Discovering Your Expanded Self Through Somatic Movement and Breath

One-Day Online Workshop, Five Hours 

Each of us has an everyday self that we assume ourselves to be. But what if there is more to us than meets the eye? What if there is an expanded version of our self that includes not only the habitual patterns, the lost parts, and the innate organization but also a connection to the grand, scintillating space of the universe and the possibilities it offers us?   

The expanded Self is both your greatest potential and your birthright. As it implies, we need not be limited in our vision, actions, dreams, and spirit when our body’s design and the mind’s reach offer us many ways to be an active and significant part of the world we see, experience, and create. 

Join renowned breathing/movement and somatic trauma resolution specialist Betsy Polatin for an experiential workshop exploring the expanded self through her Humanual support model. Humanual—a manual for being human—not only illustrates ideal function of the human body, it gives concrete instruction on how to facilitate a change in habitual responses. Humanual helps those who access it to break the binding patterns that repeat physical, mental, and emotional responses based on experience, allowing participants to meet each moment in a fresh way. 

This workshop offers each participant an opportunity to take the time and space to be with the thought and movement patterns that run our lives and show up in our body, mind, and spirit. Many of our habitual behaviors are so familiar that we hardly notice them. But we do notice when we are not thriving in the way we would like. Many of us have lost our connection to each other, the planet, ourselves, and our bodies, causing distress and discomfort. But in actuality, we have a wealth of resources inside us that we can learn to activate and use to our advantage to access health and well-being.  

Through Betsy’s guidance, participants will learn her Humanual version of support, suspension, and breath. The support includes our relational connection to ourselves, each other, and the planet. The suspension invites us to our expanded self. Breath brings us to the delicacy and vastness of inner movement. Participants will also examine how trauma and overwhelm can interfere with a sense of well-being and full expression of our life force. 

Betsy offers lectures and explanations that will be taken into experiential explorations. Participants explore gentle, non-taxing movement practices designed to discover the sensory world. In the workshop Betsy also works with some individuals to demonstrate the principles. 
 

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Betsy Polatin, MFA, SEP, an internationally recognized breathing/movement and somatic trauma resolution specialist, Betsy Polatin, MFA, SEP, AmSAT, was a professor in Theater and Music, at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts for 25 years. 
 
She is author of the best-seller, HUMANUAL, an Epic Journey to your Expanded Self, and The Actor's Secret. Her background includes 45 years of movement education and performance, as well as training in the Alexander Technique, yoga, meditation and spiritual practices, Breathing Coordination, trauma resolution, and the broader healing arts. Her work is greatly influenced by the teachings of spiritual and Meditation Masters. Betsy leads international trainings where she presents her unique and revolutionary fusion of ideas: scientific knowledge combined with ancient wisdom and intuitive human creativity.

Teaching experience includes: Touch and Movement in Trauma Therapy, Kripalu, The Embodiment Conference, Psychotherapy Networker, Performing Arts Medicine Association, U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapy, Science and Nonduality Conferences, and International Trauma and Yoga Conferences in the US and abroad.  

Since 2016, she has been co-teaching ongoing traveling workshops, themed "Trauma and the Performing Artist" and "Trauma in the Public Eye," with Peter A. Levine, PhD. She also teaches “Returning to Ourselves, the Wisdom of Trauma,” with Dr. Gabor Maté.  

Betsy is the author of a chapter in the forthcoming Norton Professional Series book, Somatic-Oriented Therapies – Embodiment, Trauma, Polyvagal Perspectives. As a well-known educator, she has published numerous articles in the Huffington Post. She has a training/non-training course and maintains an international private practice online. Learn more about Betsy’s work and practice at her website.  

Important Workshop Information

Accessibility

If you need to request accessibility accommodations, please email publicprograms@ciis.edu at least one week prior to the event. For more information, explore our Accessibility web page.

Recording Policy

Portions of this workshop will be recorded, and limited access to a recording will be made available to all ticket buyers.

Refund Policy

Tickets are fully refundable up to 7 days prior to the event start. Within 7 days of the event, a 50% partial refund is available. No refunds are available within 24 hours of the event start. Read our full refund policy at our Frequently Asked Questions web page.