More Than a Technique: Somatic Therapy As the Essential Framework for Embodied Ethical and Clinical Decision-Making
Live Event

More Than a Technique: Somatic Therapy As the Essential Framework for Embodied Ethical and Clinical Decision-Making

Sat, Nov 7th, 2026
11:00am – 2:15pm US Eastern Time
Skip to Event Registration Info

About the Event

In an era in which clinicians face unprecedented ethical complexity, the ability to remain grounded, attuned, and regulated is no longer optional—it is foundational to ethical and clinical decision-making. This presentation introduces somatic therapy as a practical, evidence-informed framework that strengthens clinical judgment, reduces professional risk, and enhances client safety across diverse treatment settings and populations.

Somatic therapies offer more than experiential techniques; they provide clinicians with a neurobiological and interoceptive framework for understanding activation, dissociation, relative safety, transference dynamics, and boundary erosion—all of which directly influence clinical and ethical decision-making. By learning to read the body as data and track the “somatic signatures” of escalation or collapse, clinicians can improve the accuracy of risk assessment, identify early indicators of destabilization, and intervene with clarity rather than reactivity.

Participants will learn how nervous system regulation and embodied attunement support sound, defensible clinical decisions. They will examine how awareness of somatic countertransference can help prevent boundary violations, and how integrating somatic assessment into clinical practice enhances safety and protection for both clients and clinicians in high-risk situations.

Through clinical examples and immediately applicable strategies, this session reframes somatic therapy as an essential tool for practicing with confidence in today’s complex regulatory landscape—supporting clinicians in protecting their clients, their licenses, and themselves, while improving treatment outcomes.

Live Event
This live online event will be held as a Zoom Webinar. Attendees will have the option to interact through features such as the Chat and Q&A, but cameras and microphones will not be enabled.

Live Event Instructor

Livia Adia Budrys, AM, LCSW, C-IAYT, SEP

Livia Adia Budrys, AM, LCSW, C-IAYT, SEP

Livia is a psychotherapist, social worker, yoga therapist, Somatic Experiencing practitioner, and spiritual activist. She is the founder of the Yoga-Informed Model and is an advocate of the mind + body paradigm shift. She implemented one of the first yoga therapy programs for mental health treatment in a nationally renowned residential treatment center. There she developed a clinical residency program to train the next generation of psychotherapists to weave yoga into their treatment of complex mental health and trauma. She is passionate about best practices and the integration of neurobiology, somatics, yoga and psychotherapy for the healing of addiction, eating and mood disorders and the often underlying acute and chronic traumatization. Livia’s psychotherapeutic experience includes training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Change Therapy (ACT), DBT- Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE), Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), anti-oppressive psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Livia’s engagement with yoga and meditation began with a two-year residency at the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy where in 1999 she was initiated into the tradition of the Himalayan Masters. She has completed over a decade of advanced and therapeutic yoga certifications along with becoming a Reiki Master in 1998. She has been deeply influenced by the mindfulness training that she has received from Vietnamese Zen Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.

Today she works to educate healthcare organizations, conducts research and presents nationally on the benefits of yoga for mental health and trauma awareness to reduce systemic burnout. She partners to implement therapeutic programs, training and protocols that utilizes the Yoga-Informed model and community-based, accessible Somatic Experiencing. She has enjoyed several clinical leadership roles in inpatient settings, most recently as Director of Trauma-Informed Care at a national treatment center - always with her hope to serve clients while supporting the system’s greater capacity for sustainable wellbeing.

Target Audience

This live interactive is intended for Behavioral Health and Addictions professionals, including psychologists, social workers, counselors, marriage & family therapists, art therapists, school psychologists, psychoanalysts, music therapists, behavior analysts, school counselors, and addiction counselors. It is appropriate for all levels of knowledge.

Learning Objectives

After taking this activity, you should be able to:

  1. 1 Identify key somatic indicators of activation, dissociation, and relative safety and describe how these patterns inform judgment, risk assessment, and clinical decision-making.
  2. 2 Apply principles of nervous system regulation and embodied attunement to enhance therapeutic presence, reduce reactivity, and support defensible interventions in complex clinical situations.
  3. 3 Evaluate the role of somatic countertransference and somatic assessment in strengthening boundary management, reducing burnout and promoting safety for both clients and clinicians in high-stakes contexts.

Sariahmed, K., Alshabani, N., & Morone, N. (2025). The Acceptability of Somatic Therapy for PTSD Among Patients at an Urban Safety Net Primary Care Clinic. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health, 14, 27536130251366942. https://doi.org/10.1177/27536130251366942

Nicholson, W. C., Sapp, M., Karas, E. M., Duva, I. M., & Grabbe, L. (2025, May). The Body Can Balance the Score: Using a Somatic Self-Care Intervention to Support Well-Being and Promote Healing. In Healthcare (Vol. 13, No. 11, p. 1258). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111258

Porges, S. W. (2022). Polyvagal theory: A science of safety. Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 16, 871227. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2022.871227

Holt, R., & McLean, L. (2021). Australian psychotherapy for trauma incorporating neuroscience: Evidence-and ethics-informed practice. Neuroethics, 14(Suppl 3), 295-309. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12152-019-09398-4

Gibson, J. (2019). Mindfulness, interoception, and the body: A contemporary perspective. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 2012. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02012

Peña, J. J. (2019). The embodied intersubjective space: The role of clinical intuition in somatic psychotherapy. Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy, 14(2), 95-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/17432979.2019.1606032

Khalsa, S. S., Adolphs, R., Cameron, O. G., Critchley, H. D., Davenport, P. W., Feinstein, J. S., ... & Zucker, N. (2018). Interoception and mental health: a roadmap. Biological psychiatry: cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging, 3(6), 501-513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.12.004

Disclosure to Learners

CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity – including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).

The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and the reviewer:

Planners and Reviewers

The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Faculty

There are no known relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Commercial support

There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.

Use our CE Approvals tool to look up your state requirements and how can help you meet them, or log in to your member account to show approvals relevant to your licensure.

Joint Accreditation (JA)

3 Psychologist CE credit hours
3 Social Worker CE credit hours Ethics
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
In support of improving patient care, CE Learning Systems, LLC, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
More Info
Logo: Jointly Accredited Provider (tm) - Interprofessional Continuing Education

American Psychological Association (APA)

3 CE credit hours Ethics
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
More Info
Logo: American Psychological Association

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB ACE)

3 CE credit hours Ethics
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, CE Learning Systems LLC is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 3 ethics continuing education credit(s).
More Info
Logo: ASWB ACE approved continuing education

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
CE Learning Systems has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5951. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Learning Systems is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 3 NBCC hour(s) awarded.
More Info
Logo: Approved Education Provider - NBCC

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Sep 29th, 2026
This course has been approved by CE Learning Systems, service provider of Impact CE, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #192243, CE Learning Systems is responsible for all aspects of their programming.
More Info
NAADAC Approved Education Provider

Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (FL CSW, MFT, MHC)

3 CE credit hours CE Broker logo 20-1406281
Eligible until Nov 8th, 2026
Impact CE, a service of CE Learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (Provider # 50-315).
More Info

Florida Certification Board (FCB)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
Impact CE, a service of CE learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Certification Board (FCB) to offer continuing education programs (Provider # 5069A).
More Info

Florida Board of Psychology

3 CE credit hours CE Broker logo 20-1406281
Eligible until Nov 8th, 2026
Impact CE, a service of CE Learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Board of Psychology (Provider # 50-315).
More Info

Missouri Credentialing Board (MCB)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
AddictionCounselorCE is an approved provider of the Missouri Substance Abuse Professional Credentialing Board (Provider #101). AddictionCounselorCE maintains responsibility for this course and its contents.
More Info

New York Education Department Board of Social Work

3 contact hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC, (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. Provider #0060.
More Info

New York Education Department Board of Creative Arts Therapy (NYSEDCAT)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
CE Learning Systems (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0008
More Info

New York Education Department Board of Mental Health Counseling

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0072.
More Info

New York Education Department Board of Psychologists

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC, (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for psychologists, # PSY-0016.
More Info

New York Education Department Board of Marriage and Family Therapy

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.
More Info

Virginia Certification Board (VCB)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Nov 7th, 2026
Virginia Certification Board educational provider # 106
More Info

Event Agenda

Agenda times are listed in US Eastern Time. That is 3 hours later than US Pacific Time. The event starts at 8:00am US Pacific Time.

11:00–11:30 AM: Why Somatic Literacy Is an Ethical Competenc
Participants will explore the relationship between somatic literacy, clinician embodiment, and ethical decision-making, including how activation can influence therapeutic presence, perception, and clinical judgment. The section will include a brief grounding experiential to introduce inside-out awareness.

11:30 AM–12:05 PM: Nervous System Mapping for Clinical Practice
Participants will review foundational autonomic nervous system and Polyvagal concepts and learn to recognize patterns of activation, dissociation, mixed nervous system states, and relative safety as a framework for understanding clinical presentation.

12:05–12:35 PM: Reading Self + Reading Client
Participants will examine somatic cues, interoceptive awareness, and the body as an early-warning system while developing greater capacity to track both the clinician’s and client’s nervous system responses. Experiential practice will support identification of individual regulation patterns and ventral vagal anchors.

12:35–12:50 PM: BREAK

12:50–1:25 PM: Somatic Assessment, Risk & Clinical Judgment
Participants will explore how activation, dissociation, nervous system flexibility, awareness, relational access, agency, and recovery can provide additional information for clinical assessment and risk evaluation. Case application will examine the important distinction between tolerating clinical discomfort and responding to indicators of actual risk.

1:25–2:00 PM: Ethics in the Relational Nervous System
Participants will examine how clinician and client nervous system states can influence ethical issues involving competence, autonomy, nonmaleficence, informed consent, pacing, boundaries, and clinical urgency. Particular attention will be given to somatic countertransference, rescue responses, boundary erosion, and the potential effects of clinician burnout and impairment on ethical decision-making.

2:00–2:10 PM: Embodied Ethical Decision-Making
Participants will apply somatic awareness to complex clinical situations using a practical framework of Track Self → Track Client → Name Regulation Level → Intervene Proportionally → Document Clearly, with case-based practice focused on maintaining sound clinical judgment under pressure.

2:10–2:15 PM: Integration & Q&A
Participants will integrate key concepts, identify opportunities for immediate application in their clinical practice, and address remaining questions.

Policies

If a grievance arises pertaining to your participation in our continuing education activities, please contact our support team immediately. See our full grievance policy for more information.

ADA accommodations will be made in accordance with the law; please indicate your special needs when you register by contacting us.

Up to 30 days prior to the event, live event registrations may be canceled for a refund via the current courses tab in your member account. Less than 30 days prior to the event, live event registration purchases are not eligible for a refund, but can be transferred to a different event. Please contact our support team for assistance with changing your registration.

  • This is a live event, hosted via Zoom Webinar. you may be prompted to download or upgrade your Zoom app if using a mobile device. A strong WiFi/internet connection will be required for best quality.

  • We recommend clicking your "Join Webinar" button early and checking that your speakers are on before the event begins. Please do not worry about being seen or heard! Attendee video feeds and mics are turned off by default when entering a webinar. You will be able to ask questions via the Q&A feature. You may test your Zoom connection prior to the event at the Zoom Test page .

  • Please respect that no copying, recording, or distribution of live session content is allowed.

We report all course and event completions to CE Broker. If your licensing board uses CE Broker for CE tracking, please be sure to enter your correct license information in your account.

If you need to cancel your registration for a webinar, please contact our support team for assistance prior to the event. Please note our refund policy, above.

If the activity must be cancelled by the provider, all attendees will receive an email notifying them of the cancellation. The email will also provide details about transferring the registration to another educational activity or receiving a refund of the registration fee. As always, you can contact our support team if you have questions or concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you register, you'll receive an email with the link and instructions to join the live event. The event will be hosted via Zoom. You may test your Zoom connection prior to the event at the Zoom Test page We recommend logging in 10-15 minutes early to be sure your connection is ready.

Most live events are recorded and made available to registered participants for a limited time after the event. Check your event materials for specific details about recording availability.

Certificates for live events are typically available within shortly after the event concludes, as soon as attendance verification is completed. You'll receive an email notification when your certificate is ready to download.

If the event is recorded, you may be able to access the recording after the live session. Contact support for information about makeup options for your specific event.

If you need to withdraw 30 or more days before the event, you can do this your self from your current courses tab.

Start your CE Journey now - complete your first course today, on us.

Try for free - no commitment required.

Start a Free Trial Course

Continuing Education

Copyright © 2026 CE Learning Systems LLC

Please Confirm