The one-day experiential workshop in presence is grounded in the premise that, particularly in trauma therapy, words and cognitive insight can only take people so far. Healing requires more than understanding; it requires contact, embodied experience, and presence. Participants will explore why touch is a fundamental human sense that nurtures growth, conveys safety and belonging, and supports nervous system regulation, while also examining the clinical and ethical implications of both absent and invasive touch.
In Functional Analysis, touch is never invasive; it listens. It follows the client’s inner rhythm, supporting rather than directing their process, offering an ethical, relational, and deeply attuned way of being with another person. Participants will experience the Points and Positions technique, a gentle, non-invasive method working through the body’s connective tissues.
The workshop also introduces a somatically integrated approach to verbal work, where attention is given not only to what is said but to how it is expressed, including movements, rhythms, and resonances. Verbal exchange becomes an evocative, exploratory process engaging the whole person.
Learning Outcomes
- Direct experience of the Points & Positions touch techniques
- Experience of somatic verbal interaction
- Opportunity to deepen embodiment and full-bodied presence
Presenters:
Ermanno Bergami
Clinical Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Director and Tutor of Functional Analysis Training in Australia
Maria Sangiorgi
Dance Movement Therapist, Functional Analysis Somatic Psychotherapist, Co-director and Tutor at the Functional Analysis Training in Australia
Anna Comacchio
Clinical Psychologist, Functional Analysis Psychotherapist, International Trainer and Senior Lecturer at IUSVE University of Venice
Disclaimer:
The content of this endorsed CPD course is provided by the external course provider. Attendees are encouraged to approach the material with an open mind and consider diverse perspectives, particularly those from lived experiences related to the topics discussed. For feedback regarding the course, please contact the course provider directly.