Embodied Presence:

An 8-Week Somatic Journey in Holding Space

Upfront Details

What is Embodied Presence?

Embodied Presence is an 8-week (16-hours) virtual live journey that dives deeply into the practice of holding space, and does so through the lens of acknowledgement that it is only when we are connected and grounded in our bodies that we are able to hold effective space for anyone else.

Your journey begins with obtaining and strengthening that grounded presence within Self, and from there builds slowly over the course of the 8 weeks. We will cover the basics of somatic attunement and skills for holding effective space, and then spend two weeks each diving into and practicing the specifics of holding space for Self, 1:1, and group.

Every week will include a guided meditation specially-crafted to support the somatic integration of materials along this journey and/or practice time with your cohort members.

A more complete list of topics covered in this journey is listed below.

Who is Embodied Presence for?

Honestly, this is for anyone who happens to land on this page.

Embodied Presence is for anyone who wants to learn how to hold space for themselves with more patience and compassion (because we will do that every single week). It is for anyone who wants to learn how to hold space for others more skillfully. It is for anyone who wants to become more deeply connected to their body.

Embodied Presence is also for anyone who is willing and able to commit to attending 6 out of the 8 weeks of class, and catching up on missed content for any classes missed. Because this is a course with a focus on embodiment and presence, your attendance at class is imperative to your attainment and integration of the material. Dates and times for classes are listed below.

When and Where?

Below is a list of days and times for the next cohort of Embodied Presence. All journeys will be hosted on Zoom. This will be the last cohort of 2024, and courses will resume again in 2025.

Thursday, July 11th, 6pm to 8pm PST

Thursday, July 18th, 6pm to 8pm PST

Thursday, July 25th, 6pm to 8pm PST

Thursday, August 1st, 6pm to 8pm PST

Thursday, August 8th, 6pm to 8pm PST

Thursday, August 15th, 6pm to 8pm PST

Thursday August 22nd, 6pm to 8pm PST

Thursday, August 29th, 6pm to 8pm PST

*If you need to miss one or two classes, this is fine; please be sure to connect with a classmate to get the content and practice time in. If you know ahead of time that you will miss three or more classes, please either wait for the next cohort or inquire with Ladybug about private mentorship.

What are the goals & objectives I can expect to meet in this course?

By the end of your 8-week journey through Embodied Presence, you can expect:

  • A deeper and more easily-accessible relationship with your physical body, energetic body, and nervous system;

  • A clearer understanding of your triggers, biases, discomforts that influence how you hold space for others and Self;

  • Familiarity with various tools for holding space, including Compassionate Communication, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Somatic Check-Ins;

  • An ability to hold more complexity in your internal and external worlds with ease;

  • Greater awareness of your own boundaries and how they may shift from moment-to-moment;

  • Increased communication skills, including speaking, listening, and responding;

  • More comfort holding space for small groups;

  • Sooooo much more!

What Is The Commitment?

Haux Gatherings acknowledges that humans live at different points along the continuum of economic stability. Please use the image here to determine which bottle best represents your current level of stability.

  • Full Green Bottle: $950

  • Half-full Green Bottle: $850

  • Low Green Bottle: $750

Payment plans are available, simply inquire during your alignment call.

Additionally, commitment includes commitment to attend class, commitment to connect on any missed material, and commitment to engage with the homework assignments each week. Homework will always be practice, and can be completed within 15 minutes each week. Because of this, it may be easy to brush aside. Commitment means not brushing the homework aside.

What You Will Learn:*

Weeks 1 & 2: Basics of Holding Space

  • Introduction to Holding Space

  • Introduction to Somatic Work / Connection to the Body

  • Six primary skills for holding space

  • Three contexts for holding space

  • Types of communication

  • Challenges with communication & how to navigate them

  • Embodied Communication

  • Speaking & Listening with Compassionate Communication

    Weeks 3 & 4: Holding Space For Self

  • How your body tells you what you can hold space for versus not at any given moment

  • Determining what is “in your lane” or “out of your lane” for holding space in general

  • Making unconscious biases conscious (shining light on the shadow)

  • Navigating conscious bias (aka shadow) in Self when it shows up

  • Building your “office”

  • Befriending your shadow, somatically

  • Navigating triggers

    Weeks 5 & 6: Holding Space For Another

  • Building and maintaining trust and rapport

  • Navigating boundaries and consent

  • “Walking the tightrope” of Awareness

  • Solution-Focused Brief Counseling

  • Providing helpful guidance and feedback

  • When to use confrontation as a supportive tool

    Weeks 7 & 8: Holding Space For a Group

  • Creating and/or knowing the “vibe” of the group

  • Applying Weeks 1-6 to group work

  • Increasing somatic awareness

  • Navigating challenging group dynamics

  • Rupture & repair process between group members and/or individual and the group

*Every week will include a guided meditation and/or active practice with cohort members. Weekly homework will include continued practice and/or check-in with a cohort pal.

Who is Ladybug Larsen?

Great question, since I’m the one guiding you through this somatic journey and holding space for your learning!

I have been holding space in a professional capacity since 2004, when I was a Platoon Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. In that role, I held space to support young Marines through challenges related to their home lives, their work lives, and everything beyond that, providing referrals to appropriate professionals as needed.

When I left the Marine Corps in 2007, I began seven years of schooling, and by 2014 I was holding advanced degrees in Human Development, LGBTQ Studies, and Counseling. I used this training in the fields of education, counseling, and social work, and I have worked with populations that span generations, identities, lived experiences, socioeconomic classes, and mental health stability.

I have experience as an educator, as an emotional support human, as a therapist, and as a case manager. (Have I mentioned that I’m also the mother of an adult born in 2004?) Each role has carried different dynamics to holding space, and today I hold sharing and processing space one-on-one, in group settings, and in ceremonial journey work for individuals and groups.

In every container I create, I bring a strong somatic component, because it has only been in my connection to my own body, nervous system, and energy that I have been able to hold the clarity that is necessary in order for my work to be the most helpful to others.

This 8-week journey of Embodied Presence will be an opportunity to dive into a lot of the fine-tune skills I have learned over the years. There will be a lot of practice with your cohort, both in and outside of class, and plenty of space for questions and discussion.

If you’re intrigued, click the button below to schedule your alignment call!