Full Embodiment MethodProfessional training program developed by Ariel Giarretto
What is FEP? What is Full Embodiment Method education?
After years of development, Full Embodiment (FE) brings together the latest somatic treatment methods with trauma-informed sex education. This program recognizes the common dilemmas and challenges therapists face in their work, as well as the various ways in which people around the world struggle with shame and a lack of connection to their bodies and sexuality. That is why FE has been carefully designed for anyone who wants to find their way back to themselves, to pleasure, and to deeper intimacy. It is aimed at people who are reluctant to experience their bodies, who associate pleasure with shame, who experienced sexual abuse in their childhood, who feel marginalized, who have faced gender-based or racial violence, bullying, or religious oppression, and who are struggling with intergenerational trauma.
The FEP program has several goals and objectives:
1/ The program guides everyone with love and patience in finding a sense of ease, familiarity, and comfort in their own bodies. Through gentle, step-by-step exercises and proven techniques, it invites participants to reflect on their experiences with sexuality and gender in a deeper, more personal way. It encourages participants to write in a journal, examine their own biases, discover their dreams and goals, and lovingly let go of old beliefs, so that they can get to know their bodies and sensuality in a new, meaningful way.
2/ In addition, FE offers a wide range of exercises that help therapists develop the skills and confidence needed to treat and discuss sensitive and often delicate topics, such as the body, sexuality, sexual dysfunctions, relationship problems, and sexual trauma. The knowledge gained through the program contributes to an effective approach to common client concerns. To supplement the content of the modules, various books, articles, and videos are recommended.
3/ The greater mission:
To me, it’s extremely important that we feel comfortable in our own bodies and approach sexuality in a relaxed way; I consider this a political act. I am convinced that by reclaiming our bodies on our own terms, carefully acknowledging our traumas, and learning to be unashamedly present in every fiber of our being, we can form a powerful counter-movement against generations of body shaming, misogyny, imposed shame, and the avoidance of or discomfort surrounding sexuality. The goal is to restore a healthy connection with ourselves and with others and—more importantly—to eradicate gender-based violence and sexual abuse. It is essential that we do not pass on this discomfort and these traumas to the next generation. As helping professionals, we have a responsibility not only to our clients but also to our children, grandchildren, and partners to work on feeling comfortable in our own bodies and to support others in all matters related to sexuality and abuse. This is an often-underestimated but fundamental birthright.
Who are we, at our core?
If we were to remove all social conditioning, the religious and cultural messages to which we have been exposed, all the generations of disembodiment and shame, all the judgments and expectations of family and peers, and all the traumas we have experienced:
• Who are we, really, deep down?
• How can we inhabit our bodies in a way that reflects our true nature?
• How can we express and receive affection, sensuality, and sexuality… on our own terms… in the most sincere and authentic way possible?
• How can we move beyond the generations of primarily religious leaders who were determined to define the “appropriate” traits and behaviors of a “man” or “woman”?
• How do we recognize our desires and attractions, and identify what stands in their way? Are they genuine, or have they been learned?
• What is the best way to break old patterns in relationships and work toward healthy intimacy?
• How can we specifically heal what has been damaged by the factors mentioned above?
How is it done:
By signing up for this program, you’re taking a powerful step toward healing! Please note: During the workshops, we do NOT address sexual trauma, and you will not be asked to share your personal history or specific events.
There will also be no demonstrations in which sexual trauma is discussed again.
If traumatic experiences come up—which, of course, can happen—experienced therapists are available to provide you with private counseling during and between modules to support you as needed. The program places a strong emphasis on recovery and healing vulnerable areas through new experiences.
The program offers professionals a variety of effective exercises and strategies to help even the most challenging clients. And it is designed with the intention and focus of supporting professionals in developing greater calm, joy, and comfort in their own bodies. At the same time, it boosts their self-confidence and provides the necessary knowledge to communicate about everything related to the body, sexuality, sexual dysfunctions, relationship issues, and sexual trauma.
Although some modules are open to a limited number of non-professionals, the Practitioner Certificate is not a standalone program. It is intended exclusively for clinicians with an established practice in body-oriented or mental health care. If you are already part of the SE community and have completed at least the first year of the SE training (or other body-oriented training programs), your admission to the certification program will most likely be approved.
The program consists of four modules. Each module lasts three full days.
You can choose to take just one or several modules for professional or personal growth. Each module has a very different focus, and they build on one another.
All modules combine lectures, videos, demonstrations, the latest research, group discussions, movement, and dance, as well as various gentle and respectful exercises. This creates a powerful and multifaceted program. Conscious body awareness, following sensations, and self-touch are core exercises through which we learn to recognize our bodies as the ultimate source of experience.
– The language of instruction for the training is English.
Dates
| Modules | Dates | Teacher |
| Module 1 | November 11–14, 2027 | Ariel Giarretto |
| Module 2 | June 2–5, 2028 | Ariel Giarretto |
| Module 3 | November 16–19, 2028 | Ariel Giarretto |
| Module 4 | 8 – 11 maart 2029 | Ariel Giarretto |
Course Content:
Module 1:
Essential Strategies for Healing from Sexual Trauma and Sexuality.
We all work with clients who experienced sexual trauma as children, were sexually abused as adults, and grew up with strong religious teachings. They present with overwhelming shame, dissociation, flashbacks, and issues related to sexual and gender identity and body image. They experience their bodies with disgust and as frightening, dangerous places they must avoid, and they often struggle with sexual incompatibilities in their relationships. This workshop is designed to address precisely these challenges and is intended to help practitioners acquire a variety of new and effective tools to best serve these clients, even the most challenging ones. Introduction to materials and exercises not covered in the Somatic Experiencing training.
Contents
• Recognize how sexual trauma has a unique impact on people.
• Help clients with complex histories identify clear goals, so that both of you know where you’re headed, get the permission you need to give them a nudge, and then take the most direct path to recovery.
• Learn gentle, measured approaches that support those who are most reluctant to inhabit their bodies.
• Learn some of the latest scientific insights in the field of sex education that will help you explain essential facts to your clients, thereby normalizing behavior and reducing shame.
• Learn several exercises that support regulation in the present moment—to minimize daily triggers and provide resources and stability right now, without having to work through specific content or history.
• Working with male survivors.
• Discover several mindfulness exercises that help alleviate fear—to help clients restore a sense of safety in their bodies, especially when interacting with others.
• The order and steps that are most effective for processing sexual trauma without causing further trauma.
Module 2:
Uncovering the roots of sexual trauma.
Deze module vormt de basis van het volledige programma.
We explore the developmental patterns and other formative influences that disrupt a relaxed, shame-free relationship with ourselves as sexual/sensual beings.
• We will gradually restore what has been damaged by generations of sexual oppression, misogyny, and cultural and religious influences.
• Participants develop a personalized body-oriented therapy, set well-considered goals, and begin to transform shame into joy.
• Time will be spent addressing biases and dealing with triggers—including developing a comfortable way to talk about sex and anatomy.
This module focuses on self-exploration and personal development, but it also offers numerous useful strategies for therapists who work with sexuality and trauma.
Clients, colleagues, friends, and partners who are in a stable situation are welcome to participate in this program. We will not be addressing sexual trauma directly.
There will be reading recommendations, writing assignments, peer support between modules, and mandatory group counseling.
Module 3:
The energy of intimacy, attachment, and sexuality
Discovering the subtleties of an intimate relationship.
This module focuses on connecting with yourself, your heart, and your body while being in the presence of others. It is open to individuals, whether or not they are in a relationship, and to those who are sexually active or not.
You don’t need to be in a romantic relationship to benefit greatly from this program. Your partner doesn’t need to be present either. This workshop welcomes partners or colleagues of somatic participants who are not professionals.
We will examine the subtle and not-so-obvious ways in which we interact intimately with one another, and uncover levels of disconnection, meaning-making, closure, and withdrawal that occur beneath the surface of conscious awareness.
Topics include:
• Understanding attachment styles and how they influence intimacy.
• Identify the most effective ways for couples to process and share their experiences, taking into account processing speeds and individual differences.
• Learn more about your own “erotic style.”
• Discover your deepest desires and longings, and notice what stands in the way of embracing them.
• Practice asking for what you want and learn to receive it.
Module 4:
Further Strategies for Healing Sexual Trauma and Sexuality
This module is more informational in nature and addresses common sexual and intimacy issues that arise among couples and individuals—both straight and queer.
Topics:
• Common sexual and intimacy issues among couples.
• Low or absent libido.
• Spicing up long-term relationships.
• Sex and Aging.
• Pelvic and sexual symptoms—including vaginismus, chronic pain, and common sexual dysfunctions—for both women and men.
• Infertility.
• Male survivors.
• Pornography, kink, and BDSM.
• Plus time for questions and case studies that need to be discussed.
Ariel Giaretto
Ariel Giarretto, MS (she/they) is a body-oriented therapist, trainer, and somatic sex educator. With a postgraduate degree in counseling psychology and a license as a marriage and family therapist in California, USA, she has a rich background in studying various somatic and touch therapies. Her work is primarily inspired by Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing (SE). Since first encountering SE in 1999, she has dedicated herself fully to teaching it since 2005.
In the 1990s, she was affiliated with the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, where she worked as a workshop leader, group facilitator, private therapist, and member of the bodywork and massage team. During this period, she completed intensive training with renowned sexuality and tantra experts such as Carolyn and Charles Muir, Margo Anand, Jack Rosenberg, Paul Carter, and many other somatic teachers and touch therapists.
In 2015, she earned her certification as a Somatic Sex Educator at the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco (which has since closed). Her expertise focuses, among other things, on sexual and gender-based violence, as well as a wide range of sexual and relationship issues. She has been asked to train therapists who work with Ukrainian war refugees and victims of war violence. In addition, she is a co-developer of “The Full Embodiment Model,” a gentle and transformative workshop method that supports people in recovering from the impact of sexual trauma, abuse, and disembodiment.
Although she recently closed her private practice, for many years she specialized in counseling couples dealing with childhood sexual abuse, conflicting libidos, sexual dysfunction, and infertility. Her profound mission is to lovingly guide everyone—regardless of their history of trauma, identity, or sexual orientation—toward experiencing pleasure, peace, and even ecstasy in their bodies and in connection with others.
You can find more information about FEP and Ariel Giarretto on the following webpage: www.fullembodiment.orgI
The training
FEP
consists of
four modeles
Practical information
Costs and Payment
The program consists of four modules. Each module lasts three full days.
Price per module:
– €830 full price
– €780 with an early-bird discount, paid by September 11, 2027, for Module 1
Payment for each module must be made in full before the module begins.
You can also register for all 4 modules at once.
Prices for all 4 modules:
– €3,200 total price
– €3,000 with an early-bird discount, paid by September 11, 2027, for all 4 modules
Other fees – Certificate of completion
De FEP-training bestaat uit 4 modules. Studenten die een certificaat van voltooiing voor de volledige training willen ontvangen en een erkend FEP-practitioner willen worden, hebben nog het volgende te voltooien.
– Groepsconsultaties: 6 besloten sessies met Ariel (flexibel in te plannen) of een individuele sessie met een erkende SSHP-aanbieder.
– Integratie & Casuïstiek: Minimaal 5 sessies met mij of een erkende SSHP-aanbieder om casussen te bespreken, vragen te stellen en de FE-methoden succesvol in jouw praktijk te integreren.
Prijs & data: € 40 per sessie voor de groepsconsultaties; data worden nog aangekondigd. Voor de integratiesessies gelden aparte, extra kosten.
– Persoonlijke sessies (6 verplicht): Bedoeld om persoonlijke triggers uit de modules te verwerken, zodat je met meer aandacht klaarstaat voor je cliënten en naasten.
– Uitvoering & Tarieven: De persoonlijke sessies vinden plaats bij externe, erkende FE-model-therapeuten. Dit tarief verschilt per therapeut en stem je vooraf rechtstreeks met hen af.
De kosten voor consultaties en ervaringssessies komen bovenop de trainingskosten.
Belangrijk: De overige kosten kunnen voor 2027 nog iets veranderen!
Bij de trainingskosten zijn de kosten van het studiehandboek inbegrepen, koffie/thee/water en pauzesnacks. Copyright en het eigendomsrecht van het opleidingsmateriaal berust bij FEP.
Cancellation
If you cancel before 2 months before the start of the training, an administrative fee of €90 will apply. If you cancel from 2 months to 3 weeks before the start of the course, you will pay a 30% cancellation fee. If you cancel from 3 weeks to 7 working days before the start, you pay 70% of the course fee. In case of later cancellation or if you do not cancel / do not show up, you will pay 100% of the course fee. Failure to pay the participation fee never counts as cancellation. Cancellation must be made in writing (e-mail, letter).
Location
Kop van Kessel-lo
Leuvensestraat 18
3010 Leuven
Kop van Kessel-lo ligt centraal en is gemakkelijk bereikbaar, met auto, openbaar vervoer of te voet. (op 400 meter van station Leuven)
Via the following link, you can choose from various car parks in the vicinity: https://www.vergaderzaal-kvk.be/parkeren/
Class times
De lestijden tijdens de opleidingsmodules zijn van 10.00 – 18.00 uur met een lunch pauze van 2 uren.
This may vary slightly every day if there is a slight delay or if we stop a little earlier.
De eerste dag zal het onthaal starten om 9u15. We vragen aan iedereen om tijdig toe te komen zodat je je kan inschrijven, orienteren, een plekje in de zaal kan vinden, etc. en zodat we samen om 10.00 uur kunnen starten.
The teaching language is English.
Information on participation and certification:
Je kunt ervoor kiezen je in te schrijven voor één of meerdere modules ter ondersteuning van je professionele en persoonlijke ontwikkeling. Als je een lichaamsgerichte therapeut bent, of een SE student of SE therapeut, kun je alle vier de modules volgen en deelnemen aan verplichte supervisies en persoonlijke sessies met een gekwalificeerde therapeut. Dit traject leidt tot een certificaat als Somatisch Seksualiteitstherapeut.
Huidige SE studenten die studiepunten nodig hebben voor het SEP-opleiding, kunnen na afronding van elke module, 2u aan credits van de faculteit krijgen.
Certificering en vereisten:
Als Somatisch Seksueel Genezend Beoefenaar ontvang je een certificaat dat laat zien dat je een uitgebreide training hebt afgerond in trauma-geïnformeerde, somatische seksuele genezing.
Afgestudeerden worden opgenomen in een gratis therapeutenregister op mijn website als je je daarvoor aanmeldt. Dit platvorm helpt je om je netwerk uit te breiden en te zorgen voor meer doorverwijzingen. Want de vraag naar professionele begeleiding op het gebied van somatiek en trauma-geïnformeerde seksualiteit is groter dan ooit en blijft groeien. Er is een schrikbarend tekort aan opgeleide professionals die bedreven zijn in de milde, trauma-geïnformeerde principes van Somatic Experiencing®, gecombineerd met inzicht in de complexiteit van seksualiteit, seksueel trauma en seksuele disfuncties.
Registration
De aanmeldingen gaan binnenkort van start en kunnen via deze webpagina gedaan worden. Wil je als eerste op de hoogte zijn? Meld je dan gerust aan voor onze nieuwsbrief.
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