Special Series

Navigating Unwritten Phrases

Trauma-Informed Teaching For Musicians

Reimagine your studio

Restore your nervous system

Redefine excellence

University music faculty are carrying more than ever before—teaching full studios, recruiting high-caliber students, preparing their own performances, and meeting the demands of tenure and service. Meanwhile, your students are arriving with increasing levels of anxiety, dysregulation, and unspoken trauma.

This course is designed for you.

Trauma-Informed Teaching for Musicians is a 6-week online program that equips university and conservatory faculty with the somatic, psychological, and pedagogical tools to teach with clarity, empathy, and sustainability—without burning out or absorbing your students’ emotional weight.

Why This Matters Now

  • You've noticed more shutdown, anxiety, and avoidance in your students.

  • You want to offer support without becoming their therapist.

  • You're exhausted by giving so much, but unsure how to pull back without disconnecting.

This course integrates polyvagal theory, somatic regulation, trauma-informed pedagogy, and Brené Brown's

work to give you the framework and practices you were never taught in grad school.

You Will Learn How To:

  • Recognize signs of nervous system dysregulation

  • Set healthy emotional and pedagogical boundaries

  • Teach through somatic awareness and co-regulation

  • Redesign lessons to be trauma-informed

  • Sustain your own nervous system health through somatic self-care

This course is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, or psychological treatment, and it does not replace mental health care. Although the material is trauma-informed and may support emotional regulation and awareness, it is educational and designed for professional development purposes.

If you or your students are experiencing acute distress or trauma-related symptoms, please consult a licensed mental health professional.

Course Details:

Duration: 6 weeks (Sept. 25-Nov. 6), no class the Oct. 30

Live Sessions: Thursdays at 10:00 AM PT or 4:00 PM PT (choose your cohort). Replays are available for all sessions.

Includes: Weekly videos, journal prompts, somatic practices, peer interaction, and optional 1:1 sessions with Shawn

Certificate of Completion provided

Your Investment Explained

Enrollment is open now for this program. We have limited availability, particularly at Tier 2 and Tier 3, to allow for the personal attention necessary for this work. Cohorts are intentionally small to provide safe, interactive support.

Our program offers flexibility to work around your performance and teaching schedules. Coaching sessions at the Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels do not have to be completed within the 6 weeks allotted for the course.

You may upgrade your tier at any time during the 6-week course.

Our investment model is explained below:

  • Includes: 6 In-Person Cohort Meetings, Weekly Videos, Journal Prompts, Somatic Practices, Peer Interaction

    Cost:

    $425 USD

  • Ready to dive deeper?

    Tier 2 includes all of Tier 1, and 3, 1:1 coaching sessions with Shawn to explore your studio policies and teaching materials.

    - Course: $425

    - Coaching Sessions: $525 ($175 each)

  • For those looking for a deep understanding of how their experiences have shaped who they are and what they do…

    Tier 3 is transformational. It includes all of Tier 1 above, with 6, 1:1 coaching sessions to dive further into your personal journey, training, and pedagogy. We examine your history with teachers, and performing to see how we are the product of our experiences. We then look at what you are doing now to identify where and when change is possible.

    - Course: $425

    - Coaching Sessions: $900 ($150 each)

Payment plans and group rates are available for departments. Please inquire for more information.

Recent retreat participant

“Thank you for deepening my curiosity and knowledge about a wider approach to our craft. You created a safe space, where I was comfortable feeling vulnerable, curious, and not afraid to ask questions. Thank you!”

University Professor

“At the heart of Shawn’s mentorship is his unwavering commitment to creating deep, personal, unique body connections combined with a sincere trust of one’s instincts. I feel like he has shone a clear, bright light on a path I was already walking but was slowly feeling my way. My mBODYed work has translated into profoundly impactful teaching moments and deeply fulfilling performances- what a transformative gift for my body and soul!!

Ready to Teach with More Clarity, Connection, and Compassion?

The pressures of academia won’t ease overnight, but your nervous system can.

Join a growing community of music educators who are reimagining their studios as spaces of safety, resilience, and artistry. Trauma-informed, somatic-based teaching isn’t just better for your students—it’s better for you.

Enroll now in the Fall 2025 Cohort

Because teaching music shouldn’t cost your well-being.

Seats are limited.