New For Somatic Experiencing Practitioners

Are you interested in adding the Safe Sound Protocol to your practice?

Announcing New Supports for the Combined Delivery of SE and SSP

Kate has co-authored the Integrated Listening System’s training manual for the combined delivery of SE and the SSP protocol. For practitioners interested in experiencing the SSP themselves, or for those wanting advanced training & support for cases or for their own personal development, see below.

Retreat Options:

  • Personalized Intensive 5-Day Retreat
  • Practitioners Group Experiential, advanced training & Delivery of SSP: 4-Day Retreat

Virtual Options:

  • SEP Virtual Personalized Experiential Delivery of SSP
  • SEP Virtual Group Experiential Delivery of SSP: 12 session package
  • SEP/SSP Virtual Group Case Consulting for Combined Delivery
  • SE/SSP Individual Case Consulting for Combined Delivery
Read Testimonials from Global Clients

This is your opportunity as a practitioner to be emersed in the integrative process of healing and nurturing yourself.

The value of combined delivery in your practice

Combining SE and SSP within one’s scope of practice can empower a safe and effective outcome to the treatment of chronic and traumatic stress. The combined delivery can support the SE principles of SIBM while also addressing attachment needs and sensory integration healing that arises through the administration of SSP. Support for utilizing these two modalities together will provide best practice outcomes.  Foundational guidance and case support will enhance a dual-certified provider who wants to integrate these modalities.

  • Having the option to use combined delivery in your practice will enhance your ability to meet your clients needs
  • This is another neuropathway to help facilitate emotional and physical regulation
  • Similar to how the EMDR method helps to facilitate a trauma reaction, these sound programs do the same thing
  • A combined delivery will enhance your toolbox as a practitioner and allows for additional support methods for your clients
  • The use of combined deliver helps give clients more rapid results than other methods
  • This combined delivery is using the neuropathway of sound for healing

Retreats Program Details

Please click a program below to learn the details.

This is your opportunity as a practitioner to be emersed in the integrative process of healing and nurturing yourself. This is individually designed to fit the needs of the practitioner wanting to experience the creative nuances of integrating multiple modalities. It is the “Cadillac” experience.

Learn by experiencing a dive deep into the realm of attachment, polyvagal nervous system regulation, sensory processing, interpersonal neurobiology, defensive accommodation states and acquired strategies for their management, narrative usage of archetypes, Internal Family Systems addressing internal parts, Family Constellation mapping of generational patterns, Body-Mind Centering Satisfaction Cycle, (Attachment Focused Embodiment), and the application of resource support for the full SIBAM cycle. This is a rich intensive with full days of experiential activities to build advanced practitioner experiences.

Experience the Safe Sound Protocol through the lens of Sensory Integration as a combined delivery of SE/SSP.

Receive daily somatic (TEB) Transforming Touch support. Experience a Circle Ritual at the outdoor labyrinth, supported by a team of local practitioners, for cutting the cords of family patterns long outdated and overdue for releasing. There is an option to choose a Rebirthing Surround also with the support of a team of practitioners.

Multi-Sensory Activities include Sand Tray, Stone Mandala, Clay building, painting, Neurographica, Kinesthetic Movement and more.

Accommodations are on site in a private fully stocked apartment. Farm to table organic lunch/dinner meals are included. Breakfast food is made available in the suite. The grounds include a walking labyrinth and gardens for meditation.

Retreat dates are scheduled by appointment, please reach out to schedule.

Practitioners Group Experiential, advanced training & Delivery of SSP: 4-Day Retreat

A Group Retreat offers an affordable alternative to the individualized experience. There will be a Maximum number of 5-6 people to keep these retreats intimate. The format includes observation of demos and dyad experientials, training application of theory and practice, rich multi-sensory activities for supporting the delivery of the sound protocol. This is an emersion program, one that facilitates learning by experiencing. Applicant must be approved for this work and have had experience with somatic in-person experiential work. This is designed as advanced training/personal development and not meant for someone currently in crisis or looking specifically for trauma healing. It will support the practitioner experience through personal development. This does not include on site accommodations. Lunch is provided for groups. 

Learn by experiencing a dive deep into the realm of attachment, polyvagal nervous system regulation, sensory processing, interpersonal neurobiology, defensive accommodation states and acquired strategies for their management, narrative usage of archetypes, Internal Family Systems addressing internal parts, Family Constellation mapping of generational patterns, Body-Mind Centering Satisfaction Cycle, (Attachment Focused Embodiment), and the application of resource support for the full SIBAM cycle. This is a rich intensive with full days of experiential activities to build advanced practitioner experiences.

Experience the Safe Sound Protocol through the lens of Sensory Integration as a combined delivery of SE/SSP

Schedule:
Group Retreats are offered 3 times a year: March, June, September

Arrival Friday by 12noon. Group meets: 2-5pm and 7-8pm
Saturday, Sunday, Monday, 9am-5pm
(Optional evening reflection and meditation 7-8)

Please email for the dates (waiting list available).

See Retreat Facilities & Photos

Virtual Experiences

Offering both personalized, or group experiences

Dates and applications for virtual experiences are opening soon.

Includes additional training on the combined delivery of SE/SSP

Includes 12 hours of direct individual experience of the SSP protocol. Includes sensory rich and diverse activities to support and resource the practitioner during the administering of the protocol. Focus is on the combined delivery experience with the addition of advanced references for practitioner training and the advanced use of integrating various creative modalities.

Offered individually scheduled as 12, 60min sessions, meeting either 6 or 12 weeks. (Your choice of meeting once or twice weekly)
Virtual or in-person options available. Email for dates.

Cost: pricing is custom to the needs of the client please inquire by identifying the services you are interested in.

Includes additional training on the combined delivery of SE/SSP

Includes 12 sessions of direct group delivery of the SSP protocol.

Includes sensory rich and diverse activities to support and resource the practitioner during the administering of the protocol. Focus is on the combined delivery experience with the addition of advanced references for practitioner training.

This is a virtual group of 4-6 persons meeting once a week for 12 weeks.
Includes a 60min personal session in the beginning & a follow up personal session,
plus 10 group meetings, each 60min. Meetings are scheduled for Wednesdays, 12pm – 1pm EST additional groups will be set up as the waiting list grows.

Cost: pricing is custom to the needs of the client please inquire by identifying the services you are interested in.

3-month package

Focus is on the combined delivery supervision and support for ongoing case review and advanced integration of sensory processing with neuro-psychotherapy designed to build resourcing for practitioners wishing to combine SE & SSP into their practice. Small group formatting allows for greater individual deep dives into cases.

Includes 3 virtual group meetings, 90min each, scheduled once a month on Fridays
Groups are limited to 4-6 persons. Once a cohort is set, it will become a closed group. Next open cohort: Sept, Oct, Nov 2022 (new groups formed as numbers rise)

Cost: pricing is custom to the needs of the client please inquire by identifying the services you are interested in.

3-session package

Focus is on the combined delivery supervision and support for ongoing case review and advanced integration of various modalities designed to build resourcing for practitioners wising to combine SE & SSP into their practice. Designed as a package of 3 one-hour sessions, dates to be mutually determined.

Cost: pricing is custom to the needs of the client please inquire by identifying the services you are interested in.

The SE model sets in place a foundation for understanding the threat response system through neurobiology. The SSP acts as a tool for practitioners to open up a window of experience in how safety interacts in the ongoing development and persistence of traumatic symptoms. The SSP is a polyvagal-informed approach, and as such, emphasizes the felt sense of experiences of safety.

It is through these dual lenses that providers working with trauma can find an understanding of the interplay between the human experIence of separation versus connection, threat versus safety, and the disempowerment versus resilience.

“Providers trained in SE will find that the SSP is both an essential resource and an integral tool as a precursor, an adjunct used simultaneously, or within the integration phase of trauma processing. In addition, SE providers will find that the SSP supports the sensory systems that are often negatively impacted by chronic stress of trauma.” .. (quoted from the Combined Delivery Guidelines: Somatic Experiencing and Safe Sound Protocol)

About Kate Appleton

Kate Appleton’s work is informed by somatic-based approaches to healing, addressing early developmental patterns, attachment, traumatology, sensory integration, energy healing arts & archetypal narrative exploration. As a psychotherapist, she integrates multi-modes of healing: SE, SSP, Transforming Touch, TEB, Embodied Recovery, IFS, Karmic Astrology, Family Constellation & Ancestral pattern mapping. Kate values the inclusion of Expressive Art Therapy, Centering Prayer and Spiritual Emergence for awakening the Soul. Kate developed sensory techniques designed to support practitioner training, provide greater resourcing for client support, & minimize defensive reactivity and risks of overwhelm.

Training includes: BFA Art/Dance, Kent State University; M.Ed. Special Ed, Lynchburg College; M.Ed. Counseling, Lynchburg College; Licensed Professional Counselor (VA) & Anthroposophical training as a Waldorf teacher. She holds a wide range of advanced training across various modalities.

Slide Richard Lubner, Coach, S. Africa
I feel very grateful and blessed to have had the incredible fortune or as one might say “Divine Grace” to have Kate Appleton enter my life as a mentor, coach and guide particularly at one of the most critical and crucial times of my life. She offered me a safe space in which to “rediscover all aspects of myself” and explore the various parts of my “inner family" that were either too dominant and or not being acknowledged. In short she helped me get in touch with my authentic ME. This was done initially through the medium of the Safe and Sound Protocols (SSP) and Somatic practices and once the SSP course was completed we continued (to present day) exploring my blind spots, learning effective tools and assisting me in up-skilling my coaching of others. All via her patient, loving, deep and personal experiential approach. In short she has been one of the most influential and authentic “guides” I have had the privilege of working with…and I have worked with many profound masters for more than 30 years. International Somatic Practitioners Speak Out TESTIMONIALS
Slide Marta, Life Coach, Poland
It’s a real challenge to describe what working with Kate is like using written words. It’s a FEELING. The container Kate creates for her work with you is an oasis of safety, support and compassion.There’s love, guidance and deep understanding of YOU as a human being.

She sees the deepest parts of you that may have been buried for years if not decades. She shines a light on your blind spots and gently guides you to explore them.

Working with Kate I was able to find a way back to my body. To find safety within myself possibly for the first time in my life.

For the first time I truly felt my edges and was able to locate and ground myself in space and that to me is priceless.
International Somatic Practitioners Speak Out TESTIMONIALS
Slide Faye Fraser, Counselor in Nova Scotia I feel incredibly lucky to have found Kate! As a newly trained SSP provider, I was eager to access experiential mentoring to go through my own SSP listening experience and continue to develop my own knowledge and skills connected to providing SSP services with clients. My expectations were greatly exceeded! Even though we met virtually, I felt supported emotionally through our weekly meetings as well as through email check ins.

Having her as a support to go through the SSP myself was invaluable as during this time I was also experiencing a very challenging family diagnosis, which she graciously and empathetically shared her support with.

Along with the support going through the SSP myself, our weekly meetings also included case analysis, resource sharing and brainstorming about how to most effectively use the SSP with my client population. Engaging in this mentoring experience has greatly increased my confidence, has provided practical and relatable resources and ideas and has given my nervous system more capacity!

I truly feel that everyone who completes the SSP training certificate should be encouraged to access mentoring support, especially with Kate (but I might be biased ;). I plan to continue to connect with Kate to learn from her incredibly vast knowledge, insight and support!
International Somatic Practitioners Speak Out TESTIMONIALS
Slide Matt A., Australia, SEP & Somatic Bodyworker

"I came across Kate at a time in my life where I was ready for something new and different after having worked with many other coaches, therapists and counsellors. I knew I needed someone that had the depth of wisdom and experience to truly meet me where I was at and was so relieved to have found that in Kate. In such a short space of time I felt seen, heard and believed in a way that cannot be forced or faked. She would continually bring clarity and understanding to our interactions no matter what the content. With a careful touch, Kate crafted an environment that allowed me the time, space and support necessary to work through my own processes. Then at just the right times she would weave her own unique brand of kind and confident guidance to illuminate the next steps of where the path may be leading. In doing so I could always feel the safe container that Kate holds for the work and whoever it encompasses. She is a gifted mentor with a holistic approach to supporting people as entire beings and she does this all with a breath of kind-hearted humour. Definitely a mentor of the highest regard that I would value being in my sphere for years to come." International Somatic Practitioners Speak Out TESTIMONIALS
Slide Karena H., Ph.D., LPC, ACS, NCC
“My weekend intensive with Kate was more than I could have ever imagined! It is challenging to put it all into words.

Safety was established first and foremost and continually during our time together. This helped me to breathe deeper and relax into our time ahead. We set an intention for the weekend and quickly left that intention behind in order to be open to what may come out of our moments together. A weekend of sand tray, expressive arts, somatic experiencing, and reflection opened up my mind, my body, and my heart to things that I had long forgotten and/or tucked away. In three days I was able to uncover and explore more than I have been able to do with past counselors in a year. Kate’s integrated approaches engaged my mind, body, and spirit, helping me to uncover patterns and blocks that have been holding me back for decades. I could have never stepped into these parts of myself without feeling safe and knowing I was in the lead. Kate did a great job letting me lead the way to my own healing.

Kate is an incredible guide and her wisdom is palpable. She encouraged me to be open and curious throughout our weekend together. Little did I know, this openness and curiosity would lead me to feeling whole, alive, and connected — to myself, others, and nature. I left the weekend feeling like a brand new person. I was reborn, seeing the world with new eyes.

My follow-up session allowed me to let the weekend settle in my mind and in my body, in order to fully integrate my takeaways into life. I will forever hold this experience in my heart as a defining moment for my life. I am truly grateful for this experience!”
International Somatic Practitioners Speak Out TESTIMONIALS

“For the rebels and the misfits, the black sheep and the outsiders. For the refugees, the orphans, the scapegoats, and the weirdos. For the uprooted, the abandoned, the shunned and invisible ones.”

– Toko-Pa Turner