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🚨 Somatic Experiencing (SE) Course

Welcome to the Somatic Experiencing (SE) Course for Everyday People (professionals & non-professionals) Free Course by Everything IFS Academy | Somatic Experiencing (SE) Somatic Experiencing, or SE, was developed by Dr. Peter Levine, who began shaping it in the 1970s around one simple, striking question: why do wild animals shake off life-or-death encounters and walk away unscathed, while a person can carry a single frightening moment for years? Trained in both medical biophy

SE Course - Correct

2 min read

An older man with short gray hair sits at a wooden desk in a warmly lit study, viewed entirely from behind so that his face is never visible. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with books frame the room, while large windows overlook sunlit trees outside. Papers, books, and personal objects are arranged neatly across the desk, suggesting a lifetime devoted to learning, research, and reflection. Natural daylight fills the space, highlighting rich wood textures and creating a calm, thoughtful atmosphere. The image serves as a symbolic representation of Peter Levine and his contributions to Somatic Experiencing, emphasizing contemplation, observation, and the development of ideas rather than portraying a recognizable likeness. The composition feels scholarly, reflective, and grounded, with the unseen face directing attention toward the work and legacy rather than the individual himself.

Module 2 — Who Is Peter Levine? | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on the life and discoveries of Dr. Peter Levine, the founder of Somatic Experiencing (SE): his background in medical biophysics and psychology, his work as a NASA stress consultant, the wild-animal observation behind his book Waking the Tiger, and his central conclusion that animals discharge survival energy and complete the response while humans tend to override it. Every lesson ends with a Somatic Experiencing practice so you can begin applying the

SE Course - Correct

4 min read

A woman sits cross-legged on a floor cushion in a bright, sunlit room, writing thoughtfully in a small notebook. Around her are simple, calming objects—a candle, houseplants, bookshelves, and a singing bowl—arranged neatly within a warm and uncluttered living space. Natural daylight streams through a large window, illuminating soft textures and earthy tones throughout the room. The image conveys a sense of slowing down, careful attention, and measured engagement rather than emotional intensity. As a metaphor for titration in Somatic Experiencing, the scene represents approaching difficult experiences in small, manageable amounts rather than all at once, allowing the nervous system to process gradually and safely. The quiet act of focused reflection symbolizes working with experience one small piece at a time, emphasizing patience, pacing, and sustainable healing.

Module 8 — Titration | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on titration in Somatic Experiencing (SE): how the term is borrowed from chemistry, where it means adding one drop at a time, what it means to contact only a small amount of difficult activation at once, why overwhelm is too much, too fast, too soon, what flooding is and why it backfires, touching the edge of a sensation rather than its center, and the principle that less is more and slower is better.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman stands at the center of a landscape divided between two contrasting environments. On one side, dark storm clouds gather over a turbulent ocean as lightning flashes across the sky, creating a sense of intensity and activation. On the other side, bright sunlight illuminates rolling green hills, wildflowers, and a peaceful valley stretching into the distance. Viewed from behind, the woman faces the meeting point between these two worlds, neither overwhelmed by the storm nor lost in the calm. The image serves as a visual metaphor for pendulation in Somatic Experiencing—the gentle movement of attention back and forth between activation and regulation, discomfort and safety, allowing the nervous system to process difficult experiences without becoming overwhelmed. Bright cinematic lighting, rich environmental contrast, and expansive natural scenery emphasize balance, resilience, and the body's capacity to move between states and gradually return to equilibrium.

Module 9 — Pendulation | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on pendulation in Somatic Experiencing (SE): the nervous system's natural swing between activation and settling, how activation rises and recedes like a wave, the trauma vortex as the pull of difficult sensation and the counter-vortex of resource and steadiness it swings against, and how moving between charge and calm shows the system it can recover.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman stands on a rocky coastline overlooking the ocean as the sun hangs low near the horizon. Dressed in light-colored clothing, she stretches her arms wide and lifts her face toward the open sky, her posture conveying a sense of release, completion, and renewed energy. Sunlight reflects across the water while rugged cliffs and shoreline textures frame the scene. The expansive seascape and open body posture serve as a visual metaphor for discharge and completion in Somatic Experiencing—the natural release of stored survival energy after a threat has passed and the restoration of a sense of flow, ease, and regulation. Bright natural daylight, realistic textures, and a wide, uncluttered composition create an atmosphere of resolution, spaciousness, and nervous system recovery.

Module 10 — Discharge and Completion | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on discharge and completion in Somatic Experiencing (SE): how bound survival energy releases through trembling, warmth, a deeper breath, and subtle movement, what biological completion means, how the body finishes the fight or flight it could not finish, the return of active defenses and a felt sense of agency, and why SE renegotiates a response in the present rather than reliving the event.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman sits quietly on a large rock beneath a sprawling tree, overlooking a vast mountain landscape bathed in warm sunlight. Rolling hills, winding paths, wildflowers, and distant ridgelines stretch toward the horizon under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. Viewed from behind, she appears deeply attentive to her surroundings, taking in the sights, sounds, sensations, and atmosphere of the environment. The image evokes mindful awareness and embodied presence, symbolizing the SIBAM model in Somatic Experiencing—the practice of noticing Sensation, Imagery, Behavior, Affect, and Meaning as interconnected aspects of experience. Rich natural textures, expansive depth, and luminous daylight create a sense of grounded observation and connection between inner experience and the external world.

Module 11 — The SIBAM Model | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on the SIBAM model in Somatic Experiencing (SE): the five channels of any experience, Sensation, Image, Behavior, Affect, and Meaning, how they flow together in a whole experience, how overwhelm fragments them so one channel carries the charge while others go blank, the over-coupling and under-coupling of channels, and how to use SIBAM as a lens for puzzling reactions.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman stands in a bright, sunlit kitchen beside a large window, pausing in the middle of an ordinary daily routine. With one hand resting on her chest and the other on her abdomen, she appears to be gently noticing her body's sensations and breathing. Natural daylight streams through the window, illuminating hanging plants, wooden furniture, pottery, and other everyday household details. The warm, lived-in environment conveys a sense of calm presence rather than retreat from life. The image symbolizes the practical use of Somatic Experiencing in everyday moments—bringing awareness to the body, regulating the nervous system, and reconnecting with the present while engaged in normal daily activities. Bright natural lighting, realistic textures, and a welcoming domestic setting emphasize that healing and self-regulation can happen in the midst of ordinary life.

Module 12 — Using Somatic Experiencing in Everyday Life | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on using Somatic Experiencing (SE) in everyday life: how the skills layer into one connected practice, from perceiving the body to building safety, reading the window, pacing with titration and pendulation, and allowing release; how to read a charged moment and choose the skill that fits; SE as an ongoing relationship with the nervous system; and where everyday practice ends and professional support begins.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman sits calmly on a woven rug in a spacious room, viewed from behind as she faces a large arched window filled with bright natural daylight. Beyond the window stretches a peaceful landscape of rolling green hills, a winding river, and distant mountains beneath a blue sky dotted with soft clouds. The room itself is visually divided into contrasting emotional states: on the left, dark storm clouds and flashes of lightning create a sense of overwhelm and chaos; on the right, warm golden light, soft textures, and a comfortable chair evoke safety and calm. Positioned between these extremes, the woman appears grounded and centered, symbolizing the Window of Tolerance—the capacity to remain present and regulated while navigating between states of hyperarousal and emotional shutdown. The image uses dramatic environmental contrast and bright, cinematic lighting to represent balance, resilience, and nervous system regulation.

Module 7 — The Window of Tolerance | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on the window of tolerance in Somatic Experiencing (SE): the zone of arousal where a person can stay present and think clearly, hyperarousal as the keyed-up state above the window, hypoarousal as the shut-down or numb state below it, how to recognize which zone the body is in through the felt sense, and how the window widens over time.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman stands barefoot on a rocky overlook above a sunlit mountain landscape, her attention gently moving between the environment around her, the sensation of her feet on the ground, and the rhythm of her breath. Subtle streams of glowing light connect her body to the earth beneath her while circular visual vignettes highlight three key Somatic Experiencing skills: orienting to the surrounding world, grounding through physical contact with the earth, and using the gentle “Voo” breath to support nervous system regulation. Bright natural daylight, expansive scenery, realistic textures, and cinematic detail create a visual metaphor for reconnecting with safety, stability, and present-moment awareness through the body.

Module 6 — Grounding, Orienting, and the Voo Breath | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on the settling tools of Somatic Experiencing (SE): grounding, which anchors attention in the weight and support of the body; orienting and the orienting response, which let the senses take in the surroundings and confirm safety; and the Voo breath, a long, low toned exhale that stimulates the vagus nerve and eases the body toward its calming, parasympathetic side.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman sits peacefully in a sunlit mountain meadow while glowing threads of light connect her heart to a constellation of floating scenes surrounding her. Each scene represents a different source of support and stability: a comforting hug, a beloved dog, a favorite forest path, a warm kitchen, music, nature, meaningful memories, personal strengths, and simple everyday moments. Rather than depicting coping techniques, the image illustrates the Somatic Experiencing concept of resourcing—the nervous system drawing steadiness, safety, connection, and resilience from people, places, memories, activities, and inner qualities. Bright natural daylight, rich colors, realistic textures, and luminous visual storytelling create a powerful metaphor for building a foundation of support before approaching difficult experiences.

Module 5 — Resourcing | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on resourcing in Somatic Experiencing (SE): what makes something a resource, why small and ordinary sources of steadiness count, the difference between internal resources like inner strengths and memories and external resources like people, places, and pets, how a resource only works once it registers in the body as a felt sense, and why resourcing is built before any of the harder skills.

SE Course - Correct

5 min read

A woman stands outdoors in a sunlit mountain landscape with one hand resting on her chest and the other on her abdomen. Streams of glowing light flow through her body, tracing subtle pathways of sensation and awareness from her core to her limbs. Rather than focusing on thoughts or emotions, the image draws attention to the body's internal experience, symbolizing the Somatic Experiencing practice of noticing and tracking physical sensations moment by moment. Bright natural daylight, realistic textures, cinematic depth, and flowing energy patterns create a powerful visual metaphor for developing awareness of the felt sense and the body's innate signals.

Module 4 — The Felt Sense and Tracking Sensations | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on the felt sense and tracking sensations in Somatic Experiencing (SE): interoception and the body's inner way of knowing, how the felt sense differs from thought and from emotion, what the bottom-up approach means and why SE enters through the body, the plain vocabulary of sensation from temperature and pressure to tingling and movement, and the skill of tracking a sensation as it shifts.

SE Course - Correct

6 min read

A transparent glass human figure stands against a dramatic mountain landscape, revealing three symbolic survival responses within the body. A glowing stag charged with red energy fills the chest, representing fight; a flock of birds streams through the lower body, representing flight; and a snow-dusted fox rests motionless in the abdomen, representing freeze. Bright natural daylight illuminates the intricate details of the glass form and the surrounding alpine scenery, creating a striking visual metaphor for the instinctive biological survival responses explored in Somatic Experiencing. Ultra-realistic textures, cinematic depth, and vibrant natural colors convey both the power and wisdom of the nervous system.

Module 3 — The Survival Responses: Fight, Flight, and Freeze | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on the survival responses in Somatic Experiencing (SE): the autonomic nervous system and its sympathetic gas pedal and parasympathetic brake, the three threat responses of fight, flight, and freeze, why freeze is the least understood of the three, how a thwarted or incomplete response leaves survival energy stuck in the body, and why humans stay stuck when animals do not. Every lesson ends with a Somatic Experiencing practice so you can begin applyin

SE Course - Correct

6 min read

A woman stands calmly in a rugged mountain landscape as a crumbling stone version of herself disintegrates into fragments beside her. The contrast between the solid, living figure and the shattered stone form symbolizes the release of stored survival energy and unresolved stress from the body. Wind moves through her hair while dramatic clouds part over distant hills, creating a powerful visual metaphor for Somatic Experiencing’s focus on restoring balance, resilience, and natural regulation after overwhelm. Bright natural light, rich textures, cinematic depth, and ultra-realistic detail create an emotionally compelling and hopeful scene.

Module 1 — What Is Somatic Experiencing? | Somatic Experiencing Course

A free IFS Academy course on what Somatic Experiencing (SE) is: a body-based approach to stress and trauma developed by Dr. Peter Levine, the central idea that trauma lives in the nervous system rather than in the event, the observation of animals in the wild that first sparked the method, what the bottom-up approach means, who studies SE and the research behind it, and a map of every skill the course will teach. Every lesson ends with a Somatic Experiencing practice so you c

SE Course - Correct

6 min read

A solitary woman walks along a winding dirt path through a barren landscape beneath a dramatic sky filled with dark clouds and filtered sunlight. Along the path stand a series of weathered wooden signposts labeled Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance, marking different stages of the emotional journey. The path gradually climbs a hill toward a distant cemetery, where numerous headstones and a prominent monument are clearly visible on the horizon. A leafless tree stands near the graveyard, adding to the contemplative atmosphere. The woman is seen from behind, continuing forward despite the uncertainty ahead. The image serves as a visual metaphor for the Five Stages of Dying, portraying death not as a single moment but as a journey through a range of emotional experiences.

The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on the five stages of dying from the Death and Dying Series: the framework Elisabeth Kübler-Ross drew from her interviews with dying patients, each stage taught in its own full lesson, a bonus lesson on anxiety, the stage she never named, and a closing lesson on the stages in motion. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS

A very thin, physically frail man sits on the edge of an unmade bed in a dark bedroom during the early hours of the morning. His elbows rest on his knees while both hands grip the sides of his head, fingers buried in his hair. His eyes are wide open and fixed on the floor, conveying exhaustion, fear, and relentless racing thoughts. Prominent cheekbones, a gaunt face, and visible weight loss suggest serious illness. Beside him on a nightstand, a glowing digital alarm clock clearly reads 3:00 AM, emphasizing another sleepless night. Medication bottles and a glass of water sit nearby, while soft moonlight and a bedside lamp cast gentle shadows across the room. The image captures the restless, consuming anxiety that can accompany a life-limiting illness, when worries about death make it impossible to sleep or find peace.

Bonus Module — Anxiety, the Missing Stage | The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on anxiety, the missing stage of dying, from the Death and Dying Series: why anxiety never made the list of five, the distinct fears that only look like one, fear of dying versus fear of death, the waves and the 3 a.m. shift, the proximity finding, and what genuinely settles each fear. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS

A woman wearing a headscarf sits comfortably in a cushioned armchair beside a bright window, wrapped in a soft blanket and holding a warm mug in both hands. Gentle daylight illuminates her face as she gazes quietly out the window with a calm, reflective expression. Family photographs, a candle, and cozy home furnishings surround her, creating a peaceful and familiar atmosphere. There is no visible distress, struggle, or urgency in her posture. Instead, the image conveys a sense of stillness, acceptance, and emotional peace. The scene represents the acceptance stage of the Five Stages of Dying, where a person acknowledges the reality of death and rests in the present moment with a sense of quiet understanding.

Module 7 — Acceptance | The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on acceptance, the final stage of dying, from the Death and Dying Series: her actual description of the stage as nearly void of feeling, the line between acceptance and resignation, the lengthening sleep and shrinking circle, decathexis and the held hand, why families arrive later than the dying, and fighting to the end as a valid way to die. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS