Laurie Lynn Clark
Trauma-Informed Somatic Grief Work
Bereavement Companionship
Somatic Grief Work with Youth in Nature
Laurie's LinkedIn
The EMBODY LAB BLOG Article Link:
Grief Companionship
The EMBODY LAB BLOG Article Link:
Calling in my Ancestors: A Somatic Experience
BLOG Embody Nature
Nature Immersion with Youth
A Somatic Experience
Bereavement & General Grief Consultation:
Individual and Group Work
In-person and Online Services
Laurie Lynn Clark is a trauma informed Grief Companion serving clients challenged by a loss of a loved one or triggered by profound life transitions: divorce, loss of family home or employment, retirement, menopause.
Therapeutic Interventions:
Somatic EMDR Intervention and Breath Work
Somatic Exploration & Integral Sound
Embody Resilience
Inner Child Work
Online Grief Journaling
Nature Connection:
Somatic Grief Work in Nature with youth
Continuing Education
Professional Approaches in
Trauma-Informed Care
2025
Present: Embracing All of You
Compassionate Inquiry Meets Internal Family Systems
By Gabor Maté , Richard C. Schwartz
Internal Family Systems—a profound psychotherapy model that shows us how healing and liberating it is to enter our inner world, and to lovingly care for the pain and inner struggles that haunt us.
Compassionate Inquiry—a psychotherapeutic approach that demystifies medical science and invites us to be our own health advocate.
http://www.childbereavementuk.org
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Understanding of how children and young people respond to loss, death and bereavement. Increase your awareness of how children and young people understand and respond to loss, death and bereavement, across all age ranges.
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Gain an understanding of the theories of loss and grieving in relation to children and young people.
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Gain understanding of the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that accompany grief. Develops understanding of how children and young people understand and respond to loss, death and bereavement. Increase your awareness of how children and young people understand and respond to loss, death and bereavement, across all age ranges. Gain an understanding of the theories of loss and grieving in relation to children and young people. Gain understanding of the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that accompany grief.
2024
Somatic EMDR Therapy Certification
https://www.theembodylab.com
with Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Karee Powers, Craig Penner, Dr. Scott Lyons Foundations of EMDR:
EMDR Intervention helps people heal from the symptoms and emotional distress of traumatic memories. It involves stimulating the brain with eye movements, taps, or other stimuli while the client focuses on the disturbing memory
● Utilize the 8 phases of EMDR Therapy as an evidence-based approach to trauma treatment.
● Understand the therapist’s role in an EMDR session.
● Understand how to assess for EMDR treatment appropriateness.
● Address the strengths and limitations of the EMDR standard protocol.
● Understand how to approach the EMDR framework with flexibility and fidelity integratively.
● Understand how to respond to blocks in EMDR processing
Safety and Special Considerations
● Understand 7 elements to enhance safety within the EMDR process.
● Describe why the basic EMDR protocol may need to be modified for individuals with dissociative symptoms or CPTSD.
● Explain the value of how relational-cultural and parts work therapy interweaves in EMDR Therapy to help reduce the intensity and frequency of dissociative symptoms in individuals with C-PTSD.
● Understand the importance of creating communal safe spaces for individuals with complex trauma and from marginalized communities throughout the EMDR process.
● Understand ways to enhance connection and ventral activation within a group setting.
Internal Parts Level 1. Instructor Fran Booth
2023
Master Classes with The Embody Lab
(https://www.theembodylab.com)
* HEALING TRAUMA WITH EMDR AND APPLIED NEUROSCIENCE: Experiential Master Class with DR. ARIELLE SCHWARTZ: The Preparation Phase: Somatic Approaches to Resource Development in EMDR Therapy.
* An Experiential Master Class with DR. ARIELLE SCHWARTZ
We cannot deny the impact of unresolved trauma on the body. It is often said that our issues are in our tissues. Therefore, we must include the body in the healing process: Core principles of somatic psychology as applied to trauma treatment.
* Master Class- Experiential Lesson: Healing the Nervous System through Breathwork with DR. ARIELLE SCHWARTZ.
Healing Trauma Master Series- Live Certification Course w/ Dr. Peter Levine: Working with Somatic Wounds
- Peter A. Levine PhD, the developer and founder of Somatic Experiencing (SE™) : A four-part workshop series exploring Somatic Experiencing™. Dr. Levine demonstrates a deep understanding of how complex trauma originates––and how somatic-based therapy can help clients address, process, and begin healing more quickly and effectively.
(https://www.theembodylab.com)
*Master Class: Embodied Social Justice Seminar
with ANOUK SHAMBROOK, DR. KESHA FIKES, NKEM NDEFO, DR. RAE JOHNSON & DR. SCOTT LYONS: introduces an embodied approach to understanding and transforming patterns of relating to ourselves and others based on inequitable social power dynamics.
* Master Class- Experiential Session: Attachment and Inner Relationship with DR. MAUREEN GALLAGHER: Healing our inner relationships can become the basis of a more secure attachment to self, trust in self and transform relationships as well.
*Master Class: Tremoring with DR. DAVID BERCELI: EXPLAINING & DEMONSTRATING THE BODY’S ANCIENT WISDOM THROUGH MODERN SCIENCE
Body tremors are an overlooked and undervalued self-regulating mechanism of our nervous system: reviewing psychological, neurological & physiological perspectives.
* Reframing the value of body tremors as a restorative tool.
* Medical perspectives on body tremors.
* Personal experience of body tremors and their applicability to a diversity of stressful and traumatic experiences.
*Master Class: Experiential Lesson: Polyvagal Informed EMDR with REBECCA KASE. Discover how these cutting-edge models provide a powerful framework for understanding the connection between the autonomic nervous system, vagus nerve, and memory storage.
* Master Class: Three States of Embodied Self-Awareness with
DR. ALAN FOGEL, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University of Utah. This presentation will focus on three ways in which we can be aware of our bodies -- Dysregulated, Modulated, and Restorative -- and how we can facilitate a shift toward Restorative states of being:
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The definition and neurophysiology of embodied self-awareness and its three states: Restorative, modulated and dysregulated.
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The importance of embodied self-awareness for health and recovery.
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Practical tools for enhancing restorative embodied self-awareness.
* Master Class with DR. STEPHEN PORGES & DR. SCOTT LYONS: Demystifying the Body’s Response to Trauma - A Polyvagal Perspective (stephenporges.com)
2022
Trauma Informed Mental Health, Grief Facilitation
& Restorative Communication Training
ASIST: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills. Instructors: Breanne Pizzuto and Maria Redpath. Talktoolstraining.com.
LAST AID COURSE:
Facilitated by Julie McIntyre & Linda Hochstetler-
https://www.hpco.ca/last-aid/.
The Last Aid program is designed to provide palliative care education to the public through a series of facilitated sessions with interactive online or in-person programs. 1.Dying as a normal part of life. 2. Planning ahead. 3.Relieving suffering. 4.Final goodbyes
Restorative Practice Circle Keeping for Educators and Facilitators. Lanark County-
Laying foundations for building relationships. Restorative Communication with co-workers. Benefits of Restorative Practices in Schools. Key Components of a restorative circle. Using a circle to celebrate differences. Paraphrasing reframing and non-violent communication. Listening to understand. What happened?. Who was harmed/ How were they harmed?How to weave restorative practice into the curriculum. Social and emotional learning
2021
Bereavement Facilitation
Module References: Center for Loss with Dr. Alan Wolfelt: https://www.centerforloss.com
Course Trainer: Maria Kliavkoff.
Module 1 – Basics of Group Facilitation :
Group Agreements / Intentions /Creating a Safe Environment / Flags of Resistance /Power of Intention
Module Two: Volunteer Training
Categories of Grief: / Grief Journey (Parts 1, 2 and 3) / Common Grief Responses . /“Mourner’s Six Reconciliation Needs” / “Mourner’s Bill of Rights”
Facilitator Training Module 3 – Working With A Group
Working with Group Resistance – The Victim Prison / Building Trust in the Group / Needs of the Group and the Mourner’s Six Reconciliation Needs / Role of the Support Group.
Training Module 4 – Challenges and Opportunities
• Role of the Support Group By Dr. Alan Wolfelt / Developmental Phases of a Group / Grief Leader’s Qualities / Grief Leader’s Skills Seeing Challenges as Opportunities
Mourning in a Grief Pandemic
Module 5: 6 Needs of Mourning Overview of the Module
Needs of Mourning
o Develop a New Self-Identity. Search For Meaning . Receiving Ongoing Support from Others o Develop a New Self-Identity. Search For Meaning
Module Six - Stepping into Self Care
• Self Care Terms of Reference / Symptoms of Caregiver Burnout / Burnout Survey / 12 Steps of Self Care / The Gift of Self Love
Trauma-Informed Care
Building a Culture of Strength © CTRI Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute.
-TRAUMA’S RIPPLE EFFECT -WHAT IS TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE? -BUILDING A TRAUMA-INFORMED CULTURE -TRAUMA INFORMED CARE ASSESSMENT WHAT IS TRAUMA
-PROMOTE AWARENESS -SHIFT ATTITUDES -FOSTER SAFETY -PROVIDE CHOICE-HIGHLIGHT STRENGTHS -STEPS TO IMPROVING
2020
Bereaved Families of Ontario.
BFO Halton/ Peel Region
https://www.bereavedfamilies.ca/professionals
NAVIGATING THROUGH GRIEF : Support Systems. Coping Strategies. Self-Care. Myths and Misunderstandings. Grief and Culture. Grief and Guilt. Coping with Death in the Workplace, School, and Community. Grief and Mourning: How it is different for everyone. Finding a New Normal.
2018
Palliative Care Course / Hospice Training
Lanark County Home Support
• Understand the impacts of loss and grief at the end of life. Be able to identify symptoms and how to employ strategies to manage those symptoms. Understand and apply comfort measures at the end of life. Understand ethical challenges at end of life and how to address them • Understand communication and other practical challenges at end of life and how to address them.
2016-2018
Lanark County Community Justice
Restorative Communication Circles in the Elementary School Outdoor Classroom.
1995
Somatic Reflexology—Holistic Health Consultation
Certification. Reflexology Association of Canada.
Youth Work
Early Childhood Education
Empathy Circles
Nature Connection
Early Childhood Education
1998-present
2012 Algonquin College
Early Childhood Education, RECE. Diploma
2024 Child & Family Bereavement
http://www.childbereavementuk.org
2003-present
Nature Connection & Restorative Communication Circles with youth
Somatic Grief Work & Empathy Youth Programs
The Restorative Communication Circle offers children opportunities to revitalize self through
sensory awareness in nature.
Bringing children back to the garden.
When children have the opportunity to engage and care for the natural environment, they will gain the empathetic skills, knowledge, and desire to care
in the future. We are nature.
Online Profile Links
LinkedIn Profile: Somatic Grief Work (Laurie Clark) Bereavement and Grief Companion. | LinkedIn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefsomaticwork/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somaticgriefwork/
Somatic Grief Work Writing Portfolio:
Medium: https://somaticgriefwork.medium.com/
'Brief Grief Notes' Substack:
https://laurielynnclark.substack.com/
Article: Bereavement Group & Somatic Practices / The Embody Lab:
https://www.theembodylab.com/blog/bereavement-companionship-and-somatic-group-work
Article: Calling in My Ancestors—
A Somatic Experience in Bereavement / The Embody Lab
https://www.theembodylab.com/blog/calling-in-my-ancestors-a-somatic-experience-in-bereavement