Training Levels and Steps to Completion

The EQUUSOMA® Certificate Training is broken down into different levels, which must be completed in the order below. The following outline is current as of October 31, 2022.

EQUUSOMA® Level 1 – Online (102.5 hours)

  1. Attend the Fundamentals I online module (5 days, 27.5 hours) online — this is the first step for all interested students
  2. Attend the Foundations of Somatic Experiencing® module (5 days, 27.5 hours) online — Students who have
    • Students who have completed Beginning 1 and 2 of Somatic Experiencing® training are exempt from this module, but are encouraged to review the recordings at the auditing student rate, since we cover some material that is not covered in the Somatic Experiencing® training.
  3. Attend the Fundamentals II online module (5 days, 27.5 hours) online
  4. Complete 10 personal sessions of Somatic Experiencing® (10 hours)
  5. Complete 6 individual case consultations to answer questions related to theory and practice and to debrief case examples from your work to guide you in integrating the material (6 hours)
  6. Complete 4 assignment consultations to assist you in completing your Level 1 assignment: developing a 2-day workshop / clinic curriculum, or preparing a case conceptualization and treatment/service plan integrating EQUUSOMA® in your scope of practice (4 hours)
  7. Submit your assignment and signed log sheets documenting your credit hours (personal sessions and consultations)

Please note: The training modules themselves must be completed in the order listed here. For instance, for Level 1 online, this means:

  1. Attending EQUUSOMA® Fundamentals I prior to
  2. Attending Foundations of Somatic Experiencing® (for students lacking a background in Somatic Experiencing®), prior to
  3. Attending EQUUSOMA® Fundamentals II.

Students cannot register for Foundations of Somatic Experiencing® without having taken Fundamentals I first. Foundations of SE is not a standalone module as it builds on Fundamentals I.

Students cannot register for Level 2 in person practical intensives without having completed Level 1 online first.

The number of personal sessions and consultations listed above are the minimum requirement to complete the program. Students are encouraged to take as many additional sessions/consultations as required based on their needs.

EQUUSOMA® Level 2 – In Person (96 hours)

  • Completion of Level 1 is required to progress to Level 2
  • Attend Practical Intensive I in person (6 days, 41 hours)
  • Attend Practical Intensive II in person (6 days, 41 hours)
  • Complete 5 personal sessions of Somatic Experiencing® (5 hours)
  • Complete 6 individual case consultations to answer questions related to theory and practice and to debrief case examples from your work to guide you in integrating the material (6 hours)
  • Complete 2 assignment consultations to assist you in reviewing your original Level 1 assignment based on what you have learned in Level 2 (2 hours)
  • Complete 1 assignment review meeting with a different faculty member (1 hour)
  • Submit your Level 2 assignment and signed log sheets documenting your credit hours (personal sessions and consultations)

Note: We are currently working on adding a Level 3 to the training, based on student feedback and enthusiasm for the learning. Stay tuned for more information.

The number of personal sessions and consultations listed above are the minimum requirement to complete the program. Students are encouraged to take as many additional sessions/consultations as required based on their needs.

EQUUSOMA® Practitioner (ESP)

  • Completion of Levels 1 and 2 (and submission of assignments)
    • In future, the ESP designation may require completion of additional levels of training. The information listed here is current as of October 2022.
  • Completion of required readings
  • Submission of completed log sheets tracking your personal session and consultation hours
  • Completion of a scope of practice statement
  • Signed EQUUSOMA® code of ethics and standards of practice
  • Letter of recommendation from 1 EQUUSOMA® faculty member

Note: Additional requirements may be added depending on a particular training participant’s learning goals and skill sets. Due to the experiential and individualized nature of the EQUUSOMA® training, students may be required to complete additional requirements before achieving a particular training level or obtaining the EQUUSOMA® Practitioner designation. Progression through the steps as outlined (which may be subject to change) is not a guarantee of completion, as every student will integrate the material at different rates based on their nervous system and learning capacity. Any additional requirements will be considered on a case-by-case basis to support individual needs.

For additional information about the required personal session and consultation hours, please click on the PDF at the bottom of this page or read more information here.

Required Reading

The following texts are required reading for the course and can be completed at any time throughout the training process. There is no expectation that these readings be completed prior to any particular module.

There are also specific articles and resources provided during the modules that are required reading as well.

Recommended Reading

The training modules include additional course materials that are provided to students to further enhance knowledge and awareness, including theory and research articles from peer-reviewed journals, eBooks, and suggestions of other books and materials to review.

To Register

Submit a registration package, which are located on each individual event on the Events page or on the Documents page (in Letter and A4 format). An entirely electronic registration process is being developed to replace the PDF forms and will be available soon. If you have any questions about the training program, please contact our program liaison.

Note: The new EQUUSOMA® Policy Handbook – Student and Practitioner Edition (58 pages) is available for prospective and current students as of October 31, 2022. This handbook summarizes into one location the various policies and parameters that we have adopted over the years into one organized document, along with updates and improvements that are in effect as of the date of publication. All prospective and current students should review this document prior to proceeding. This document is available by request by contacting info@equusoma.com or liaison@equusoma.com.