When I signed up for Beginning I of the Somatic Experiencing® training, I thought I had a clear idea of what I was walking into. I’ve worked with SEI for nearly four years, supporting the organization’s mission through marketing and community engagement. With a background in art therapy and a deep love for this work, I joined the training to better understand the student experience so I could serve our members, assistants, coordinators, and faculty with more intention, connection, and integrity.
But what I received was far beyond what I expected. Beginning I opened the door. Beginning II cracked something open in me in the most unexpected way of healing. This work is truly transformative.
There’s something about stepping into that training space that immediately invites you to soften into something deeper. The environment was beautifully held, thanks to our kind and thoughtful coordinator and the warm, welcoming assistants who greeted us like old friends. The details mattered: the tea, the flowers, the chairs arranged with care and presence. And at the center of it all was Sean Frankino, our faculty lead, whose calm, grounded presence helped nervous systems settle from the start.
Sean is a remarkable teacher. He weaves deep insight and clarity with a gentle lightness that keeps the room safe and rooted. His humor, humility, and humanity remind us that trauma healing doesn’t have to be clinical or rigid. It can be warm. It can be relational. It can even be joyful. I feel incredibly lucky to be learning from him. His ability to hold space, teach with heart, and guide with integrity is amazing, and the world is better with him here to guide us.
But it wasn’t just the content or the teaching that made this experience so meaningful, it was the people. The students in this training moved me beyond words. Their sincerity, curiosity, and care shone through in every practice and conversation. These are people who really care about their work, and it shows. The connections I’ve made in this training feel alive and lasting, and being in a room full of humans so devoted to healing work was deeply inspiring. I entered the training to deepen my understanding of our community. I’m leaving with a wider range of understanding of myself and a nervous system more attuned than I ever knew possible. I carry forward not only new knowledge, but a heart full of gratitude for the people, the process, and the profound potential of this work.
With gratitude,
Abigail Hofweber
Marketing & Membership Assistant
Somatic Experiencing International