Founded by Peter A Levine, PhD

Ergos Institute of Somatic Education

The Ergos Institute of Somatic Education, founded by Dr. Peter Levine, is dedicated to advancing Somatic Experiencing® principles through body-based healing programs. Offered both in-person and online, these programs support people in healing trauma and stress, building resilience, and reconnecting with their authentic selves.

Ergos Institute

Founded in 1972 by Peter A Levine, Ph.D., the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education is the leading Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) provider of SE Master Classes, Public Programming, and Community Outreach.

Dr. Levine, the Developer of Somatic Experiencing, is the President and Lead Faculty member, accompanied by an esteemed SE Faculty and a host of dedicated SE Practitioner Facilitators and Master Level Assistants.

The Ergos team delivers SE Master Classes, Case Consultations, Public Workshops, Immersive Retreats, Community Health Programs, and participates in Psychotherapy Conferences, Webinars, and Podcasts worldwide.

Our sister organization, Somatic Experiencing International (SEI), founded by Dr. Levine, provides the Somatic Experiencing Professional Certificate Training - learn more about SEI.

What does Ergos mean?

While working on starting a non-profit in British Columbia in 1972, Dr. Levine had a dream where the word ERGOS appeared in bright neon letters. Feeling the deep significance of the word in the morning, he noted that ERG is the unit of energy, EROS means love, and ERGO is therefore. ERGOS means to Peter that Love, Work, and Understanding should be the wellsprings of life, and they should also govern it.

This is the path we walk.

In the words of Wilhelm Reich, Love, work, and knowledge should be the wellspring of our life, they should also govern it.

  • Melissa Stager, Managing Director

    Melissa Stager, SEP, MBA

    Managing Director & Program Development
    Vista, California

  • Sherri Pula, Programs Support

    Sherri Pula

    Program Support
    Peterborough, Ontario, CA

  • Person with dark hair wearing a purple sweater and necklace, standing in front of green foliage.

    Julie Macias

    Personal Assistant to Dr Levine
    Carlsbad, California

  • Dave Berger

    Dave Berger, MFT, PT, LCMHC, MA, SEP

    Ergos Faculty
    Berkeley, CA

  • Smiling person with long curly hair, wearing a black top, standing in front of a green ivy-covered wall.

    Abi Blakeslee, PhD

    Ergos Faculty
    Bozeman, MT

  • A woman with gray hair and black-rimmed glasses smiling outdoors in front of a blurred building background.

    Ursula Funke-Kaiser

    Ergos Faculty
    Stuttgart, Germany

  • Smiling older man with beard in a blue suit and shirt standing outdoors with a leafy background.

    Ian Macnaughton, PhD

    Ergos Faculty
    Vancouver, BC

  • Euphrasia Nyaki

    Euphrasia (Éfu) Nyaki, SEP

    Ergos Faculty
    Brazil

  • Man with a beard wearing a light-colored sweater and scarf standing in front of green and yellow foliage.

    Joshua Sylvae, PhD

    Ergos Faculty
    Portland, OR

INVITE A FACULTY MEMBER TO JOIN YOUR PROGRAM

In Loving Memory

Justin Reed Snavely, SEP
November 15th, 1978 - October 5th, 2019

Ergos Institute Manager & Technical Lead for 15 years