Touch Specialist
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Touch as a Life Saving Act – Aaron Johnson
One of the antidotes to the Chronically UnderTouched trauma story is thoughtful, carnage-informed touch.
The Touch Specialist Training Program is reaching to create a critical mass of practitioners, activists, and everyday humans to offer conscious, caring, carnage-informed touch and holding for Black bodies and People of the Global Majority (PGM). This program will benefit all PGM, but will be focusing specifically on the Chronically UnderTouched Black body and will do a deep evaluation of the Black Brute and the shaping of America’s extractive sexual and violent touch story today.
Touch and holding include physical touch as well as energetic holding and presence, song, movement, nature connection and deep listening. The Touch Specialist Program is for both formal practitioners in these areas, as well as anyone who wants to interrupt the Chronically UnderTouched trauma story and be a part of the collective healing of closeness.
Deep Dives @ PNW and/or Virtual
2-3 hrs Deep Dives exclusive to Touch Specialist participants
Dates TBD based on tour schedule
Class Series One: Interrupting the Chronically UnderTouched Trauma Story
4 classes over 5 weeks, with one integration week
Cohort 1: June 14 – July 12, 2022 (6-8pm PST) — Virtual
Cohort 2: Dec. 15 – Jan. 10, 2022/23 (4-6pm PST) — Virtual
Class Series Two: Anatomy of the Black Brute
4 classes over 5 weeks, with one integration week
Cohort 1: Sept. 13 – Oct. 11, 2022 (6-8pm PST) — Virtual
Cohort 2: Spring 2023 Dates TBD (4-6pm PST) — Virtual
Class Series Three: Prepping the Body for Deep Holding
4 classes over 5 weeks, with one integration week
Cohort 1: Dec. 13 – Jan. 10, 2022/23 (Integration week Dec. 27) — Virtual
Cohort 2: Summer 2023 Dates TBD (4-6pm PST) — Virtual
Hands-On Immersion @ Grief to Action
Cohort 1: October 21-24, 2022 – Victorville, CA
Cohort 2: Fall 2023, Dates TBD — Victorville, CA
Touch Specialist Training Program Details
The training program is composed of three components, designed to prepare participants for the Deep Holding Training Program in 2023. The core of the training is the Class Series and Hands-On Immersion. The three Class Series are required for the Hands-On Immersion, however the Class Series can be taken consecutively or across cohorts/years. The three Class Series and Hands-On Immersion are both requirements for applications to the Deep Holding Training Program.
Classes
Three Class Series over a one year period. Each Series is 4 virtual 2-hour classes over a 5 week period, with 1 integration week. Classes will be recorded and sent to participants. Priority given to participants committed to a year-long cohort.
Stand-alone Class Series price: Sliding scale $3000-$1000 per series
Hands-On Immersion* at Grief to Action
4 days on the land in Southern California
*Open to everyone who has taken or will take all three of the Touch Specialist Class Series (Class series and Immersion can be taken in different years)
Stand-alone Hands-On Immersion price: Sliding scale $4000-$1500
Deep Dives*
At least 2 in person and/or virtual small group Deep Dives in PNW
*Open to everyone who has taken or will take 1 or more of the Touch Specialist Class Series.
Stand-alone Deep Dive price: Sliding scale $400-$200 per Deep Dive
More About the Training Program:
- Each Class Series can be taken as stand-alone, but will have a different focus
- Every Class Series will be a committed group/cohort of around 12 people
- These offerings will be mixed spaces / open to all racial identities
- Taught by Aaron Johnson with guest POC facilitators
- All three Class Series and Hands-On Immersion required to take part in Deep Holding Training Program in 2023 and ongoing years
Registration
Training Packages
+ All 3 Class Series: Package if you take all 3 Series $7000-$2000
+ All Inclusive: All 3 Class Series, 1 Deep Dive, 4-day Hands-On Practice $12,000-$4,000
+ Special 1:1 Mentoring Packages for folks in Touch Specialist Training Program 4-8 weeks @ $150-$75/hr
Reach Out to Reserve Your Space
We are seeking sponsors for BIPOC participants for the Touch Specialist Training Program. Make a gift here with a note “Touch Specialist Sponsorship”.
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