EQUUSOMA® Level 1
2027 Certificate Program
2027 Registration Opening Soon!
The EQUUSOMA® Level 1 training program provides a grounding in the principles of trauma-informed care, relevant Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) skills and frameworks applied to humans and to equines, and practical applications of the neuroscience of attachment and the power of safety in relationships.
Level 1 is offered entirely online and is designed to help you explore equine-human relationships with a focus on repatterning the nervous system, repairing relational ruptures, and supporting trauma renegotiation, co-regulation, and resilience.
Eligibility:
- Professional streams: Our program is open to four different streams of professionals who work with equines and humans in a variety of scopes of practice.
- Personal stream: Starting in January 2026, individuals who are involved with equines in a non-professional capacity are welcome to register (such as individuals who own or lease horses and/or other equines, pleasure riders, individuals involved in equestrian sport, and so on).
Click here to learn more about each of these streams and how they experience the program.
Time to feel felt and Get Gotten™
Are you a professional who…
- Works with humans as your primary client (equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning practitioners, mental health professionals, experiential learning professionals, etc.)?
- Works with equines as your primary client (horse trainers, equine behaviour consultants, horsemanship instructors, equine bodyworkers, riding coaches, applied ethologists, animal communicators, veterinarians, etc.)?
- Or both?
Are you an individual who…
- Owns or leases an equine and/or is involved in horsemanship, riding, equestrian sport or volunteering with equines in a non-professional capacity and is interested in to learn more about trauma in equines, themselves, and in equine-human relationships?
If so, read to learn more about how our program can support your professional and/or personal development goals!
Why EQUUSOMA® ?
- Offered with special license and permission from Somatic Experiencing® International in Boulder, Colorado
- Cutting edge focus that moves beyond behaviourism into somatics, ethology, attachment, and interspecies neurobiology
- Integrates top-down awareness and bottom-up processing to support holistic change for humans and equines
- Promotes trauma-informed care principles in human-equine interactions in professional and personal settings
- Informed by the research literature and practice-based evidence
- Dedicated international team of faculty and training assistants
- Integrative interdisciplinary program with a high commitment to integrity and ethics
LEVEL 1
Complete the Level 1 training components through a mix of pre-recorded video and live online experiential learning!
Register now and start your journey in January 2026 through our new eLearning platform that streamlines your experience of the program, with all your resources, handouts, links, and key documents in one spot.
Our Theory Modules can be watched at your own pace at times that work with your schedule.
Our Practice Modules offer opportunities to join the rest of your herd live on Zoom to deepen the learning through practice and discussion.
Bonus Features!
- Monthly live Q&A during Theory Module 1
- Monthly live Q&A and demonstrations during Theory Modules 2 and 3
Scholarship
Spots
We offer scholarships for individuals facing financial barriers due to systemic marginalization or other experiences of adversity. Please review our recently updated scholarship process details here: Letter or A4. **Please note that the only way to secure a spot in the program is to register and pay in full (or begin a payment plan). You may wait to find out if you are approved for a scholarship before registering, at the risk that the program might fill in the meantime. Applicants who register to secure a spot and later learn they have been awarded a scholarship will receive a discount on the remaining amount owing towards their registration fee. Level 1 scholarship application deadline: November 19, 2026 (this is *not* the same deadline to register for Level 1, which is January 11, 2027)
Additional Level 1 Savings!
We love teams
Being on the same page in offering services is essential. If registering as a team of two people who deliver services together, each person is eligible for 10% off their Level 1 tuition.
Groups are great
If you are part of an organization or collective of professionals working together and want to integrate the EQUUSOMA® model on a broader scale, contact us. Groups of 3-6 people who work together and register at the same time are eligible for 20% off their Level 1 tuition.
Returning students and SE students
If you joined the EQUUSOMA® program from 2019-2023, or if you are a Somatic Experiencing® student or SEP, there may be special accommodations and discounts that apply depending on the circumstance. Review our Policies Handbook and Addenda or contact us for more information.
CONTACT US TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR DISCOUNTS AND FOR HOW TO ACCESS THESE SAVINGS*
*Some conditions apply; see the most recent revision of our Payment and Refund Policy for details.
Here’s what you’ll get
- 3 self-paced online Theory Modules
Watch at times that work for your life - Bonus Features and Video Library
Live Q&As and demonstrations (recorded) along with our soon to be released library of additional video material - Private Facebook group
Connect with your herd, ask questions, share information, and see updates
- 2 live online Practice Modules
Meet twice for 4 days to explore new skills with peers and the support of our faculty and training assistants - Access to training materials
Slides, handouts, resources, recommended readings, and videos will be delivered to you through the eLearning portal
4 months apart
2 months apart
2 months apart
6 weeks apart
*Taxes apply to Canadian residents and are applied at the checkout
**Please note: The 8-installment payment plan expires on November 21, 2025.
2026 Level 1 Schedule – 2027 Schedule Coming Soon
Theory Module 1:
- Monday January 8, 2024: Access begins
- Saturday January 20, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A
- Saturday February 17, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A
- Saturday March 16, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A
Theory Module 2:
- Monday March 25, 2024: Access begins
- Saturday April 6, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A + Demonstration
- Saturday May 4, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A + Demonstration
- Saturday June 1, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A + Demonstration
(There are two options available; students pick one based on their time zone)
- Friday July 12 to Monday July 15, 2024 (times to be determined), OR
- Friday August 9 to Monday August 12, 2024 (times TBD)
Theory Module 3:
- Monday September 9, 2024: Access begins
- Saturday September 28, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A + Demonstration
- Saturday October 19, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A + Demonstration
- Saturday November 16, 2024 at 9am Pacific: Live Q&A + Demonstration
(There are two options available; students pick one based on their time zone)
- Friday December 6 to Monday December 9, 2024 (times TBD), OR
- Friday January 10 to Monday January 13, 2025 (times TBD)
Interested in Level 2?
If you have already completed the Level 1 program, consider deepening your learning by registering for Level 2!
Our Level 2 training components consist of pre-recorded Theory Modules as well as live, in person Practice Modules with equines at different facilities around the world. Level 2 is an exclusive program with a smaller number of spots available, based on each venue, the number of equines available, and their needs.
Click here to secure your spot in a Level 2 cohort taking place in 2027.
Ready to Get Started?
Trauma can show up in any room and round pen. To quote Peter Levine, while trauma is a fact of life, it does not have to be a life sentence… for humans or equines. We look forward to you joining the herd! *Registration will open soon and will close when the cohort is sold out or on January 11, 2027.