Training & Workshops
I offer practical and experiential training for psychotherapists, counsellors and other helping professionals, with a particular focus on somatic trauma therapy, embodied approaches, stabilisation and therapist self-care.
My workshops bring together theory and opportunities to experiment with approaches that you can use in your own practice. I aim to make complex ideas accessible, with time for questions, reflection and discussion.
Workshops are offered throughout the year, both in person and online. You can find forthcoming dates and booking details on my Events page.
If you can't make a listed date but have a group of colleagues who would like to attend, please get in touch to discuss arranging a private workshop or training session.
Somatic Toolkit for Trauma Therapy
Experiential training for psychotherapists, counsellors and mental health professionals
This training combines theory with practical, embodied learning to help you develop your understanding of trauma and explore ways of working safely with clients who have experienced overwhelming or distressing events.
Alongside understanding how trauma can affect the mind and body, we experiment with a range of practical approaches to help clients feel more stable, grounded and in control.
We explore:
Understanding trauma, different types of traumatic experiences and how these can affect the nervous system.
Recognising survival responses, including fight, flight, freeze and other protective responses.
Structuring therapeutic work to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation, with an emphasis on safety and stabilisation.
Sharing psychoeducation with clients in ways that support understanding and self-compassion.
Approaches to assessment and history-taking that help clients stay connected to the present.
Developing a wide range of embodied and creative resources, including sensory awareness, movement, muscle toning, balance, grounding and imagery.
Using approaches such as pendulation and titration to work with manageable amounts of distress.
Recognising and responding to our own reactions as therapists, including ways to reduce the risk of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout.
The training includes opportunities to experience the approaches for yourself, reflect on how they might be useful in your practice and consider how to adapt them to different clients.
This training is delivered with Alex Jenkins.
See forthcoming training dates
Experiential Self Care
These workshops offer a practical approach to self-care, particularly for people whose work involves supporting others.
We explore ways of recognising our own stress responses, developing strategies to use throughout the working day and finding opportunities for different types of rest.
The sessions are experiential, drawing on yoga, restorative yoga nidra, mindfulness, nature connection, mindful walking, bushcraft and somatic practices.
Alongside having time to rest and restore ourselves, we consider which approaches might be useful to take back into everyday life, to help reduce the risk of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout.
Sessions can be offered as workshops or longer experiential days.
8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery
These sessions draw on the 8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery Workbook, which I co-authored with Babette Rothschild.
The workshops explore practical strategies to support safe trauma recovery, with an emphasis on developing resources, understanding responses to trauma and finding ways to support everyday wellbeing.
The sessions focus on the first and third phases of trauma recovery, rather than processing or retelling traumatic experiences.
Each of the eight keys can be offered as a separate session of approximately 1.5 hours, making a complete programme of around 12 hours.
The programme can be adapted for people recovering from trauma or for helping professionals who would like to develop their understanding of these approaches.
Therapist Socials
I facilitate Therapist Socials loosely in line with the Wheel of the Year, usually every six to eight weeks.
These are an opportunity to simply socialise with other therapists. They don't involve peer supervision or team-building activities.
They offer some of the ingredients for wellbeing that can be particularly important for therapists: community, movement, nature and food.
They can also be a way to meet other therapists, share experiences, develop professional connections and feel less alone, particularly for those working in private practice.
Counsellors, psychotherapists, mental health workers and bodyworkers are all welcome.
Therapist Socials are free to attend.
See the events page for upcoming Therapist Socials.
A little about Vanessa Bear
I am a UKCP-registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Adult Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, with experience of working in CAMHS, the NHS, schools, charitable organisations and private practice.
I am a Certified Somatic Trauma Therapist, trained in EMDR with adults and children, and have additional training in yoga therapy, movement, creative approaches and nature-connected psychotherapy.
I am the co-author, with Babette Rothschild, of the 8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery Workbook and Help for the Helper Workbook, and the author of Wild & Well-Being: 70 Exercises for Nature-Based Self Care. I also assist Babette with her Somatic Trauma Therapy training.
Alongside my clinical work, I deliver workshops and professional training and work as a guest lecturer and clinical supervisor.
You can read more about my experience and qualifications.
Booking and Enquiries
You can find details of forthcoming workshops, Therapist Socials and booking arrangements on my Events page.
If you are interested in arranging a workshop or training for your own group or organisation, please get in touch.
You can also read more about my training for organisations.