The Somatic Experiencing community exists all over the world, from Australia to Europe to China to South Africa. While we are all united by SE, different regions have their own ways of connecting and coming together. One such regional gathering is the European Faculty meeting every year in Weggis, Switzerland. Located on the north shore of Lake Lucerne, Weggis has housed many years of the European faculty meeting and countless trainings by Peter Levine and other SE trainers.  

This year, two SEI representatives, David Young and Rebecca Stahl, attended both the European faculty meeting and Peter’s course, “Embracing the Tiger,” a look at both where SE has come from and where it is headed. Like so much in the SE community, the biggest takeaways, even sitting there on the Swiss Riviera, was that the SE community is what makes SE so strong. 

First, the European faculty meeting was a time for the European faculty to come together, to discuss teaching, and mostly to connect with one another. With SE faculty traveling all over the world to teach SE, this was a rare opportunity to come together. 

Peter’s training was titled “Embracing the Tiger”. It was a new look at SE since the success of “Awakening the Tiger.” Peter’s training brought together SEPs from all over the world. There were people from Europe, of course, but also from China, Taiwan, Turkey, South Africa, and the United States. Triads happened in German and English, and as so often happens in spaces like this, in between sessions, many different languages were spoken. But we all shared one common language – Somatic Experiencing.  

The beauty of the location was matched by the beauty of the people and the work being done. Spaces like this continue to be a testament to all the work we are doing together. This time together was a true reflection of SEI’s values of community, compassion, excellence, support, vitality, and curiosity. Together, we learned, we laughed, we cried, and we connected. In a world that can feel so disconnected and polarized, these spaces become even more important.  

We want to say thank you to Urs Honauer and Paki Heisserer, the Swiss organizers and SE faculty members, who create such an incredible space in Weggis. And we want to say thank you to everyone who attended, who participated, and who continues to show up to bring more healing into the world. Together, we can continue to transform lives through healing trauma. 

From Rebecca: 

This was my first trip to Weggis, Switzerland. I have heard stories about how beautiful it is and what an incredible coming together of SEPs from all over the world it is. But nothing really prepares you to be sitting on the shores of Lake Lucerne connecting and learning how to deepen your SE practice. Since being in this role, I have had very few opportunities to be a student again, and the opportunity to sit back, learn, and practice SE, was a salve for my soul. I got to meet people in person I had only ever met online. I got to see old friends. And I got to practice SE in triads in a way I had not done in years. It was a testament to how big the SE community is today. No matter where you go in the world, there is a chance an SEP is there. Being in this space reinvigorated my heart and deepened the connection I have to continuing to build and rebuild relationships across the SE world.  I really want to say thank you to everyone who welcomed us and to all the people who attended and shared their experiences together. My heart is always happy connecting to the global SE community. 

From David: 

I loved being in Weggis. I experienced it as a kind of hub in the SE community. It felt like a place where so much history, relationship, and commitment to this work has gathered over many years. It was an honor to see SEPs coming together from all around the world to learn from Peter, practice together, and connect with one another. 

What struck me most was how alive Somatic Experiencing is. SE is not something that was developed once and then simply passed down. Peter is continuing to teach, explore, and evolve the methodology, and we could really see that during the training. Embracing the Tiger felt like a living continuation of the work that began with Waking the Tiger—something that continues to breathe, grow, and evolve as Peter and the broader SE community deepen our understanding of trauma and healing. 

I was also deeply touched by the beauty of the landscape and by the heart and years of investment that have gone into building the community in Weggis. You could feel how much people have given to this work and how deeply committed they are to making SE available to people and communities around the world. 

I left with a deep sense of gratitude. Thank you to everyone who has poured so much of themselves into this community, to everyone who made this gathering possible, and to all the faculty, organizers, assistants, practitioners, and participants who continue to carry SE into the world. It was a privilege to be there and to experience just how alive this community and this work continue to be.