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Malissa Turney is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner who has extensive experience working with people who have anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, phobias and the many other debilitating symptoms that can be related to trauma. She has been in practice, specializing in anxiety and trauma for over 25 years.

Malissa is a training assistant for the Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute trainings (SETI). In addition, Malissa has assisted DARe® - Dynamic Attachment Re patterning Experience, and BASE® - Bodywork and Somatic Education for Trauma Therapists. She is an approved session and consult provider for all levels of students seeking certification in Somatic Experiencing®. She is also an approved provider of group consultations for Somatic Experiencing® students in the Beginning and Intermediate year of their training.

Her Somatic Experiencing® Certification comes from more than 17 years of training in Trauma Resolution from the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute with the following teachers:

Peter Levine,PHD

Dr. Levine received his PhD in medical biophysics from the University of California at Berkeley, and also holds a doctorate in psychology from International University. He has worked in the field of stress and trauma for over 40 years.

He is the developer of Somatic Experiencing®.

Books by Dr. Levine

In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness

Waking the Tiger : Healing Trauma : The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences

Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body

Trauma-Proofing Your Kids: A Parents' Guide for Instilling Confidence, Joy and Resilience

Trauma Through a Child's Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing

It Won't Hurt Forever: Guiding Your Child Through Trauma

Sexual Healing

Diane Poole Heller,PHD

Dr. Heller is an an established expert in the field of trauma resolution, Attachment Models and Integrative healing techniques. As a Senior Faculty member for SETI, Diane teaches Somatic Experiencing in the US and Internationally. Her book “Crash Course”, a guidebook on how to resolve auto accident trauma, is used as a resource for healing general trauma in the US and internationally.

Ariel Giarretto, MFT, SEP, LMT,

Ariel Giarretto has been specializing in the treatment of both shock and developmental trauma since 1993. She practices in the US, Europe, and Canada as a somatic psychotherapist, a teacher and consultant. She works closely with Dr. Levine, and is a practitioner and teacher of his model. She is intimately involved with the SE training programs and assists and mentors students worldwide.

Two Year Training

BASE®, Bodywork and Somatic Education for Trauma Therapists with Dave Berger

Dave Berger, LCMHC, PT, MA, SEP, Faculty has practiced physical therapy and psychotherapy for 29 years, uniquely integrating his practices for clients with physical pain and movement problems, trauma histories, back and neck problems, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. He uses a diverse array of traditional and complementary healing practices. Dave is a certified Somatic Experiencing practitioner, consultant and faculty trainer in SE, In addition to teaching the Somatic Experiencing® model, Dave also teaches a post-advanced training in BASE®, Bodywork and Somatic Education for trauma therapists.

Informing Malissa's work also comes from participation in field related workshops:

  • Healing Attachment Wounds, DARe - Diane Poole Heller,PHD
  • Working with Affective (Emotional) Symptoms - SE Faculty, Raja Selvam, PhD,
  • Sensory Integration & Affect Regulation - Ana Do Valle, OTR, SEP and Robert Scaer, MD,SEP author of "The Trauma Spectrum"

Asheville, North Carolina is home to her practice since 1995.

The Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute Training is approved by the:

  • American Psychological Association
  • National Board of Certified Counselors
  • National Association of Social Workers
  • California Board of Behavioral Sciences
  • California Board of Registered Nursing
  • National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
  • National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork
  • Rolf Institute Elective Credit
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