Central Coast–CAMFT

presents:

The Somatics of Shame

Presented By:
Craig Penner, LMFT

Friday, September 26, 2025
9:30 am - 11:30 am

2 CE Credits
Via Zoom

* This event will be recorded and distributed to registrants so if you cannot make the event live, but want the recorded version, please register here*

Shame is a complex “dilemma,” holding varied emotions, beliefs and somatic reactions behind dynamics of hiding and disconnecting. It all feels so awful that it makes it hard to self reflect, no less expose shame with others effectively. A compromised ability to self-reflect well is often a hallmark of dynamics that keep us from working through shame. Thus, shame is a developmental inhibitor. We try to live around it, and yet we live with its constrictions, sometimes for our entire lives. There is often a powerful dynamic that prevents certain beliefs and reactive patterns from ever truly being questioned. When this is exposed and addressed first, it can open the door to examining what has never been able to be seen. The physiology of shame can point us to moments of nervous system activation that require sustained awareness to effectively work through - on somatic, emotional and cognitive levels. We need to notice these pivotal points as they arise in order to pace the activation that drives such strong avoidance. 

This presentation is designed to help therapists identify dynamics that make shame difficult to approach, including somatic and physiological aspects. A somatic approach facilitates our ability to observe shifts in activation that are not presented verbally. This allows us to pace the work and create collaborative agreements with our clients to address shame in the midst of powerful urges to hide and avoid.

Objectives:

• Participants are able to list 2 ways our nervous systems are engaged in shame dynamics
• Participants are able to describe 3 challenges for clients in addressing shame
• Participants are able to describe how disconnections are a factor in how shame persists
• Participants are able to identify 2 advantages of holding a somatic focus when working with shame
• Participants are able to explain 3 disconnecting dynamics that are helpful for therapists to pay attention to

Speaker Bio:

Craig Penner, LMFT, is a psychotherapist and trainer in private practice in California since 1982, currently in Cambria. He brings a process-oriented approach to therapy, with a strong somatic (body/nervous system) focus, and integrates the use of “bilateral stimulation” from EMDR. He has always believed that we have a natural drive to completion and resolution. This has inspired his commitment to develop “Natural Processing,” which is an integration of ways to utilize our own awareness to facilitate that drive. He has been training therapists in this approach across the US and Canada since 2014, and has led consultations and other trainings for over 25 years.

CE Qualifications: 

Unless otherwise specified, our courses meet the qualifications for 2 hours of continuing education credits for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and/or LEPs as required by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Participants will receive an evaluation via email and upon completion of the eval, will get a downloadable CE certificate.

The Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for MFTs, Associates and students, MSWs, LEPs and LPCCs. The Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.

Grievance:

While the Central Coast Chapter of CAMFT makes every effort to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there may be occasional issues with regard to presentations/workshops which will require intervention and/or action on the part of the board. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances.

When a participant files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken:

1. The participant(s) will be asked to put concerns in writing (this can be in electronic form, such as an email).
2. If the grievance concerns a presenter, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to put their comments in written format. The Board will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the grieved individual.
3. If the grievance concerns a presentation/workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the Board will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the Board will:

• provide a credit for a subsequent presentation/workshop or
• provide a partial or full refund of the presentation/workshop fee

Refund policy: registrants must cancel their registration within 10 days of the event to receive a refund minus a $5 administrative fee.  Exceptions can be made for 48-hour notices in case of an emergency.  If you need to cancel, please contact Event Chair, Kim Richards: richardskimlmft@gmail.com. 

Special Accommodations
If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any of our events, please contact Event Chair Kim Richards within 10 days of the upcoming event at 805.458.8063 or email Kim Richards at richardskimlmft@gmail.com.