Dave is senior international faculty with the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute.  He teaches all levels of the SE training. He is also a part of Dr. Peter Levine’s initial legacy faculty being mentored by Dr. Levine to teach SE master classes.  Dave’s own BASE™: Relational Bodywork and Somatic Education Training™ for trauma practitioners is an integration of his decades of work in behavioral and physical health. As a therapist, teacher, consultant and mentor, Dave’s passion and commitment to deep healing guide his work.

An internationally recognized somatic psychotherapist, Dave brings his knowledge of anatomy, physiology and function of the body, and of psychological and relational dynamics to help clients improve their physical well being and psychological health. With 40 years of clinical practice, Dave provides a unique blend of clinical care for people healing from traumatic injuries and accidents, anxiety, back and neck pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, headaches, panic attacks and chronic pain. He uses a diverse array of traditional and complementary healing practices, integrating his understanding of the relationship between an individual’s emotional challenges, their family system dynamics and cultural issues. In therapy, a client may expect to talk, use body awareness and relaxation, trauma renegotiation, hands-on (when appropriate) interventions, movement and exercise to help in their healing process.

Family systems, psychodynamic psychotherapy, psychobiology and a number of other psychotherapeutic theories inform Dave’s work as a psychotherapist. Understanding the relationship between physiology, body usage and psychology and emotions Dave works along an integrative continuum in his clinical psychotherapy work.

Dave received his bachelor’s degree in Somatopsychology from the University of Maryland and graduate degrees from Stanford University (Physical Therapy) and California Institute of Integral Studies (Psychology with a specialty in Somatic Psychology). He has been a professor in physical therapy and psychology,  and has been adjunct faculty at several colleges. Dave is on faculty with the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute and Ergos Institute.  He consults internationally with Somatic Experiencing® and BASE students and practitioners as well as others interested in the field of Somatics.

Today on the podcast, we welcomed Pat Ogden, PhD, a pioneer in somatic psychology, is the Founder and Education Director of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute.

Dr. Ogden is an internationally recognized school specializing in somatic–cognitive approaches for the treatment of posttraumatic stress and attachment disturbances.  Her Institute, based in Colorado, has 19 certified trainers who conduct Sensorimotor Psychotherapy trainings of over 400 hours for mental health professionals throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, and Australia. The Institute has certified hundreds of psychotherapists throughout the world in this method.  She is co-founder of the Hakomi Institute, past faculty of Naropa University (1985-2005), a clinician, consultant, and sought after international lecturer.

Dr. Ogden is the first author of two groundbreaking books in somatic psychology: Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment (2015) , both published in the Interpersonal Neurobiology Series of W. W. Norton. She is currently working on a third book Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Children, Adolescents and Families with Dr. Bonnie Goldstein. 

Her current interests include Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for groups, couples, children, adolescents, families; Embedded Relational Mindfulness, culture and diversity, challenging clients, the relational nature of shame, presence, consciousness and the philosophical/spiritual principles that guide Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

You can learn more about Sensorimotor Psychotherapy on her website HERE.