Concentration in Somatic PsychologyFrom the Greek word “soma” or living body, somatic psychology understands the body as the foundation upon which all human experience is based. As an emerging specialization within clinical psychology, somatic psychology focuses on how embodied experience serves as an important but often neglected source of knowledge and insight into psychological concerns and interpersonal issues.
Somatic psychotherapists incorporate a skillful attention to breath, gesture, muscle tone, and sensation into the process of psychotherapy. By attending to the nonverbal felt experience of the client, somatic psychotherapists help clients to “get in touch” with important psychological or emotional material that had previously been inaccessible through words alone. Focusing on embodied experience in the present moment also allows somatic psychotherapists to facilitate the expression and integration of material that addresses all aspects of a problem or issue – including how that issue may have become embedded in the nervous system, muscle tissue, movement patterns, and bodily habits of the client.
Over the past 70 years, the field of somatic psychology has diversified into a range of psychotherapeutic approaches from psychodynamic, humanistic, transpersonal, and postmodern orientations, with practitioners and training programs around the globe. Established modalities include Bioenergetics, Rubenfeld Synergy, Focusing, Hakomi, Biosynthesis, Integrative Body Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Core Evolution and Dance/Movement Therapy.
Somatic psychotherapy is suited to both group and individual formats, and has been found effective in working with a wide range of clinical issues and populations.
Somatic Psychology at Meridian University
The somatic psychology concentration at Meridian University is infused with the perspectives, approaches, and learning environments unique to Meridian. In addition to receiving a solid foundation in clinical and somatic psychology, students in the Somatic Psychology Concentration can expect an enhanced focus on depth psychology and the expressive arts, as well as a significant commitment to diversity work and critical cultural praxis.
The learning format at Meridian University makes graduate education in somatic psychology accessible to non-traditional students with family and professional commitments. MA degrees are offered as well as PsyD and PhD degrees.
Philosophy of Learning
The approach to learning in the Somatic Psychology Concentration is rooted in the transformative learning paradigm at the heart of all programs at Meridian University, with a particular emphasis on embodied approaches to teaching and learning.
Embodied pedagogy draws on the scholarly research in education that understands the lived experience of the body as a legitimate but marginalized source of knowledge, and the cultivation of deeper access to embodied knowledge as an opportunity for students to develop a locus for authoritative knowing embedded in their own bodily experience.
Faculty in the Somatic Psychology Concentration are well-versed in teaching in and through the body, and this commitment is reflected in their own posture, gestures, and quality of presence, as well as in their teaching strategies.
Because the body features prominently in the articulation of social difference, helping students become more attentive to the embodied interactions in the classroom also supports them to be more skillful in the navigation of power differentials in relationships with others.
Licensure
The Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology and the Ph.D. in Psychology are designed to meet the educational requirements for both the State of California Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) licenses. The Master's in Counseling Psychology Program is designed to meet the educational requirements for the State of California Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) license. Students commuting from out-of-state must check with their local Board of Psychology to determine their state’s requirements for licensure.
Post-Graduate Credentialing
The following professional organizations offer students and graduates of the Somatic Psychology Concentration at Meridian University the opportunity to enhance their professional profile.
Students in the Somatic Psychology Concentration are eligible for Student Membership in the US Association of Body Psychotherapists, and graduates are eligible for Clinical Membership.
Students and graduates of the Somatic Psychology Concentration are eligible for Associate Membership with the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association. Coursework in the Somatic Psychology Concentration may fulfill some requirements for Independent Track certification as a Registered Somatic Movement Therapist (RSMT) and/or Registered Somatic Movement Educator (RSME).
Graduates of the Somatic Psychology Concentration are eligible for Associate Membership with the American Dance Therapy Association.
Student Profiles
Students in the Somatic Psychology Concentration are drawn from a diverse group of individuals, many of whom bring previous experience or training in embodied approaches to understanding human experience. Massage therapists, yoga teachers, dancers, and bodyworkers may be attracted to a graduate program in Somatic Psychology in order to expand their knowledge of the psychological dimensions of their work, and prospective students with a background in psychology are often hungry for ways to incorporate the lived experience of the body into a counseling practice.
Students in the Somatic Psychology Concentration share a commitment to exploring an emergent discipline through creative inquiry while simultaneously developing the personal and professional capacities of integrity, compassion, and embodied self-awareness.
Alumni Careers
Graduates of the Somatic Psychology Concentration may embark on careers as qualified mental health professionals working with individuals, families, and groups in a range of clinical settings, including private practice. The knowledge and skills acquired through a degree concentration in somatic psychology positions graduates to excel in settings that incorporate elements of health and wellness, including medical facilities, wellness centers, and addiction treatment facilities. Graduates may also choose to apply their expertise in somatic psychology to innovative areas of specialization outside clinical psychology, such as education, leadership, or the arts.
Faculty Profiles
Faculty who teach courses in the somatic psychology concentration include John Amodeo, Dyrian Benz, John Conger, Eleanor Criswell, Marti Glenn, Rae Johnson, Aftab Omer, and Laury Rappaport. You can find detailed biographies of our faculty members here.