.

  • Drawn to integrative, experiential learning rather than passive instruction.

How much of a time commitment is this?

The course includes 100 classroom hours. You can expect to spend two hours of outside-of-class time for each classroom our. We understand the realities of busy clinical life, and if you’re unable to complete the full workload, you’re welcome to audit the course - attending class sessions and participating in discussions without submitting papers or graded work. However, we still recommend keeping up with class readings. If you have questions about whether this works for you - reach out! We’re happy to talk through it with you!

Will this course count toward supervision or consultation hours?

This program focuses on theoretical, reflective, and experiential learning - it is not supervision in the regulatory sense.
While we often discuss case material as examples, and will talk about your personal process, these discussions are designed for conceptual exploration rather than formal case oversight. Please check with your licensing body if you are hoping to apply the hours toward supervision requirements.

How much does this course cost?

The full tuition for Trauma, Memory, and Meaning is $1200 USD for the yearlong intensive.

We recognize that clinicians come from a wide range of financial and professional contexts, and we want this training to remain accessible to those who are committed to the work. To that end, we offer a sliding-scale structure and a limited number of scholarships each year.

Our goal is simple: to make this program sustainable for our faculty while keeping it reachable for clinicians at different life and career stages. Some participants pay the full rate; others pay less based on income, professional setting, or life circumstances. If cost is a barrier, we encourage you to reach out — we’ll do our best to find a way to make it work.

Payment plans are also available. Most participants spread tuition across the program’s duration.

We believe that deep professional learning should never be out of reach due to financial constraints. If you’re drawn to the course, please fill out the contact form and we’ll be happy to talk through options, including scholarships and flexible payment schedules.

What is the class size?

Enrollment is intentionally limited to maintain intimacy and depth of learning.
We typically accept 12–15 participants per cohort to allow for meaningful dialogue, personal feedback, and individualized attention.

What happens after the course?

Graduates of Trauma, Memory, and Meaning often describe the experience as career-changing - not just in their skillset, but in their relationship to the work itself.
You’ll receive a certificate of completion, CEU documentation, and (more importantly), a deepened capacity for presence, reflection, and attunement that will continue to shape your clinical practice for years to come.

Is this course focused more on theory or clinical practice?

Both. The course integrates foundational neuroscience with applied, practice-oriented learning. You’ll engage with case analysis, experiential exercises, and reflective assignments that bring theory to life in the therapy room.

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