Educational Requirements of the Global Somatics™ Practitioner Training

School Calendar GRDGS utilizes an open enrollment procedure with courses and workshops occurring throughout the year. Courses are available during mornings, afternoons, and weekends. For exact times, refer to the current class schedule.

Holidays and vacations No classes are held on New Years Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Please see class schedule for holiday dates and breaks.

Attendance Students are required to attend all scheduled class hours. Students reporting to school must be free of contagious illness or symptoms such as fever, chills, or severe cough. Students must come prepared to participate in class through movement, giving and receiving bodywork, lecture and process. Weekly homework should be completed in preparation for class. The instructor may use discretion regarding the student's ability to participate. Students unable to participate may be sent home and will be required to make up the missed time.

Missed Class Report All hours missed must be made up immediately before the next class with another student or Global Somatics™ or BMC practitioner and a missed class report filed. If more than 10% of course hours are missed, they must be made up directly with the teacher and pay her hourly fee for private work (see Additional Costs). No credit is given if more than 25% of classes are missed. A time clock tracks classroom attendance. Students are responsible for signing in/out.

Tardiness Classes start and end on schedule. When necessary, leeway of 15 minutes is negotiated. Students must inform the office in advance if they know they are going to be late or need to leave early. In emergency situations, immediate phone calls are required. Students are responsible for all verbal and written information given during class time. After three times of being late or leaving early 30 minutes, the student will have to file a missed class report and show documentation of one hour of extra practice. If a student has consistent unexcused tardiness, they will be asked to schedule an appointment with the Director to discuss their commitment to their education. At the discretion of the Director the student may be dropped from the course.

Grading Scale and Criteria Evaluation is a process of ongoing assessment by the student, the director, teachers, and peers on the student's embodiment and understanding of the Global Somatics™ content and process, her/his demonstration of professional skills of perception, facilitation and creation, and her/his learning process and participation within the learning community. The director, teacher and peers observe the student's participation in classes. The teacher/director assesses written and verbal homework, and evaluates through competency demonstrations. The Global Somatics Certification Program is a spirallic learning process that guides and supports the students to

• Embody the personal Self
  
• Perceive embodiment in self and others
  
• Understand anatomy/physiology, and the principles, techniques and process of Global Somatics™
  
• Facilitate others through movement, touch, voice and dialogue
  
• Create and apply the work in own unique way

Symbols of evaluation:

• 4 exceeds benchmark excellent/creative application (Student performance/evidence demonstrates all 5 parts of spiral)
  
• 3 above benchmark has demonstrated 4 out of five
  
• 2 benchmark has demonstrated 3 out of 5 in spiral
  
• 1 below benchmark has demonstrated 2 out of 5

The school's grading system is as follows:

• 100% - 70% = Pass (bench mark and above 2-4)
  
• 69% & below = Fail (below benchmark 1)

The grading criteria includes class participation, competency demonstrations, written and practical assignments, including outside documentations, exams and attendance. All required work must be completed by the end of the class. An extension may be granted for family/medical leave reasons only. Students are to arrange this extension with the instructor.

If a student fails, a re-exam is required until a passing grade 75% or better is achieved.

This re-exam may be in the format of taking the whole course again, making up specific classes, having tutorials, or doing extra projects. A student will not receive certification until the re-exam is passed.

Progress Reports If a student is having difficulties, the student should inform the instructor and a plan to solve the problem will be developed and implemented. For every course, students complete a thorough Self Assessment of Course Learner Objectives and an Evidence and Assessment Form of assignments. At the beginning of each new season, students set personal goals for the season and make requests to the program. Then, the director meets with the student to evaluate the past season and plan for growth and success in the upcoming season. At the end of year I and II, the director writes a narrative on student progress and an academic report of course work for that year.

Previous Credit If a student has attended GRDGS classes, The School for Body-Mind Centering or has had life work experience in the field of somatic education and bodywork, GRDGS may consider giving credits towards the hours attended. The program director determines the value of credit exchanges. Previous credit will be considered if hourly attendance from another school is applicable to GRDGS hourly standards. To receive the credits, the student must:

• Have taken and passed the course within the past two years
• Transcripts are to be made available from schools attended.
• If the student has taken and passed the course but it has been longer than two years, the student may test out through a written and competency demonstration.
• (See Additional Costs and Serious Student Contract)

Student Records and Files GRDGS keeps Minnesota student records permanently. The school will provide a copy of transcript or a student's records/files upon written request by the student. Access to student records will be limited to instructors, administration and regulating and accrediting bodies.

Faculty, course and program evaluations Suggestions are always welcome to improve the teaching, courses and program. Written course and faculty evaluations are issued at the end of each course. At the end of each year, a written program evaluation is conducted to ensure the school is successful in meeting its goals and student needs.

Serious Student Contract The Serious Student Contract (SSC) provides an opportunity to take courses at your own pace, for personal embodiment and for professional recognition. SSC is designed for Continuing Education Credit or potential future enrollment in the Global Somatics Practitioner Training. Potential candidates for the Global Somatics Practitioner Training gain a realistic experience of the work, teaching and curriculum.

To qualify as a “Serious Student”, applicants must follow all Global Somatics™ course procedures; including successful registration, pre-requisite requirements, tuition plus a $130 Serious Student fee per course. “Serious Students” commit to regular attendance, class homework, and a final review meeting with Suzanne River. A file is kept on attendance and performance and the student receives a certificate of course completion. This certificate serves as evidence for continuing education. “Serious Students” can apply completed course work towards Global Somatic Practitioner Training or future GRDGS courses in the following ways:

• Retake a previously completed course at a 50% off list price and complete all required certification homework.
• Retake specific classes of a previously completed course to deepen embodiment and facilitation of specific material at a 50% off list price of a class.
• Test out of a previously completed course by completing the Course Self Evaluation, required

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, students must successfully complete all coursework (classroom and homework), fulfill all financial obligations and merit a testimony of character and skill from the director, faculty and peers. Graduates sign a contract with GRDGS promising to stay in contact once yearly to update their listing on the Directory, to join one professional organization which offers ethical guidelines for practice and to use the appropriate language for Global Somatics™ in all their publicity.

Competency Demonstration

For certification as a practitioner of Global Somatics™, students must demonstrate competency in the following areas:

1. Experiential Anatomy of Global Somatics™ based in the maps and approaches of several somatic modalities, primarily the Body-Mind Centering® Approach

• Understand the anatomy and physiology of the Body Systems: Skeletal, Organ, Fluids, Ligamentous, Muscle, Endocrine, Nervous, Vocal, Cellular and Energy
• Embodiment of the body's systems and their interrelationships through vibration, breath, movement, touch, sound, art, ceremony and psychophysical awareness
  
• Understand the Vibrational Aspects™ model of the Subtle Energy Bodies and Chakra System
• Embodiment of the Vibrational Aspects through vibration, breath, movement, touch, sound, art, ceremony and psychophysical awareness

2. Movement Education

• Ability to perceive and initiate movement from all of the body's systems
• Understanding of the Developmental Movement Patterns and their corresponding Reflexes, Righting Reactions and Equilibrium Responses
• Ability to perform the Developmental Movement Patterns with support from different body systems in formal sequences and improvised movement
• Application of the Developmental Movement Patterns and Body Systems to movement modalities including but not limited to Authentic Movement, Laban Movement Analysis, Contact Improvisation, Modern Dance, Yoga and Sports

3. Movement Repatterning

• Understand the theory and process of movement repatterning.
• Ability to facilitate movement repatterning based on embodiment of the Body's Systems and Developmental Movement Patterns
• Ability to use one's body as a grounded, self-referring and transformative instrument while facilitating repatterning
• Ability to use touch, demonstration, movement, active perception, voice, energy work and verbal dialogue in movement repatterning
• Ability to create appropriate movement exercises for specific training

4. Intentional Touch and Repatterning

• Understand the theory and process of Intentional Touch
• Embody authenticity as a practitioner - demonstrating presence, resonance, intuition, knowledge and experience
• Ability to apply principles and techniques that express the functioning of each particular body system, the developmental movement patterns and the vibrational field
• Ability to analyze a syndrome or health difficulty in the language of experiential anatomy
• Ability to use one's body as a grounding, self-referring and transformative instrument while touching
• Ability to create safe space and clear boundaries

5. Vocalization and Verbal Communication

• Embodiment of the voice with ability to initiate sound from all of the body systems and to listen to both tone and silence
• Practice of aligning verbal communication with non-verbal, cellular dialogue
• Practice of the ongoing dialogue with respect, permission and ongoing articulation of the Global Somatics™ process
• Exposure to a variety of counseling methods including Active Listening, the Option Method™, LearningMethods™ and community council

6. Expressive Arts and Ceremony

• Understanding of the appropriate use of the expressive arts (visual art, singing, writing, theatre and dance) and ceremony to facilitate the psychophysical process
• Practice in authentic visual art, singing, writing, performance and ceremony as keys to the perceptual process

7. Assessment Skills

• Understand and explore the purpose and process of assessment for self, in personal relationships, with clients and students
• Practice assessments from a multi-systems and developmental perspective
• Practice assessment using the reference of the Natural Body, the Perceptual-Response Cycle, Expressive/Shadow systems and Vibrational Aspects™ listening

8. Professionalism

• Understand and demonstrate the ethics and responsibilities of being a professional in somatic education and therapy
• Demonstrate the ability to create records, write case studies and plan classes
• Introduction to business management to advance personal career in the field of Somatics

Download GS Practitioner Training Curriculum Requirements