When I started my journey with SE™ back in 2008, I had no idea it would lead me to becoming Faculty for SEI and be a part of something that helps so many heal from trauma. I had already accomplished a career goal of having my own clinical practice, being a trauma therapist providing cutting edge models that were proven to help those in need of trauma resolution. Apparently, there was more, because one day in Austin, Texas I heard Peter Levine, Ph.D talk about SE™ and I heard a message that said I wasn’t done even if I thought I was. So, I signed up as a student.
I remember sitting in my Beginning I class and thinking, “I’m not sure this is where I’m supposed to be?” But, as the 4-day training, turned into 3 modules per year, and then to my Advanced year and then to my SEP, I realized that my body, not my cognitive thoughts, had more of the real message that I was meant to hear. The openings and clarity that SE™ provided during this time of my life, opened up so many channels of information to come through that I couldn’t help but listen. The message of “Help as many people as you can heal from trauma”, was loud and clear.
As I utilized SE™ with clients and became an assistant for SE™ trainings, I continued to see how profound the changes were to the healing process from trauma, I knew this was something that needed to be shared with others. I was one of a few SEP’s in the Houston area, and I went on a further journey to bring SE™ to our city so more clinicians could also know this model. In 2017, as the lead training assistant we had our first generation of students enrolled and we were on our way. I felt so relieved that we were on this path that I thought for certain that my message I received was well on its way to being accomplished. That of course is because the more clinicians we have in Houston that are SE™ trained the more people will get relief from their trauma.
Well, if you have ever heard the phrase, “don’t walk ahead of your maker” you know exactly what occurred. Although we had accomplished so much in launching SE™ in our city, my role wasn’t done. I got a nudge and then a louder push from my mentors to become faculty for SEI. Not something that I had thought of or was even on my radar. But that’s the thing, my thought, my radar, was not what I needed to listen to. So, I got quiet again, got with my body, my nervous system, all what I learned through my SE™ experience and the stillness of my own healing process led me to being faculty today.
I came to understand what the message I heard back when I was first an SEP really meant. I’m honored to be in this role and as the SEI Faculty for Houston, Austin, Santa Fe, Atlanta, and soon to be San Antonio’s, first Spanish Bilingual cohort in the U.S, and many more places on the horizon, together through this model we can “Help as many people as we can heal from trauma.”